Question

1. In your opinion, what are two major advantages, and two drawbacks, of having Millenials in the workplace? Explain.

Answer 1

Two major advantages of having younger employees at the workplace according to me are-

Technologically skilled - Millenials, on account of the time period in which they were born and the technological advancements that took place during their formative years have become quite capable of working with technology. Even if they are not familiar which a certain technology or software, they possess a higher capability of understanding and working with the technology in a relatively short duration of time. This is in stark contrast to the older generation who feel apprehensive each time they are asked to work with a new technology.

Multitasking - Millenials have been exposed to situations from a very young age where they had to juggle between academics and sports. As a result, they have become quite adept at handling situations that require a greater level of management. This is very helpful in an office environment where employees would often come across situations where they would have to work on different projects or deal with different departments at the same time.

Two major disadvantages of having younger employees at the workplace according to me are-

Overconfidence - Millenials tend to be overconfident in their abilities and ignore any set methods of doing things. They believe that their way is the right way and that it should be followed. This can sometimes be a positive thing in terms of their risk-taking ability but this can backfire if it is not controlled. They need to recognize the decision-making structure of the organisation and work towards improving personal ideas through collective efforts.

Don't gel well in a team - Millenials can sometimes be rigid in their ideas and thus not listen to the opinions of others. This could lead to stalling of the decision-making process within a team if members cannot come to a common conclusion. Millenials generally like to work alone without any interference from others. This is the result of the social conditioning that they have received during their formative years.