Common Myths About Millennials that Simply Need to Die Out

All these misconceptions are going around about millennials. And it’s easy to see why. The thing is, most of these misconceptions are negative but also unfounded. Here are only some of them:

Millennials are addicted to their phones

It’s true that millennials always stick to their phones and computers, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re addicted. As the first generation to actually grow up with the internet, it’s only natural that they value technology as a part of their lives. In fact, they still prefer face-to-face interactions over online and electronic communication.

Millennials are lazy

If you think about it, this is a sweeping generalization that isn’t exactly substantiated. Of course, there are many members of other generations who are also lazy as well. Though some millennials become inactive, research has shown that most are not. Many are even willing to take longer hours at work or even during weekends just to further their career. Simply put, they look for ways to do more work in less time.

They need to be constantly praised

It’s no question that millennials were raised with the “everyone gets a trophy” mentality. Because of that, employees think they should come up with ways to always keep everyone engaged. But more than constant praise, millennials want feedback. They want to be recognized just as much as they are eager to learn from criticism. They would prefer to know how they are doing at the office over receiving awards and trophies for being an “employee of the month”.

They are not loyal to their jobs

For the older generations, it’s common to stay in a secure job for 10 years or more and wait for promotions. You’ll rarely see a millennial who will stay for promotions though. They want more opportunities and room for growth. They won’t wait for a promotion that might not even come. If they see that a job has a lot to offer them in terms of skill development, they’ll surely stay longer. These days even, when you stay in a company for too long, though you’ll be recognized as loyal you might be seen as lacking the ability to grow and take risks.

They are problematic at work

Most of the time, this idea stems from misunderstanding. What’s rude for older generations may mean another for Millennials. For example, for the older generations, you should save your questions until after a presentation. For millennials, on the other hand, they have to ask questions even in the middle of a presentation as a way to engage and contribute as much as possible. At the core, this and all the other misconceptions listed are really only results of misunderstandings between generations.