There is a lot of talk about millennial’s and what they do or don’t bring to the workforce. As Millennial’s are anyone born after 1984, simply with the advent of time millennial’s are making up a considerable proportion of the workforce and entering into leadership roles; whether as team leader, mentor, operations manager or even company director. But do the benefits of employing a millennial outweigh the costs?
What’s the difference?
Simon Sinek, author and motivational speaker, in his talk Millennial’s in the Workplace, talks about the difficulties millennial’s face when entering the workforce. He asserts millennial’s have been groomed to think things come easy, if you wish hard enough for something you will get it, your online presence is more important than actual relationships… Things like that.
Millennial’s get a hard wrap nowadays as being exactly as Simon depicted; entitled, impatient and bratty.
Conversely, Sanjeev Agrawal, founder and chief executive of Collegefeed and former global head of product marketing at Google, says society is dead wrong about the stereotype of millennial’s. Sanjeev says millennial’s are the best type of workers because they have qualities that drive innovation, ensure fast-paced delivery of products and services and have positive ambition that embraces and actively seeks out diversity[ii].
I must say, I have to agree with Sanjeev because what he says depicts anyone in today’s corporate workforce trying to get ahead and be a positive change maker in their chosen filed (and not just because I was born in 1989!).
Being a change maker
For any organisation, nothing could be better than innovation and a propensity to drive change. Even if you’re not a millennial, being a change maker and a driving force is a skill valued by leaders; an employee-must-have to achieve success.
According to Lawyers on Demand’s fourth report[iii], the rise in millennial lawyers is changing the way lawyers provide their service to clients.
Logically this makes sense, given the average punter no matter their age, expects certain things from their service provider whether it be faster download speed or quick, more creative responses to questions about their legal matter or access to your lawyer. Millennial lawyers are dialed in and ready to be accessible when and if required.
With client’s wishes and interests evolving naturally with society’s expectations about what is a suitable service, law firms and law practice, need to keep up with the change, and implement positive effective strategies to stay modern and relevant.
FGD, the eternal change maker
Being a change maker is a part of FGD’s mission statement. Call a lawyer at FGD to speak with a millennial or change-maker enthusiast and have a discussion about the law in a way that is fresh, not legal-ese and understanding of what you want #changemaker #millennialsrule #FGDRox.
Cristina Cocchiaro is a family lawyer at our Melbourne Office.
References:
- [i] Simon Sinek talk – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MC2X-LRbkE
- [ii] Forbes, Six Reasons millennials are actually the best workers, Sanjeev Agrawal, 16 May 2014 https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2014/05/16/six-reasons-millennials-are-actually-the-best-workers/#7ee79c417ee7
- [iii] Lawyers Weekly, Millennial Lawyers “rewriting the DNA” of law firms, Emma Ryan, 29 May 2017 https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/21185-millennial-lawyers-rewriting-the-dna-of-law-firms?utm_source=Lawyers%20Weekly&utm_campaign=29_05_17&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3