As Baby Boomers head into retirement, Millennials are filling the workforce gap — and this includes becoming truck drivers. This presents new challenges because of how this generation views life and work. The Millennial generation, those born between 1982 and 2003, is the largest and most diverse in American history. According to Pew Research analysis of U.S. Census data, Millennials occupy the largest share of our nation’s workforce, 53.5 million, and that number continues to rise.
While it is important not to generalize, Millennials seem to possess different workforce characteristics and motivations from other generations. Notable events during their lifetime, economic isolation and technology have greatly influenced their lifestyle. By 2025, Millennials will make up 75% of the world’s working population. Therefore, it is important to understand them.
Our company, Quickload, is a fast-growing company that uses technology to disrupt the way the $800 billion trucking industry operates, and we are looking for someone to be head of operations. Though we are not specifically looking for a Millennial to fill the position, we understand that in general terms, Millennials do not work well under a rigid management structure so working in a logistic and analytical problem solving environment may be a perfect fit.
Like our own work friendly environment, Millennials prefer flexible work schedules and desire to achieve a work-life balance. Recent research also shows that Millennials are more about job satisfaction and making a difference than bringing in big salaries. It’s not that they are unaware of the value of money, it’s just not their primary motivation. This generation is driven to serve and loves to work in teams to service the community. They may not aspire to obtaining a particular job title, but they are interested in reaching executive positions to make an impact on the world.
And Quickload is all about teamwork. As the company’s head of operations, an individual will work with and manage a team. That person must also take “ownership” for the company’s growth, while supporting operations and quality of services, and come up with an innovative solution to complex problems.
While we do not know what the final impact of Millennials will be on the workforce, one fact remains, they are here to stay. Their approach to work is different and at times challenging to understand, but it can also yield positive results. Because they are a tech-savvy generation, they can benefit a company with their understanding of social media and the importance of technology development, something Quickload thrives on.
However, even though they have earned a reputation for being less productive and noncommittal to employers, we need to get to know them as individuals rather than react on general stereotypes. It’s important to engage them in a company’s mission, because at the end, we are all humans and looking for a way to contribute and connect on some level.
With that said, as head of Quickload’s operations, customer experience would take priority. So, if making an impact on those you serve is a goal and you are motivated and challenged when working in a changing work environment while collaborating with a diverse team, please check us out.
This also goes for Baby Boomers and Generation Xers, we’re open to everyone.
Content Creator: Yeleny Suárez
