What is a Millennial, Anyway?

Millennials were born after 1980 and are the undisputed future of our world. These "kids" can get a bad rap—see what I did there? In reality, they are tech-savvy team players who know how to express themselves in various ways. As such, they are a welcome and important addition to any office.

We asked some of the millennials in our office to tell us more about the generation that is setting the business world on fire!

We, millennials—fresh out of college and ready to begin our careers—bring an enthusiasm and positivity to the workplace that not all generations can offer. Our strong drive and desire to succeed, coupled with our willingness to learn from our superiors, make us a valuable resource for any company.
—Kelsea Rounds, Production Coordinator

Millennials bring our knowledge of the digital world to the workplace. We have the upper hand, since technology and the Internet have basically been around as long as we have—it is second nature to us! Countless businesses are using different forms of technology and the Internet on a day-to-day basis; millennials contribute to this widely growing digital field.
—Megan Ross, Audience Development Coordinator

While not all millennials want a tech-based career, we are tech-savvy and always embrace new technology and social media platforms. We are also multitaskers, a skill that allows us to complete our work in an efficient, practical manner. My generation welcomes constructive feedback—in fact, we embrace it. Finally, we value work/life balance. We don't eat, sleep and breathe our jobs. We like to show up and get our work done. When we leave the office, the work stays there. We aren't willing to compromise our social engagements.
—Monica Schafer, Media Consultant

Of our generation, Forbes contributor Mike Maughan said, "Enough with the free food already. Millennials want opportunities and purposeful work."

I believe we bring many great things to the table as 20/30-somethings. Our technological wheelbase helps us engage on a different level with other professionals. We always try to learn new ways to improve upon our work ethic and enjoy reading about the skills that help leaders succeed.
—Marie Catallo, Media Consultant

Millennials view the Internet and the ever-changing social media environment as tools essential to connectivity—in and out of the workplace. As millennials, our familiarity with technological advances allows us to easily incorporate technological changes. We also view teamwork in our own unique way.
—Ashley Micallef, Sales and Service Coordinator

Whether you are a millennial or work with millennials, remember the words of George Orwell: "Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it."

Written by Lisa Sticker, a Generation X staff writer for Groups Today magazine.