WAYNE, PA--(Marketwire - Jul 27, 2011) - The Kenexa High Performance Institute (KHPI), a division of global provider of business solutions for human resources Kenexa (
Today's workforce is comprised of baby boomers (born 1943-1960), generation X (born 1961-1981) and millennials, who were born between 1982 and 2003. There are more than 80 million millennials in the U.S. alone and while many of them are already in the workforce, the rest are on the verge of entering it. A fair amount of sensationalistic journalism has heralded the emergence of the millennials in the workforce, setting expectations that they expect preferential treatment and are apt to be difficult to manage.
KHPI's research demonstrates quite the opposite. White paper co-author, Rena Rasch Ph.D. of the Kenexa High Performance Institute, shared, "Our research indicates the millennials often stand on common ground with their older counterparts. In some key areas, the research suggests that the millennials may even turn out to better employees and -- eventually -- better employers than their predecessors."
Tracking more than 25 years of opinions through its annual WorkTrends™ study, an international survey that in 2011 included more than 30,000 people across the working-age spectrum in 28 of the world's most powerful economies (including Canada, China, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, the U.K. and the United States), KHPI uncovered that 60% of millennials are extremely satisfied with their employers. Even more -- 63 percent -- report that they have opportunities for growth and development at their companies. In contrast, baby boomers cite their overall satisfaction levels at 54 percent and only 49 percent when it comes to growth opportunities. Generation X tracks similarly at 54 percent and 51 percent, respectively.
KHPI Research Manager Rasch commented, "The differences between millennials and their older counterparts are shockingly slight. HR professionals and managers should take heart -- there are huge opportunities to be capitalized on when it comes to leveraging the positive outlooks of millennials."
A complimentary copy of KHPI's findings on the millennial workforce can be downloaded here.
About KHPI
The Kenexa High Performance Institute (KHPI) features a multidisciplinary team of highly qualified professionals. From offices in London and Minneapolis, Minn., executive directors, Tony Cockerill, PhD and Jack Wiley, PhD, oversee rigorous, global and innovative research and development programs, spanning all aspects of human capital management. In addition to white papers, KHPI produces books, academic papers for top journals, and helpful practitioner articles. For more information, visit www.khpi.com
About Kenexa
Kenexa® provides business solutions for human resources. We help global organizations multiply business success by identifying the best individuals for every job and fostering optimal work environments for every organization. For more than 20 years, Kenexa has studied human behavior and team dynamics in the workplace, and has developed the software solutions, business processes and expert consulting that help organizations impact positive business outcomes through HR. Kenexa is the only company that offers a comprehensive suite of unified products and services that support the entire employee lifecycle from pre-hire to exit. Additional information about Kenexa and its global products and services can be accessed at www.kenexa.com. Follow Kenexa on Twitter: @kenexa.