A couple weeks ago we wrote about two types of millennial workers: the ones that fit “every negative stereotype” and the “connector” millennial, ready to progress in the work world.  Well, some called foul at the ease at which we sliced the millennial dilemma into a dichotomy of bad millennial, good millennial.

To the millennials: You were designed to win.  The cells of your body, the synapses of your brain, the muscles in your arms and legs, the consciousness of your soul, the interactions you have with others – all of these were specifically manufactured for you to win. They were put together like blueprints on a paper, carefully engineered, meticulously combed over, tweaked for maximum output.  You were constructed to succeed in life, at your job, in your relationships, and in your community.

The vast majority of Millennials (90%) do not plan to stay with any given employer for more than five years.  More than a third of Millennials (37%) say they plan to stay no more than two years.  Almost 40% of Millennials start a new role already planning their next career move in the immediate future.  These were the recent numbers coming from a five-year survey of Gen Y (Millennials) done by Adam Kingl and Richard Hytner of the London-based newspaper, The Guardian.

Last week we had the pleasure of presenting a half-day workshop for the Vermont Association of Talent Development (formerly ASTD) at Champlain College focused on the Millennial worker.  The room had a great mix of generations and professionals all wondering about this new emerging workforce. The assortment of organizations in the room and around the world are facing an enormous challenge:  how do we engage and lead the new Millennial worker, estimated to be 75% of our workforce in the next 15 years, and how do we transfer the knowledge of our existing generation, the Baby Boomers, who are estimated to be leaving the workforce at a staggering 6,000 a day.