Millennials Care About Health and Seek Out Like-Minded Companies

Everyone wants to be able to work without feeling overwhelmed or unhappy much of the time, so it's not surprising young people value a healthy workplace. Forward-thinking companies are stepping outside the box of traditional perks to create new benefits for millennials in bids to attract more young people to their teams.

Overall, company culture plays an important role in whether younger workers will take a job or stay with a brand; a positive environment is one of the biggest benefits for millennials, who often forgo higher pay if they are happy. While younger workers still want pay to be commiserate with experience and the job at hand, they don't always push for constant increases or bonuses if other perks are plentiful. Companies such as Google provide such perks by creating inviting work spaces full of ergonomic furniture options, meeting nooks and break rooms equipped with stress-relieving activities such as ping pong tables or video game consoles.

Vacation and sick time are important benefits for millennials, but they don't always look at paid time off the same way older workers might. Flexible time-off policies, which let supervisors work in tandem with staff to ensure personal and business interests are attended to, are a favorite among younger workers. Millennials are also one of the first generations to enter the workforce with a strong understanding of how personality plays a role in interaction and energy levels, so they appreciate the option to customize their experiences to fit unique needs. Brands seeking younger work forces find value in offering a range of environment options, including shared work spaces, individual cubicles and work-from-home opportunities. Something as simple as rearranging furniture to create safer, friendlier environments can be a major benefit for millennials.

Younger workers value training and education opportunities; they want to work where they can learn new skills and take advantage of different opportunities. On-the-job training is critical to success, and millennials know this, so they don't stay with companies that don't support them with training. A prized benefit for millennials is paid education; brands that help cover the cost of college or graduate programs often pick from the cream of the application crop. Investing in the education of younger workers is also good for the brand; it inspires loyalty while increasing the skill set and knowledge of the workforce.

Creating a healthy workplace doesn't just mean paying attention to worker safety or providing health care coverage options. It means taking time to consider what perks would be meaningful for your staff and implementing policies to support the mental, emotional and physical well-being of everyone in your company. Benefits for millennials don't always have to follow traditional trends, and creative companies are able to hire some of the best younger applicants.

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