What Irritates The Hell Out Of Millennials In The Workplace

Is there a worse feeling on planet Earth than the one you get when your alarm clock buzzes early Monday morning?

Having to dress up for work, even though no one will see your outfit inside of your standard cubicle, only adds to your frustration.

Additionally, your coworker “Susan” — who will immediately fill you in on all of the unnecessary workplace gossip, despite being twice your senior — is getting on your last nerve.

Millennials can sense bullsh*t from a mile away. They know wearing shorts and a T-shirt into the office will make no difference in terms of their productivity.

Generation-Y doesn’t see the point of working a standard nine-to-five.

Yes, Millennials understand having to work a certain number of hours each day. But, if we are more productive in the evening, why can’t we work from 11 to 7?

Instead of being stuck inside of a cubicle, wouldn't it be better if we got some fresh air at a park or coffee shop while on our laptops?

Every year, Millennials are growing and taking over the workplace in terms of population and leadership.

According to The Intelligence Group, by 2020, 86 million Millennials will be in the workplace, representing 40 percent of the total workforce.

As Millennials, we bring unique skills to the office.

We are the highest educated age group in the US to date, and we are hands-on with a personal experience with tech platforms and have a thirst for innovation.

As Millennials continue to enter and rise in the job market, it is essential that businesses keep up with us in order to attract and retain young employees.

When you are shaping up your office culture to fit the latest generation of workers, avoid some pitfalls that repel Millennials.

Otherwise, your Gen-Y employees will find other jobs with cooler bosses or start their own businesses.

Here's what Millenials won't waste their time dealing with:

1. Non-flexible hours.

More employees are considering an increased work-life integration, where the connectivity of the business and the personal make it simpler to manage both at the same time.

Millennials want to be able to adjust their hours in the office beyond the typical nine-to-five schedule so they can avoid rush hour or get home sooner to their children.

Millennials also prioritize the freedom to work from home over higher salaries because of the flexibility (and increased productivity) working remotely offers.

Because of these benefits, about 30 million Americans work from home at least once a week, and this number is expected to increase 63 percent in the next five years.

Millennials seek flexibility, and workplaces that require strict hours prove they are anything but flexible to their employees’ needs.

2. Strict dress codes.

In a survey by Salary.com, 15 percent of workers aged 18 to 25 believed their offices’ dress codes were too strict.

One respondent explained, “Some companies put too much emphasis on the way a person dresses when they should be concentrating on how that person performs.”

Of course, dress code requirements vary from industry to industry. But overall, most Millennials agree there is a connection between dress code and productive innovation, and a solid middle ground for an office culture should ideally be business casual.

Unless you’re in a field like banking, enforcing a strict dress code can feel stifling and ineffectual.

3. Office politics.

Now, this is one everyone can probably agree with. Office politics are frustrating, alienating and draining, regardless of employee involvement.

But for Millennials who hold entry-level positions, getting dragged into an office squabble is the stuff of nightmares because junior employees are often pressured to take a side.

Eighty-eight percent of Millennials prefer a collaborative work culture rather than a competitive one, and it’s easy to see why.

Working in an office that fosters teamwork over individual progress builds a stronger community within employees, and everyone feels more supported.

Unfortunately, office drama isn’t wholly avoidable, but creating a foundation of strong collaboration is as good a remedy as any.

4. Micromanagement.

Thanks to unpleasant stereotypes about Gen-Y (read: entitled, spoiled and helpless), some workplaces feel the need to proctor their Millennial employees.

Unsurprisingly, Millennials are just as capable of creating quality work as their predecessors, and it can be aggravating to have your hand held by a distrustful boss.

Millennials are responsible enough to understand deadlines and what’s expected of them for a given task; micromanagement often just comes off as condescension and doubt.

Give young employees the opportunity to prove themselves. Many creative minds flourish better and are far more productive when left to their own devices!

5. Lack of diversity.

According to the Pew Research Center, 43 percent of US Millennials aren't caucasian. We are the most racially diverse generation in American history.

Millennials grew up in classrooms and on playgrounds more diverse than their parents’, and they want to interact with people who have different backgrounds, opinions and ideas from themselves.

In every region of the world, Millennials prioritize diversity when considering employers.

For those Millennials who have been historically underrepresented, an office’s level of diversity is an indicator of how equally they will be respected at work.

Companies with higher workforce diversity unlock innovation and productivity within their employees, and this is crucial to retaining Millennials.

With mounds of student debt and a poor job market to boot, Millennials have a tougher time of finding employment than their two generational predecessors, Generation-X and the Baby Boomers.

However, Millennials are also persistently optimistic. About half of American Millennials in a survey stated they felt optimistic about their futures and that the country’s best days are ahead of us.

The workplace is rapidly shifting to accommodate new technology and ways of interacting with employees and customers alike, and businesses that can’t keep up are dropping out of the race.

Millennials know what to look for in a fulfilling and impactful career path, and it all starts with the culture their employers deliver.

So, what are you waiting for? Deliver!