search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
      • Enter Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
      • Enter the Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!
Guest ColumnLow Slope RoofingSteep Slope RoofingEvent News

Millennial Misperceptions

An Exclusive Survey Unveils what we Know and what we Think we Know about Millennials

Millennials
March 21, 2017

You’ve likely heard it before, “How do you work with those people?” You hear it from us experienced (over age 35) people that feel frustrated trying to understand the young generation entering our businesses. But, you’ll hear the same question and annoyance from this young generation, wondering how to succeed with people who don’t seem to understand them at all.  

Stereotypes. You just can’t think about generational differences without stereotyping.  

So what’s the definition of a stereotype? Merriam-Webster says it’s a “Standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion.”

Reality – Stereotyping can be Helpful

There are obvious issues with stereotyping. Generalizations bring difficulties too. But you may remember that the principal of all science is based on evaluating concepts and approaches versus a hypothesis. And, if you study the most successful leaders, a common attribute is their ability to explore complex options and convert them to simple and disciplined strategies that result in superior implementation. I call it, “Thinking chess – but communicating checkers.”

The reality is that we naturally use stereotypes as a hypothesis until we actually evaluate and attempt to understand specific individuals. So my conclusion is that despite their problems, stereotypes are very useful. They provide a generalized working hypothesis that we can use as a benchmark to compare and contrast our perceptions of different individuals we actually deal with. As a result, we can form superior leadership and relationship enhancing capabilities.

Many of my clients (mostly contractors from around the U.S.) ask, “How do I deal with this new generation?” Some of the questioning involves some derogatory stereotypes about the “millennial generation.” These perceptions include: overly ambitious, lazy, entitled, spoiled, lacking humility and annoying.

Beyond my consulting, I teach over 1,000 students each year at one of the top-rated business schools, and I believe that while these descriptions seemed somewhat familiar on the surface, they weren’t helpful in improving results in business leadership. With such simplistic information, I couldn’t help coach this younger generation on how to succeed and I couldn’t coach the more mature generations on how to improve their leadership and resulting company results.

Finding Answers – The Start of a Journey

I talked about the issue of the younger and over age 35 generations with both Tracey Donels, a very successful younger executive at KPOST in Dallas and leader in the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA), and RC publisher Jill Bloom.

We agreed on a three-step process. First, conduct a large panel session at the MRCA conference last November to gain more insight into generational perceptions and challenges, especially in the roofing industry. Second, develop quantitative market data using the experts at BNP Market Research, the research wing of BNP Media, RC’s parent company. And then combine the learning into the article you’re reading.

Phase One — The Panel Session

The panel session at MRCA drew a large crowd of professional roofing contractors who peppered the eight person panel with questions. The take-away was clear: There are big gaps in perceptions. 

However, everybody seemed to agree on a few key things. First, there’s a huge difference in the perception of acceptable work time. The younger generation has a much more flexible view. For example, if they have something personal to do at 2 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, that’s no problem; take the time off and get it done later that night or the next day. Non-millennials tend to view an appropriate workday as starting early and not leaving before 5 p.m.; not complying reflects an employee that’s not as committed to the success of the team. 

Second, life values are often dissimilar. Millennials are much more conscious of their personal and work life balance. They believe that prior generations placed far too much emphasis on their careers and as a consequence, missed out on some of the best things life has to offer. Interestingly, the more experienced generations tended to agree, and they believe their younger peers have it right.

Third, there is a divergence in beliefs about career advancement. Millennials place much lower value on long-term loyalty and “paying your dues.” Simply, they believe that financial rewards and increasing responsibility should be based almost entirely on personal accomplishments. And millennials admit that their generation is more impatient in relation to their careers and feel less loyal to their organizations than the preceding generations. 

Fourth, this younger generation feels more comfortable using the most advanced technologies. They prefer texting and emailing to phone calls. They find personal interaction as a potentially poor and inefficient use of time. Conversely, generations before them fear that technology can result in reduced opportunities for forging client relationships that are the foundation of an excellent business.

Fifth, millennials want more input, collaboration and discussion in decision making. Simply, they want to know why things are being done, not just what, how and when things need to be accomplished. This younger group wants their opinions heard. Remember that there are huge differences in their experiences through high school; they learned in teams while prior generations experienced more of a solo educational experience.

Phase Two — A Chasm of Misperceptions

The primary objective of our study was to gain insight into the differences in perceptions of millennials versus non-millennials about each other.

To say that this younger generation’s perceptions of themselves versus what those aged 35 and over think varied would be a colossal understatement. 

What’s the biggest difference? A sense of entitlement. Fifty percent of those under age 35 think of their generation as “feeling entitled,” while 83 percent of those aged 35 and up frown on this perception of the younger generation. Additionally, the more experienced generational groups have very low opinions of the younger generation in several other areas like inflexibility (76 percent); not action oriented (68 percent); and don’t want training (63 percent) or feedback (57 percent). Millennials have a huge difference in opinions about themselves. They want training and feedback (both 72 percent), and are action oriented (67 percent). However, there’s a general consensus among both groups: Millennials are not cost conscious and they also seek recognition. 

Conclusion:  A Bad Stereotype

The stereotype of millennials is written about extensively, with words including overly ambitious, lazy, entitled, spoiled, lacking humility and annoying. Frankly, based on this journey, the stereotype is wrong. They’re certainly not lazy, they see work time differently, they multi-task and they’re incredibly efficient and effective as a result of technology. They’re ambitious, but honestly, aren’t we all? They ask ‘why’ which may seem annoying at times, but it’s the smart thing to do. Looking back, I didn’t understand folks with much more experience than me when I began my career – and they didn’t totally understand me. But, in the end, we all really do care about each other, we just have different experiences from which we define normal.

KEYWORDS: Millennials MRCA (Midwest Roofing Contractors Association)

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Roofing Contractor Group Publisher Jill Bloom

    Physics, the Power of Authenticity and You

    In February's Publisher's Note, Jill Bloom describes a...
    Editor's Note
    By: Jill Bloom
  • The Family Food Fare supermarket in Midland, Mich.

    ‘Rooftop Ninja’ Discovered Living on Roof, Inside Grocery Sign

    A bizarre tale out of Midland, Mich.: a woman dubbed the...
    Roofing News
    By: Bryan Gottlieb
  • A before and after heat measurement comparison

    How Hot is Too Hot in the Attic?

    If the ventilation is working, how hot should the attic...
    Sustainable Roofing
    By: Paul Scelsi
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • An overhead view of a residential block
    Sponsored byCBIZ CompuData

    From Spreadsheets to Strategy: How Roofing Companies Can Transform Financial Operations

  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

  • A hand holding a wooden block that reads 'EVOLVE'
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Embracing Change: A New Era for the Roofing Industry

Popular Stories

QXO closed its acquisition of Beacon Building Supply on April 29, 2025.

QXO Closes Beacon Acquisition, Rebrands Immediately; Jacobs to Ring NYSE Bell

New executive orders signed by President Trump will likely further constrict an already tight labor market for the construction industry.

New Executive Orders Will Further Squeeze Labor Force

QXO CEO Brad Jacobs will share the company’s strategic vision today at the Wolfe Research Global Transportation & Industrials Conference in New York following its acquisition of Beacon Roofing Supply..

QXO’s Brad Jacobs Charts Growth at Wolfe Research Conference

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • Millennials

    Roofing Contactors Need to Meet the Millennial Challenge

    See More
  • Brooke Laizure

    How Millennial Women Can Reshape the Roofing Industry

    See More
  • young guns

    Roofing Contractor's Young Guns 2018

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • December 3, 2025

    The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

    Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing