millennials have 5 years of tenure at their current employer as
opposed to 21.8% of Gen Xers, according to a survey.
They Don't Have a Strong Work Ethic
Myth: Millennial nurses are too absorbed in smartphones, social
media, and living free-range lives to invest themselves in their jobs.
They merely work just to get by.
Reality: While it's true that millennial nurses want a work-life balance
(but who doesn't?), keep in mind that they often have to relocate to
gain entry into the field. If you couple that with their crippling student
loan debt, often causing them to delay life milestones like marriage
and home ownership, it should become more clear why millennial
nurses often escape into their hobbies and interests. It's a coping
mechanism. Bosses, unfortunately, just don't get it. Maybe this
explains why. It's estimated that nearly half (47%) of managers and
leaders have a spouse that doesn't work outside of the home, leaving
them better equipped to spend more time at work. Meanwhile, 80% of
millennial couples both work full time. So there's a huge empathy gap
as younger workers often have more responsibility in managing the
home than their leadership.
They Need to Be Coddled
Myth: Hospitals have had to erect safe spaces to accommodate
for the fragile state of millennials. These nurses require too much
attention and keep leaders from other tasks.
Reality: Yes, millennial nurses want frequent feedback and engage-
ment from their leaders, but mostly they don't want to be blindsided.
Nearly 85% of surveyed millennials said they'd feel more confident if
they could have more frequent conversations with their managers,
according to Fast Company. That same survey also found that millen-
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