New Cone Research Reveals Millennials are Challenging Employee Engagement Norms

Nov 7, 2016 10:15 AM ET

Cone Communications Insights

Last year, Millennials surpassed Gen Xers as the largest generation in the workforce. They are our managers of today and our executives of tomorrow – and they're changing the face of employee engagement.

We are pleased to share our newly-released 2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study, a deep-dive into the expectations, attitudes and motivations of Millennials in the workforce. The study reveals that meaningful engagement around CSR is a business – and bottom line –imperative, impacting a company's ability to appeal to, retain and inspire Millennial talent.

The research found that more than any other generation, Millennials seek ways to make a positive impact at work and after hours – and they are eager to contribute directly to their employers' CSR commitments. As Millennials continue to gain influence in the workplace, companies will have to rethink their approaches to engagement with this always-on, socially conscious group.

Key findings include:

  • CSR Impacts Millennial Recruitment: 76% of Millennials consider a company's social and environmental commitments when deciding where to work (vs. 58% U.S. average)
  • …And Retention: 83% would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues (vs. 70% U.S. average)
  • Engaged Millennials Are More Satisfied at Work: 88% say their jobs are more fulfilling when they are provided with opportunities to make a positive impact on social and environmental issues (vs. 74% U.S. average)
  • Millennials Want to Be CSR Co-Creators and Collaborators: 89% want to be active participants in helping their companies improve responsible business practices by providing feedback, ideas and potential solutions (vs. 78% U.S. average)

Interested in learning more? We invite you to download the research on our website, or interact with the data here. You can also join a webinar presentation to hear more about the study and great examples of companies leading the way on Wednesday, November 16, at 1 pm ET.