Dive Brief:

• The International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) has published the results of a survey of nearly 3,600 state and local public employees that highlights how each generation looks at the recruitment process, learning and career advancement and benefits at work.
• Both millennials and Generation X valued training and tuition support highly in terms of work benefits. A workplace that fosters learning and career advancement topped the survey in terms of wants for all generations, with millennials and Generation X leading the way.
• Not surprisingly, millennials (55%) reported the most dissatisfaction with the length of time recruiting takes, and Baby Boomers (42%) were the group complaining least about it.

Dive Insight:

The IPMA-HR survey brings validation to what many in HR already know: Younger generations of workers are eager to learn new skills that can help them advance quickly in their careers, but millennials can get bored easily. Baby Boomers come from a different time when working hard was a strong value and learning came in secondary to a paycheck. By the time Generation X came along, this value was matched by the desire to earn a college education.

Now, millennials have emerged as strong proponents of learning, but with a desire for rapid advancement coupled with work-life balance. The findings of the report are something to be mindful of when developing corporate learning programs and supporting higher education with tuition reimbursement benefits.