This year, I had the opportunity to speak at a high school graduation about the value of respect in both the workplace and everyday life. I emphasized the importance of constantly trying to be the best version of yourself and its impact in helping you succeed; a point I strongly believe in. At The Dwyer Group, we discovered that achieving the best version of yourself means constantly practicing ethical behavior. And with personal success, comes success in the workplace.

Giving the next generation a voice

Speaking to students, future workers, about values and the power of choice is so important because it lets them know that they don’t have to settle for jobs that don’t meet their standards. Helping millennials reach this understanding not only encourages them to actively become the best version of themselves, but also leads them to work with a company that challenges them to have high values. Life doesn’t have an edit button, so it’s important to constantly strive to be your best!

At another recent scholarship event, I spoke about the importance of ethics and values at Dwyer Group and how other companies also use values to create a unique and passionate workplace. This message resonated very well with the young students, which tells me how passionate this new generation is about dedicating themselves to creating a better, more honest work environment moving forward. It is inspiring to see how much this generation is holding companies accountable and asking them to meet the values of today’s millennials.

Millennials are happiest working for companies with strong values

As an experiment, Dwyer Group recently conducted a “Work On Fire” Survey and found that out of over 650 employees, millennials were some of the proudest and happiest to work at Dwyer Group. Our company’s Code Of Values resonates with millennials and affects their satisfaction greatly with the workplace. The survey also confirmed that a strong company culture left millennials happier with their work environment, which could also translate to more satisfaction in their personal lives. Millennials are taking more pride in honest companies that value their employees and are focused more on helping others rather than just themselves.

Although millennials are gravitating toward companies that have a strong value system in place already, a noticeable number of business professionals in this generation are actually projecting their values on companies that may have been around for years. As a result, those companies have to rework their systems to match the values of the incoming workforce. In addition to these changes, new entrepreneurs are focusing their startup companies around helping others while still leaving some freedom and flexibility for themselves.

We are in this together

The ‘Me’ generation has become the ‘We’ generation. Not only with the rise of iPhones and iPads, but also because of a shift in mentality. The idea that millennials are self-motivated is somewhat true, but it fails to include that this generation is also responsible for the rise of charitable businesses, which focus on helping everyone including employees and customers. They are self-motivated from their personal values. This generation wants to work in places that benefit everyone.

A possible concern for companies right now is whether or not they will enforce ethical behavior in their workplace. More millennials are being taught at a young age the importance of ethics; lessons that they carry into the workplace. In today’s business world, companies are having less of a say in who they hire as employees continue to become more aware of their options and their long-term growth opportunities. Millennials want to work with a company that challenges their professional skills while nurturing their personal values and growth. This new perspective from emerging graduates and entrepreneurs is a change that will result in a whole new era of business.