Source | www.forbes.com | Larry Alton
Millennials have been changing the workplace ever since they started arriving on the scene nearly a decade ago. Now, Millennials are growing older and are starting to step into leadership and management positions. There are a few different definitions of “millennial,” but Pew Research sets the earliest year for the Millennial generation at 1981, which means the oldest Millennials are now 36.
According to research from the Harvard Business Review, the average age of first-time managers is 30, and the average age of people in leadership training is closer to 42. This poses an interesting problem for most managers, who don’t receive training until they’ve been on the job for 10 years (if they receive training at all), but it also shows that we’re falling squarely into an age with Millennials taking the helm of their own teams.
So how are Millennials succeeding in these roles, and how are they changing the workplace?
Why Millennials Are Ready
Let’s look at some of the main reasons why Millennials are prepared to take on leadership roles:
- Age and experience. As noted, Millennials are beginning to age, wandering into their 30s. With a decade or more of experience under their belts, they’re ready for bigger roles.
- Numbers. Millennials have officially become the largest generation as of last year, and represent the largest percentage of the workforce. Because there’s a growing power vacuum as managers from older generations leave or climb even higher, Millennials are the most plentiful candidates to fill the void.
