I recently had the opportunity to dress up for a holiday card where we were directed to “put on your ugliest Christmas sweater, some reindeer antlers, a Santa hat, or whatever you have.” The small part of me that will always be sixteen years old read, “whatever you have” and was tempted to expand the definition of “holiday.” I do not have an ugly Christmas sweater, my only Santa hat is a snapback, and instead of an Elf on the Shelf, I celebrate Christmas with my Mensch on a Bench who is affectionately named Lior. Contrary to popular belief, I am not Jewish, but I went to a university that had a larger-than-average Jewish population. You learn how to be a new type of minority when you are the only kid celebrating Christmas in your Jewish Film Studies course.
I like to think this type of inclusivity has a place in my everyday life, especially in my workplace, and I do not think I am alone. By the numbers, millennials currently make up 23% of the total population, but make up 38% of the working population. According to a study conducted by Deloitte in 2016, 83% millennials of reported being more engaged and 76% reported feeling more empowered when they felt their organization fostered inclusivity. Unfortunately, 13% of millennials report seeing themselves leave their current organization in less than six months, while 12% see themselves leaving in less than a year. I will be the first to admit, I was part of the 19% demographic of millennials who leave their current organization after less than two years due to not feeling empowered or engaged. At the time, it took a toll on my mental and physical health, and I wound up needing to make a drastic career change after 20 months.
I am happy to report that I find myself in a new minority this year and see myself in the 11% of millennials who have no desire to leave their organization within the next 10+ years. I cannot credit this shift entirely to diversity – a reduced commute, increased compensation, and growth potential all played a hand -- but The LMC Group’s company culture and commitment to diversity are some of the reasons I wake up every morning happy to go to work. I want to do my best, because LMC wants to do the best both by our team and by our clients – success begets further success.
As we head into the holiday season, I am compelled to quote Ian Maclaren and remind people “Be pitiful, for every man is fighting a hard battle.” You never know what kind of battle people are fighting, and we can all choose our words a little more carefully. This doesn’t mean that I am suggesting you can’t wish people a Merry Christmas, but if you receive a Happy Holidays in return, remember there are more than ten holidays in December alone.
Comments