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Launch Letters: Myths about Millennials—Workplace Safety Matters

Today, more than one in three American workers are millennials, and they represent the largest share of the American workforce[1]. As baby boomers increasingly enter the ranks of retirement, companies are embracing the differences of this younger generation to foster a safe workplace, while increasing employee productivity and engagement.

Defined as those who were born between 1980 and 2000 (give or take a year), millennials are sometimes unfairly maligned as self-absorbed. Given this perceived obsession with “me, me, me,” you might assume this generation exhibits a lack of interest and motivation to participate in workplace safety programs.

In fact, millennials place a higher value on safety, and most especially workplace safety—more than any other generation. This may surprise you, but stop and think about it. This generation grew up in what continues to be some of the most turbulent times. Such tragedies as the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center attacks, and conflicts across the globe have ingrained the importance of safety in the minds of millennials since childhood.

That said, millennials are indeed unique when compared with prior generations. And that’s a good thing! Savvy companies have seized upon these differences to re-evaluate and refresh their workplace safety training and their corporate communications strategy overall.

This change has benefitted all employees. Consider the following employee engagement strategies to turn millennials into key contributors to your workplace safety team.

Sound Bites vs. Big Bites

Given the vast array of media options today, rolling out the traditional safety training video or an endless PowerPoint presentation can be as interesting as watching paint dry. Millennials are often blamed for having short attention spans, but the fact is, everyone does.

To read the full version of this article which appeared in the September 2017 issue of The PCB Magazine, click here.