Recognizing the Impact of Millennials in the Workplace

There is seemingly no end to the research, surveys, and reports being produced about Millennials and the impact they are having, and will continue to have, on our world and the workplace.

Recently Deloitte, a multinational professional services firm based in New York, released a fascinating report about Millennials and the workplace. The full report is available online as a PDF, but here is a summary, as shared by Deloitte:

• Forty-four percent of Millennials say they will likely leave their current employers within two years. Why? A feeling of being overlooked for personal and professional development is paired with an intense desire for work and life balance, a desire for flexibility, and a perceived lack of shared values.

• Millennials are values-based, and it affects how they choose employers, accept assignments, and make decisions as they move up the career ladder.

• Millennials expect businesses to focus on people, products, and purpose over profit. They warm to the role of P&L as they gain experience, but not to the point of sacrificing their perceived values.

• Speaking of which, seven in 10 Millennials believe their personal values are shared by the organizations for which they work. Deloitte calls this the “silver lining” for organizations aiming to retain these young professionals—an indication that this new generation can be happy and motivated when their voices are heard.

In all, it’s a fascinating report—one well worth the time to read and understand. Businesses often succeed or fail based on their ability to adapt, and recognizing the changes that are occurring in the work force is a fundamental skill facing employers in the 21st Century.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.

Interview: Jane Vassas, Vassas Telecommunications Consulting

With this blog post, I'll begin a series of interviews with entrepreneurs, executives, and other business influencers, to share their experience and insight.

Jane Vassas

Our featured entrepreneur for this month is my friend Jane Vassas, owner of VassasTelecommunications Consulting, LLC. Jane works with clients to analyze and fulfill their data, voice and IT needs.

As we were sitting down for our interview, I shared my frustration that I had worked on a proposal and speech for two hours prior to our meeting and, just as I was getting ready to push the save button, all of my work disappeared. I was sure all was lost.

Jane’s response was typical for her; she was on her cell phone within seconds, talking to one of her techs, who in turn provided valuable guidance and support to assist me with a solution. To me, that is one of the keys to Jane’s success. She is always looking to provide solutions and results for her clients and colleagues. I learned a lot about auto-save and document recovery that day.

The excerpts below, taken from our conversation, share some of Jane’s personal values and observations on how she has evolved, how she continues to fine tune her leadership style, and her clear, passionate focus on results:

On her heroes: “I am inspired by people who stood for what they believed in and stepped outside their comfort zone. A few of those include my sister-in-law Judy, who is driven and successful; my close friend Krys, who defied the odds—I look to her for guidance and support—and my close friend Debbie, who is excellent in building solid relationships in B2B and has become a mentor to me.”

Pearls of Wisdom: “Listen to those who have experience and are well-rounded and willing to share their learning from those experiences. Listening is important for my own personal growth and development. The key in sales is to listen to your clients and potential clients as a valued advisor, focused on building trusted relationships as an advisor and project manager.”

On her legacy: “I want to send a message to other women entrepreneurs that one of the greatest challenges is to stay focused on the ultimate. I want to actively support my community through my business, creating jobs and being a role model for other women entrepreneurs.”

For more information about Jane and Vassas Telecommunications Consulting, LLC, visit www.vassastc.com.

Jim Ondrus pioneered the management concept of Leadership Transitioning™. He is president of JA Ondrus, LLC, a Canton, Ohio executive coaching firm.