Millennials: Youthful and Full of Expectations

Alaska employers and trend-watchers say they are: * Tech savvy * Information-oriented, able to filter through the flood of data barraging them to find what is meaningful, and able to find the information they need * Looking for meaning in their work, but not averse to making a profit * Sheltered and willing to draw from, and even retreat to, sources of support like their families * Expectant that their demands will be met * Keenly aware of, and fearful of, making a bad bargain at work * Similarly aware of the economic chat lenges facing the country * More international in outlook than past generations While any characterization of an entire generation involves a degree of over generalization, Alaska business people say generational distinctions are both real and significant issues for employers to comprehend and address. EXPOSURE FORMS BEHAVIORS "It's absolutely valid (to analyze generational groups)," says Rick Nerland, president and chief executive officer of Anchorage-based branding and marketing company Nerland Agency Worldwide Partners. "The millennial generation wants a more balanced work life than the baby boomer generation," says Charlene Davis, director of recruitment and workforce planning at Providence Health & Services Alaska.