Boston and Toronto (PRWEB) April 6, 2011– I Love Rewards, the leader in employee rewards and recognition solutions, today announces results from the Class of 2011 study, in partnership with Experience Inc., career network for colleges and universities throughout the US since 1996. Over 8,000 students were surveyed to find how the Class of 2011 perceives the workplace and what employers can do to recruit, retain and inspire the incoming workforce and beyond.
“The biggest eye-opener is how committed Millennials are to making a difference. They put `opportunities for advancement’ as the #1 criteria they look for when searching for a job, and they want to stay with their employers for many years. They want to contribute, learn, grow, contribute more and make a difference,” said Jenny Floren, CEO, Experience Inc. “It’s a new world, fast-moving and complex and employers need new thinking to fuel innovation. The type of fresh ideas and perspective that Millennials bring is critically important. They are the future.”
Of the 8,088 respondents, highlights from the study, “The Class of 2011: Insight from the Emerging Workforce” include:
• 88% plan to apply directly to the company they wish to work for
• 72% plan to use their campus career service to secure their first job upon graduation
• 55% believe that career advancement opportunities are more important than salary when looking for work
• 64% plan to stay with their first employer for two to five years
• 81% ranked travel rewards as an incentive that they would most want from an employer
• 16%, the smallest percentage, ranked years of service awards as a desirable incentive
“Smart companies are capitalizing on Gen-Y talent by building a multi-generational workplace that inspires and coaches the leaders of tomorrow,” says Brent Lowe, Vice President of Employee Experience, I Love Rewards. “Gen-Y is a force to be reckoned with — eager to advance and produce tangible results that will drive companies forward. They bring unique expectations to the workplace, but they are also a well-educated generation that offers critical skills needed by employers. Attracting this group requires companies to become more aligned to Gen-Y values and expectations.”
The data, collected in partnership by I Love Rewards and Experience Inc., sheds light on what motivates Millennials when it comes to their future careers. The Class of 2011 study was conducted in February 2011 through an online survey amongst a sample of 8,088 students across the United States. The sample included university students with a primary focus on those graduating within the next one to two years. The source of the sample was drawn after targeting for age, gender, and region from the Experience Inc. student database of 150,000+ students at over 1,000 universities.
About I Love Rewards
I Love Rewards is an employee recognition solution that helps companies recognize brilliant performance and empowers employees to choose their own rewards. Unlike traditional service award programs, I Love Rewards creates authentic moments of recognition that resonate with workers of every generation. I Love Rewards’ clients include 3M, Eli Lilly, Marriott, ConAgra Foods and Health Now. On the web at http://www.iloverewards.com.
About Experience
Experience is the first university-endorsed career network bridging the gap between college and the working world. Since 1996, we have partnered with universities to educate, assist and inspire college graduates to launch and lead extraordinary careers. Each year, our award-winning network connects millions of candidates from 3,800 colleges and universities with more than 100,000 employers.
This press release was distributed through PR Web by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company listed above.