A study by leadership experts Right Management has found that managers and leaders in the Millennial age bracket (35-44) are more likely to show support and guidance for their colleagues this business quarter, with a third (33%) saying their primary focus is to support employee and career growth.
The survey of 2,046 people across the UK, including 253 business leaders and 1,793 employees, finds that ‘Driving their organisation’s primary focus’ is the main aim for 26% of business leaders this quarter – though this is less popular for leaders aged 55+ (21%, compared to 36% of leaders aged 18-24). Leaders aged 35-44 – otherwise known as Millennials – are the outlier here, with 33% of this age demographic saying that supporting employee and career growth (33%) is their primary focus.
“For a generation that has often – unfairly – been stereotyped as entitled, self-obsessed and lazy, these survey findings reveal some interesting truths about Millennial leaders and their priorities”, says Lorraine Mills, Principal Consultant at Right Management.
“As Millennials are set to dominate the workforce by 2025, it will be reassuring to know that those already in leadership positions are keen to empower their colleagues to grow and improve.”
More so than any other age group, 20% of Millennial leaders cite driving social and environmental responsibility as a behaviour they believe they display in their role (5% higher than the baseline of 15% and 12% higher than Gen Z leaders aged 18-24).
“Millennials have already had a couple of decades to establish themselves in the workforce and this has been during a time that climate change and movements to protect the global environment have intensified. So, it’s maybe no surprise that their age group are some of the most socially and environmentally conscious leaders – again, flipping the stereotype on its head. It’s reassuring to see evidence that the new generation of leaders coming through will not only support their colleagues to better themselves but will encourage them to be more socially and environmentally conscious in their own decision-making also.”
Leaders overall, are just slightly less aligned with their employees on building an inclusive and supportive culture (15% of leaders prioritise this, compared with 19% of employees) but nearly a quarter of both leaders and employees (22%) agree that the support of employees and career growth is a priority for this quarter. 26% of leaders are also committed to driving their organisation’s purpose and vision for this quarter.
The survey also found, concerningly, that around one in ten leaders have no interest in seeing any one particular outcome this business quarter (13%) and this disinterest rises across each age group, with nearly a third (29%) of those aged 55+ not having invested in any particular outcome.
“In a time where employees are expecting a lot from their organisations, a lack of direction at leadership level could prove highly problematic in terms of talent management”, concludes Lorraine.
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