It seems like every other week there’s a new trend piece out citing some wacky stat about the millennial generation. But what can we say? We’re a pretty cool bunch. As the youngest millennials start to enter the workforce, statistics on millennials and the workplace are more telling than ever. Here’s a roundup of the ten most interesting and illuminating statistics about millennials in the workplace today:
- One in three American workers are now millennials. In the first quarter of 2015, there were 53.5 million millennials in the workforce — which meant Gen Y finally overtook Gen X to become the largest share of the American workforce, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
- And we’re just going to keep growing — the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2030, millennials will make up 75 percent of the working population.
- More than half of newly arrived immigrants in the past five years have been millennials. This has contributed in a significant way to the growth of millennials in the American workforce.
- 79 percent of millennials would consider quitting their jobs and working for themselves in the future. A strong entrepreneurial streak can be found in many millennials, thanks in part to the popularity of the Silicon Valley start up culture, the rise of freelancing, and the emergence of the gig economy.
- 69 percent of millennials see themselves in managerial roles within 10 years, according to a survey commissioned by Elance-oDesk and Millennial Branding. In fact, 28 percent of millennials surveyed were already managers.
- 39 percent of millennials would prefer to learn new skills by attending a conference or event, while 37 percent would prefer to attend in-person classroom training, according to a study conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value. IBM’s findings contradict the stereotype of tech-worshiping millennials who always want to do everything online. We value “real world” learning too!
- 26 percent of millennials don’t think workers should be expected to stay at one job for more than a year, according to a study by PayScale. Looks like the millennial reputation for job hopping is well earned.
- 47 percent of 25-to-34 year olds have received a postsecondary degree as of 2013, according to a report put out by the White House. Graduate school attendance is also on the rise for millennials, increasing by 35 percent since 1995. The rise in postsecondary education could be tied to the 2008 recession and its repercussions; more young people enroll in school and tend to stay in school longer during recessions.
- 53 percent of millennials believe they would benefit from a mentorship relationship in the workplace (perhaps they should try a reverse mentorship pairing too?).
- A solid 50 percent of millennials think social networks boost workplace productivity, often citing communicating with co-workers, reaching out to clients, and organizing and promoting work-related activities as good reasons to use social media. Not to mention, social media can help land you a job too.
Which statistic about millennials in the workplace is most surprising to you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below or tweet us @PloymintHQ!