Learn the criteria for possible management methods
Millennials don’t exist in a stereotypical state across the world, even though they were raised in an e-enabled global village. According to research gathered by Ronald Alsop, the author of “The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workforce,” the generation born between 1981 and 2001 has many variations when geographic examples are examined.
Cross-studies have revealed noteworthy differences. For example, while millennials everywhere might be tied to technology, a 2010 study by the management consulting firm Accenture found that young people in China spend significantly more time in the e-world for work and play than their international colleagues.
The study also discovered that millennials in India, the U.S. and China were the most likely to regard state-of-the-art technology a crucial factor in selecting an employer.
Respondents in the U.S. and Canada also cite job security as an important career aspiration more than those in most other countries, according to Universum’s study of college business students.
In India and China, a lower-than-average portion of participants consider being “competitively or intellectually challenged” a key goal. A relatively small number of Japanese students say they want to manage people or be entrepreneurial.
For most European students—especially in France, Italy, and Spain—an international career is highly sought.
For a work-life balance, cultural matters factor into differences. According to Universum’s and other’s research, millennials in Western countries, particularly America, crave jobs that leave plenty of time for outside pursuits.
This gives Asian nations an edge in the world’s demanding workplace, as it was found that employees of the East are less likely to leave jobs than those in other parts of the world if a balance isn’t to their liking. However, Asia-Pacific millennials are still vulnerable to career dissatisfaction, and not feeling good enough if they’re not consulted or allowed to give input on matters occurring at their companies.
Communication is a popular subject since it has changed so much in only the past few decades, and is often a major source of generational friction. Millennials tend to be extremely casual and eschew face-to-face time in favor of online communication, but variations are present here too.
Less emphasis on face-to-face communication exists among Asian millennials than their counterparts in North America and Europe, according to a global student survey by IBM.
Work environment was also part of the IBM survey: a collaborative space was favored highest in both North and South America, communicative in Europe, innovative in Japan and India, and creative in China.
Finally, a study by accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers, found that regardless of national origin, millennials want meaningful jobs, flexible working conditions, strong connections with supervisors and teams, and recognition and appreciation. Several millennials also are more interested than other generations in obtaining overseas assignments, particularly employees hired in such emerging markets as Brazil, Mexico and India.
Nuances such as those are being recommended for consideration in building the global millennial workforce, because the lack of a singular type for this generation will demand it.
