Originally published by Dan Sanker on LinkedIn: Millennials are Making Work Better
And, thanks to our millennial team members...
We’ve embraced a more millennial-friendly culture here, so we can include the hearts and minds of today’s great people. You’ll find more food and drinks in the offices, health & wellness programs, sports teams (sometimes volleyball, softball or soccer), holiday events (Halloween contests, potlucks and parties). Your colleagues are dressed casually, and we’ve sourced discounts at health clubs, movies theaters, cultural events, and even apartments in some areas. ...more to come.
Millenials or not, the whole team appreciates the more significant elements of our culture that have seen the Company recognized as a "Best Places to Work" in two states for over five years running. The organization is known for:
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Freedom to be creative, take initiative and make things happen
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Direct access to company executives regardless of title
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Employee feedback surveys (that actually implement suggestions)
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Transparency and open communication
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Freedom to share opinion and respect for differing opinions
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Mentorship to grow and improve with a “never stop learning” mentality
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Encouragement and feedback
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Family atmosphere that feels more like home than work
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Ability to be part of decision-making processes
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Dedication to educating employees
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Support of entrepreneurial efforts and outside projects
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Challenging and rewarding work
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Fun work environment
It may sound unusual, but the whole team should thank millennials. When we started in Santa Monica in early 2000, we sought to replicate the usual large-company environment. After all, although we were always a highly tech-enabled company, it was still in a staid vertical (i.e. Supply Chain Management).
Fast-forward to now, and times have changed. We have embraced our tech-centric and people-centric culture. Now that we are larger, we don't need to act large. We need to foster the entrepreneurial, can-do, merit-based attitude that got us here. None of it would be remotely possible without the pioneers who worked in the early days to change the industry. But, more recently, the millennials are shaking up the place.
Thanks to the early pioneers at the Company, everyone has a strong set of typical corporate benefits, but the new generation isn't wowed by that stuff. They are interested in how the culture of a business speaks to them. They've grown up with a startup mentality and embrace iteration and even fast-failure that leads to learning and results. They understand and embrace collaborative technologies. And, what looks like impatience translates into a demand for quick organizational action. More important, millennials are a driving force towards significant, scalable, and lasting social change that will benefit everyone, whether it’s about the environment, socioeconomic diversity, or just a healthier work-life integration.