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In just a few days, I will have my one year anniversary with Morrison. In my opinion, that’s a milestone. I made it one year in a position unfamiliar to me. It stretched my comfort zone, made me take on responsibilities that grew my existing capabilities, caused me to experience failure and success, all while working alongside an incredible team. But maybe I also see it as a milestone, because I am a product of my generation. According to a survey featured in “The Future of Work: Job Hopping Is the ‘New Normal’ for Millennials,” 91% percent of Millennials (also called Gen Y and born between 1977-1997) plan to remain in their job for no more than three years. This sort of mentality has come to define the term “job-hopper,” and depending on your audience, that can be good or bad.

The article, mentioned above, suggests three ways to help employers extend that window for a “job-hopper” at your organization.

1. Offer Work Flexibility – not all young professionals are motivated by the dollar amount on their paycheck. The article suggests having the ability to manipulate the rigid 8-5 work hours “trumped both compensation and career progression in importance.”
2. Listen To Your Employees – create a culture that appreciates input from the team and promotes professional growth. “Gen Y workers crave the chance to contribute creatively to the company have their ideas heard.”
3. Communicate the Company’s Mission & Values – convey what you’re all about! Employees seek to join forces with organizations that have values they can support too.

At the conclusion of “The Future of Work: Job Hopping Is the ‘New Normal’ for Millennials,” Jeanne Meister highlighted a new way of viewing job-hoppers. “So, hiring managers, before dismissing a scattershot resume, consider context; it may demonstrate ambition, motivation and the desire to learn new skills more than it shows flakiness.” Stay with me here, but I remember my grandparents explaining how the value of money has changed over the years. When they were kids, $50 would equate to over $800 today! Every dollar was so precious. Would it be crazy for me to suggest the current generation of young professionals sees a year milestone at one job similarly to how my grandparents viewed money back in the 1940’s? Although I am relatively new in my career, I do recognize this one year has provided immense value to me.

My conclusion is to simply have a fresh perspective when picking a worthy candidate for a position and don’t come to your decision a resume alone. Whether you like the job-hopping trend or hate it, millennials are now the largest generation in the US labor force and every business will probably have to adapt a little from how they’ve typically hired in the past.

Thanks, Morrison, for an amazing first year…and full disclosure, I don’t believe I’m a third of the way through my stint here, I hope to stay a while!

About the Author
Janae Swartz is a consultant with Morrison, working primarily in our People Solutions practice. To get in touch with Janae, please find contact information for Morrison here.