It’s hard to believe that the largest generation in the workforce, which includes 54 million people, is the same generation that, arguably, gets the worst rep in the workforce. But it’s the truth.

In case you haven’t already guessed – I’m referring to the “Millennial” generation.

Millennials are categorized as Americans aged 18 to 34 and are often generalized as lazy, entitled, and narcissistic – to name a few.

These adjectives are fully acknowledged by millennials, and they’re tired of the negative stigma. They’re setting out to prove that they have a lot of qualities and ideas that can change our work culture and behaviors for the better.

Newcomers to the work force often admit that they’re seeking someone who is more like a “coach”, rather than a “boss”. They want someone that will commit to them, as well as their success. They don’t want someone to hold their hand, but rather, they want someone who will help train them and give them responsibility and independence.

Millennials are much more collaborative and creative in their approach to work and their work environment than previous generations. Working in commercial real estate, we see this directly almost every day, when touring and researching the market for office space and working with different clients.

We’re seeing a trend in companies that aim to attract recent college graduates and young professionals. They’re migrating away from the traditional office layout of individual offices, and moving towards open layouts and few, if any, individual offices – encouraging collaboration and team work among employees. These environments offer easy two-way communication, along with support among all employees.

At Whitebox Real Estate, we have embraced the millennial generation in the work force with open arms. We’re not your traditional real estate firm, and we pride ourselves on that.

We think outside of the box, and we approach every situation with an open mind. We welcome new ideas and different perspectives, and are always collaborating with each other.

My advice is this: Start working with millennials, and approach their way of doing things with an open mind. After all, by 2025, millennials will represent an astounding 75% of the American workforce.

Who knows, you might just like the way they do things!