Brookfields Lawyers' Charlotte Robertson tells millennials, however, that it's a give-and-take case
Like with any other generation, some factors outweigh others when millennials are in the process of choosing the right workplace.Brookfields Lawyers senior associate Charlotte Robertson believes that for millennials, one of these considerations is culture.
“I believe that finding the right culture to work in is one of the most pressing issues concerning millennials,” Robertson says. “Millennials tend to be interested in the overall package when it comes to a workplace.”
She says that employers can get an edge over competitors by having this in mind.
“A workplace culture that has not adapted to millennial expectations is going to be a workplace that is challenging to work in. Things such as flexibility, quality of work and client-facing time are examples of some of the things that millennials are facing,” she says.
However, Robertson warns fellow millennials that this is a give-and-take situation.
“Millennials need to realise that not all workplaces have the ability to provide all the things that a millennial desires from a workplace,” she says. They need to be able to adapt and work with the older generations to create compromise between the culture that millennials expect, and the culture that the employer can offer. Workplaces that have had the same culture for many years are not going to be able to change overnight.”
Robertson, along with some of New Zealand’s most successful millennials, will be tackling the most pressing issues that affect the generation at the Millennial Workforce Summit NZ.
NZ Lawyer readers can secure discounted rates only until 13 April, when the early-bird offer ends. For even more savings, attendees can book a team pass for four delegates.
Robertson says that events like these are significant because it is an opportunity for millennial lawyers – and millennials generally – to get their views out in front of the public.
“Millennials have had a bit of a bad reputation and are treated as though they will disappoint, so if they do, it’s seen as re-enforcing that belief,” she says. “Millennials need to understand what their cultural differences are so that they may address this misconception. Events like this assist millennials to form the narrative of their own identity.”
The Millennial Workforce Summit NZ takes place at The Pullman Auckland on 31 May.
Charlotte Robertson
