Lots of companies said that workers from the millennial generation preferred individualism over organizations. (image: KEB Hana Bank)
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Amid the growing share of the millennial generation in in the job market, companies are finding it difficult to manage employees from what some feel is a distinctly different generation.
According to a survey of 283 companies conducted by online Job Portal Saramin, 57.2 percent said they find it difficult to manage millennials.
Specifically, 67.9 percent, more than two thirds, said that workers from the millennial generation preferred individualism over organizations.
This was followed by “sudden resignation and job hopping”, accounting for 46.3 percent, and “sensitive to disadvantages”, accounting for 36.4 percent.
Among the reasons for the difficulties, an overwhelming number of respondents, accounting for 75.3 percent, said millennials were “too different from the previous generations.”
Other responses included “the existing personnel system struggles to manage the new generation,” accounting for 27.8 percent, and “because of time and expense,” accounting for 15.4 percent.
Millennials accounted for 33.8 percent of the employees at the companies participating in the survey.
Accordingly, 4 out of 10 companies, or 40.6 percent, responded that there were changes in policies or systems to manage employees from the millennial generation.
More than half of the respondents chose “guarantee of work and life balance and no additional work” as the prime change the companies went through.
In addition, some 47.8 percent answered, “simplify or eliminate office get-togethers/workshop”, and 34.8 percent cited “relaxed work dress code” as the further changes they went through.
As to whether the changes had a positive effect, 75.7 percent responded affirmatively.
When comparing the previous generation with the millennial generation, 39.6 percent of the respondents said their abilities were similar.
However, 33.9 percent of the respondents said that the new generation was “better than the previous generation”, and 26.5 percent said the new generation “lagged behind the previous generation.” The results show that participants thought the new generation were more talented by 7.4 percentage points.
Companies that answered that millennials were excellent employees said that new generation was better at “utilizing new technologies such as SNS”, accounting for 63.5 percent, “had creativity”, accounting for 45.8 percent, and “global capabilities such as foreign languages”, accounting for 43.8 percent.
On the other hand, 75 companies that said the new generation lagged behind the previous generation said they were disappointed with their abilities such as “taking responsibility”, accounting for 73.3 percent; “ability to solve problems”, accounting for 72 percent; “mentality, endurance”, accounting for 60 percent; and “spirit of self-reflection and sacrifice,” accounting for 50.7 percent.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
