It’s no great secret that millennial talent is a hot-button issue among HR professionals and recruiters. Each day it seems as though there’s a new whisper floating through the industry airwaves discussing the “challenges” millennials bring to the workforce.

Millennials are lazy. They’re demanding. They’re selfish.

It’s small-minded to put anyone in a box, let alone an entire generation of people who are just beginning to come into industries that others have been in for decades. Not only does this misrepresent the talent pool, but it also may prevent companies from seeing the value of adding these workers to their team.

However, new data suggests that some of these negative stereotypes are simply not true. According to PwC’s NextGen: A global generational study, “Despite a reputation perhaps to the contrary, the millennial generation of workers share some similarities with older generations in the workplace. They have grown up not expecting their organizations to meet all of their needs, including job security, and don’t see themselves working for one organization for their entire careers. Although Millennials have a natural aptitude for electronic forms of communication, email and social media platforms are not always their communication vehicles of choice, especially when it comes to discussions with their managers about their careers.”

Furthermore, the study also suggested that despite being socially and technologically connected, 96% of millennials would rather speak face to face, just as 95% of their non-millennial counterparts do.

And while there is no denying that generational differences do exist among millennials and non-millennials, rather than allowing these differences to divide, they should be taken into account by organizations that include employees from both groups. According to PwC, “Understanding these and other differences will help target customized solutions that will promote retention and an engaged workforce across all generations and levels.”

Image used under Creative Commons from frankrizzo805.