Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.
Preparation
Millennials in the workplace
Background
Millennials (those born between the early 1980s and the early 1990s) make up a huge part of our workforce but they seem to lack loyalty to the companies and the leaders they work for. Multinational companies are noticing larger turnover rates of millennials as employee retention rates fall. This report looks at the findings of two large-scale surveys on the mindset of the millennial generation and explores how organisations can strive to address these needs, increase employee engagement and encourage retention.
Research
In a global survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), more than 40,000 millennial (born between 1983 and 1993) and non-millennial responses were collected on the topics of workplace culture, communication and working styles, pay structure, career development, work–life balance, etc.
In a separate global survey conducted by Deloitte, more than 10,000 millennials participated in a study about their perceptions of the threats and opportunities in the complex world of work.
Key findings
- Millennials are as committed to their work as their more senior colleagues.
- Millennials value interesting work and a good work–life balance. They do not believe that excessive work demands are worth sacrifices in their personal lives.
- Millennials want flexibility in their working hours and are willing to give up pay increases and promotions for a flexible working schedule. They believe that success should be measured by productivity and not by the number of hours they are seen in an office.
- Millennials want to feel supported and appreciated by their company and their superiors.
- Millennials want more opportunities to develop their skills. These include technological skills, teamwork and interpersonal skills.
- Millennials believe that businesses and business leaders should contribute to the improvement of society and they are more likely to be loyal to a company with strong ethics.
Recommendations
Organisations and managers wanting to retain millennials should consider:
- monitoring their workload and satisfaction levels with their work–life balance
- creating a flexible work culture where employees have more control over their working hours and their work location
- providing meaningful work and interesting opportunities
- offering help and support in continuing professional development
- changing the organisation's goals from being mainly about profit-making to motives that address social concerns and solve wider societal problems.
As far as I am concerned, interesting work aligns with my passion and flexible working hours encouraging the productivity instead of working hours and strict disciplines are the most important factors to be happy at work. In the long-term, if I am not interested in what I am doing, it won't bring any merits not only for me but also for a company which I work for. If there are strict rules and no flexible working hours, it might have negative impacts on work outputs. The whole point of being happy at work is getting a deeply sense of satisfaction while doing that job which has a deep connection with your values. If so, there is less turnover rate and it can also help increase employee retention.
Version revised and reformulated by ChatGPT.
What’s Most Important for You to Be Happy at Work?
I believe there are four key factors that contribute to my happiness at work.
First and foremost, enjoying the work itself is essential. The more we like what we do, the more we dedicate ourselves to it, striving for perfection. This not only leads to professional achievements but also brings a sense of personal fulfillment.
Second, having good relationships with colleagues significantly impacts the quality of work. Positive interactions create a supportive atmosphere, benefiting both the work process and the workers themselves.
Third, the role of the executive or manager goes beyond simply giving instructions and supervising. A good leader should be willing to work alongside their subordinates when necessary. Such behavior fosters a stronger relationship between the manager and their team, improves collaboration among workers, and ultimately boosts morale and productivity.
Finally, flexibility in working hours is crucial. Work schedules should be designed to ensure that tasks can be completed efficiently without placing undue strain on the worker’s physical presence.
In conclusion, being happy at work depends on a combination of personal, interpersonal, and environmental factors. By focusing on these aspects, we can create a more fulfilling and productive workplace.
I consider work-life balance to be the most important aspect of life because time is a resource that we can't buy. Working is beneficial for our minds, but if we focus solely on work, we may lose out on important moments with our family and friends, which cannot be regained. Therefore, both aspects are important.
What's most important for you to be happy at work?
I want to have a calm environment to focus on work and proper task management software that helps everyone to focus on their tasks. Moreover, I like a work-life balance of 8 hours daily and Monday through Friday for productivity. If overtime work is needed, the company should pay extra for that time. Some tour activities refresh the employee's minds and improve their cognitive ability. Salary increments and bonuses are other good features that improve the employee race during work.
To be happy at work, I seek a leader who exemplifies leadership qualities rather than merely managing tasks. Additionally, I desire a work environment that is free from gossip and negative chatter. Lastly, it is important to me that my work is recognized and appreciated.
What's most important for you to be happy at work?
Making a team with your colleagues and not having a place with negative competition, which brings troubles and misunderstandings at the end.
Clearly, if you work alone you won’t have problems (you are the boss and the employee at the same time); instead, if you work with other people surely having the same point of view isn’t always simple, in spite of, reaching a calm and sane relationship with colleagues it’s the key to be happy at work.
Well, I think that being respected is the most important thing to make me happy at work. Having my space and time respected, you know? I hate when people use my things or move them around without permission and also hate when I have to stay late at work without an early warning about it, I just think it's really disrespectful to my daily plans (it's okay if it's an emergency tho). Also being respected in general, yk? Not having to deal with stupid jokes and names. There are, of course, other things that would make me happier at work, but I think this is the most important one. Please remember to respect your co-workers :)
i am a bit confused that the question 3 task 1 is " sacifice pay so they can work shorter hour", there is no mention on this report confirm that. can someone explain it to me ?
Hello earlg96,
This information is not directly stated but is strongly implied. It's in this point:
We have several relevant pieces of information here. First, we can see that millennials are willing to give up pay increases and promotion (which would generally mean more pay) for flexibility. The question is what flexibility means in this case. Is it the same number of hours with different start and finish times or is it also fewer hours? The next sentence refers to productivity rather than the number of hours, meaning that if a person finished their tasks in six hours rather than eight then they should not have to stay the extra two hours.
I agree it's not explicit but I think it's strongly implied here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
For me the most valuable thing my dreamed job should have is an strong and well-established ethic. I wouldn't accept a job in which my boss don't care if I'm valuable for the companie or not. I also would prefer a job with a lower pay but a human framework where values are it's basis are fundamented in the work relationships.