The Solving the Millennial Mystery report, which surveyed over 1,000 millennials in employment about their attitudes to work, found that overall the demands of this generation of Londoners are significantly different to those of the rest of the country.
When searching for a job, for example, millennials in the capital place more importance on good diversity and inclusion policies (25% in London compared to an average of 14% for the rest of the country) and company dress code (23% in London compared to an average of 7% for other regions) than millennials in other parts of the UK.
Millennials in the rest of the country place greater importance on flexible and mobile working options (38%) and ways of working within the company (22%) when looking for a job. Amongst London millennials, just 26% and 11% respectively prioritise this.
When separately asked what was most important to them, just one in five (20%) millennials in the capital chose working for a company that offers good pay and benefits, the most popular option amongst other regions (38%). Instead, Londoners (26%) prioritise working in a fun environment, compared to just 18% of millennials in the rest of the country.
Alex Fleming, President of General Staffing, The Adecco Group UK and Ireland, commented:
“It’s no secret that employees of different generations have varying priorities when it comes to the workplace, but our research shows that there are also significant regional differences amongst the millennial generation. These findings further support the idea of the emergence of a multi-tiered economy in the UK, where numerous factors – including regional differences – influence how businesses and employees experience today’s labour market.
“A one-size fits all approach simply will not work in this market, and organisations should ensure they are flexible in their benefits and recruitment strategies to accommodate these different priorities.
By working with regional experts to understand what millennials – and other candidates – in their locality actually want, businesses can make the necessary investments to attract and retain this talent.”
London millennials also envisage staying in their current roles for the least amount of time (an average of 2 years). By contrast, millennials in Northern Ireland expect to stay in their current job the longest, at an average of 4 years.
