Millennial Workers Are Thriving in Age-Old Workplaces

Projected to outnumber baby boomers this year, millennials, now ages 21 to 38, are already the largest demographic in the U.S. workforce. Some of their favorite companies to work for, however, are decades older than they are.

Research and analytics firm Great Place to Work recently tallied its annual list of 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials, based on surveys of more than 4.5 million people. Among the top 10 large companies, eight were founded before 2000. Some even predate millennials’ parents and grandparents: No. 2 finisher Hilton is celebrating 100 years of operations in 2019. Of the top 100, the oldest, American Express (No. 50), was founded in 1850. Twenty were founded before 1960, and 31 before 1980.

How do these companies’ leaders—an increasing number of whom are themselves millennials—align with Generation Y’s expectations? Many survey respondents prioritized acknowledgment of their personal lives at work, from flexible schedules for family time and hobbies to workplace discussions about traditionally stigmatized subjects such as mental health.

In a testimonial, one Hilton employee cited flexibility to take care of personal issues among the reasons to love the company. A Cisco (No. 9) employee shared: “I’ve been given the opportunity to reinvent myself.”

Firmly rooted values go a long way too. A Salesforce (No. 3) employee praised that company’s commitment to “the environment, its workers, human rights, women’s rights, [and] LGBTQ.”

Employers that fit the mold have much to gain: 87% of millennials at the top 100 companies say they intend to stay put for a long time, versus 44% at the average company nationwide.

See the full 2019 list of the 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials, broken down by size: