Keys to Millennials’ Workplace Happiness

If you’re a business owner, you know that the hiring landscape is changing. In the coming years, millennials (also known as Generation Y) will make up the largest chunk of the workforce. As the next generation of leaders, they provide an immense pool of talent from which you can recruit.

The question is, how? What is it that millennials want, and how can you give it to them? At WebFX, it’s our goal to be a great company and a great place to work.

And it shows: We’ve been voted into the Best Places to Work in PA and have been named as one of the best places for millennials to work in America. To get to the top, we’ve done a lot of digging to see what it is, exactly, that millennials want in a company, and how we can offer it. Those beliefs have become values, which in turn have been incorporated into our POSITIVE Code that guides us through work and life.

Each one has shaped WebFX and helped mold us into one of the best places to work. Now, we’re here to share our secrets. So pull up your seat and listen closely, because these are the keys to millennials’ workplace happiness:

Opportunities to make the world a better place

If there’s one misconception about millennials, it’s that they’re lazy and entitled.

In fact, the opposite is true. While millennials are less likely to have contributions taken from their paycheck, a method of giving that was standard for older generations, 78 percent are donating on their own. That’s not to say that they don’t want opportunities to give back at work, though.

In a study published by The Case Foundation and Achieve, 47 percent of millennials had volunteered through their workplace in the last month, and over 50 percent consider charitable causes a strong influence when choosing an employer. At WebFX, there are many opportunities to give back, both locally and globally. Employees are encouraged to use flex time to volunteer during work hours.

And, through active community involvement and a charity-match program, team members have frequent opportunities to help improve the lives of those around them. Through #FXBuilds, a company-wide initiative powered by team successes, WebFX aims to improve the lives of 5,000 people worldwide over the course of ten years. The program allows our team to help those who lack education, shelter, clean drinking water, and other basic human needs.

In 2014, we reached our goal of $25,000 to build a school in Guatemala. As of August, we’ve raised over $9,000 towards our next goal for a school in Ghana. How you can do it:

• Provide incentives, such as a charity-match program
• Organize opportunities to volunteer as a group for a local charity
• Allow employees to use flex time in order to volunteer during work hours

Why we do it: We accept responsibility, work with integrity, and give back to others.

Lifelong Learning

Millennials love to learn and are constantly seeking ways to get ahead. As it stands, they’re the most educated generation in history: nearly 80 percent hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Rather than just earning a paycheck, millennials would prefer to invest their time gaining skills and knowledge that can help them grow — both on a personal and professional level.

As such, opportunities for continued education and training are key to millennial satisfaction in the workplace. At WebFX, we have an extensive library where our team can learn about all things Internet marketing. The industry is always changing and this gives our team a chance to scratch their continual improvement itch!

How you can do it:

• Organize a company library from which employees can check out books
• Purchase access to online programs and audio books
• Offer incentives for reading or taking courses to encourage growth

Why we do it: We drive excellence through continual improvement.

Opportunities for Career Progression

Millennials are driven with an entrepreneurial spirit, which is why transparent structures for career progression are so important. In a report from PwC, career progression was the top priority for millennials; 52% rated this as the primary attraction in an employer. For perspective, competitive salaries came in second place with 44 percent.

At WebFX, promotions are merit-based, so employees are in the driver’s seat of their own careers. We also have regular meetings to discuss the progress and growth of the company, so each employee knows the direction we’re going and how we can help guide the company along the right path. How you can do it:

• Set up a straightforward promotion path and let employees know what it takes to reach each level
• Be transparent about pay structures and how salaries are calculated
• Share company progress and goals, and include employees so they can feel closer to the driver’s seat

Why we do it: We are productive, tenacious, and get things done.

Flexible Work Schedules

It’s no surprise that millennials want flexible working options. They’re all about work-life integration, and who could blame them? In studies by Intelligence Group, 88 percent of millennials say they want work-life balance in a job and 74 percent report that flexible work schedules are a priority when deciding on a position.

At WebFX, we want to offer the best in work-life integration. That’s why we offer flexible start times, and allow employees to manage their own schedules. How you can do it:

• Maximize productivity by allowing employees to work when is best for them, within a set time-frame like eight to six
• Offer flex time to be made up by employees in the event they need to come in late or leave early for an appointment or other personal activity
• Give employees the choice to work from home on days where they may be ill or need to be home for other personal reasons

Why we do it: We make more from less by maximizing every opportunity.

Positive Environment

There’s a reason everyone wants to work at places like Google and Zappos, and it’s not just that they’re passionate about search engines or shoes. It’s because, on top of the work, they’re considered fun places to work. Creating a positive environment can take your company from stale and stagnant to smiles and success.

At WebFX, it’s our goal to create an environment that team members look forward to coming to every day. Above everything, we value positivity and use it to fuel our company. That’s because we know that happiness is the best way to motivate and retain our team.

How do we create this culture of positivity? By focusing on the positive (negativity and complaining have no place in the Moffitt Mansion!), building a team of supportive coworkers, and celebrating our successes. We also have another unique tool in our positivity toolbelt: Heather, our Happiness Manager.

Heather organizes all of our team events and works every day to ensure a positive, happy environment. She’s also the mastermind behind all of our fun surprises! How you can do it:

• Cultivate a culture of positivity by feeding positive thoughts and starving negative ones Encourage team members to replace complaints with solutions to drive change
• Inject a little excitement into your office environment! Plan fun events or surprise employees with treats. Gifts don’t have to be big to make a difference – spontaneous ice cream days or cups of hot chocolate are some of our favorites!
• Organize team-building activities for employees to get to know each other outside of the office

Why we do it: We value positivity as the foundation of our WebFX family. At the end of the day, WebFX is more than just a place to work — we’re a family. Every member is a valuable part of our team; each adds to the culture that makes us happy to come to work every day.

And that’s just one more reason to love WebFX!