And yet supporting such career progression isn’t a top priority for most employers, the research also discovered.
Just over half (53%) of the millennials – defined as those born between 1980 and 1999 – surveyed said they have been disappointed by a lack of personal development training when starting a new job, while just 15% of employers felt that personalised training programmes were a priority for keeping employees engaged.
The research also found that 38% of millennials receive formal feedback once a year, but 60% would like feedback every one to three months.
The Robert Walters Generations in the Workplace white paper surveyed 302 hiring managers and 228 millennial professionals from a range of fields and regions across the UK. It concluded that career progression is central to attracting and retaining millennial employees, as well as keeping them engaged in their role.
Andrew Setchell, a director at Robert Walters, said: “Millennial workers have much in common with their older colleagues in terms of how they are motivated and what engages them at work. However, employers risk disconnecting with their millennial employees if they fail to acknowledge the importance millennials place on career progression.”
