What Matters to Millennials: Work and Benefits
Each typical weekday, Carson strolls into the Gravie office with what can be described as steez. For those of you unfamiliar with the word steez, it means style with ease. Or, a person’s unique style, kinda like swagger. (He’s probably shaking his head while reading this as the word “swagger” is so 2012.) Born in 1992, Carson is a quintessential millennial. In addition to being crazy cool, he’s smart, charismatic, ingenious, and most of all, kind. Falling near the top of the millennial generation myself, I rely on him daily for “fresh” new vocab (see what I did there) and a dose of youthful energy.
Carson started at Gravie in June 2014 as a part-time brand ambassador. Last May he graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and joined the Gravie team full-time. Carson now works in sales development where he focuses on bringing in new customers.
As a Millennial and new member of the workforce, we decided to pick Carson’s brain on his thoughts about careers, employee benefits and shopping preferences. Millennials have grown up during a time of rapid change, giving them a set of priorities and expectations far different than other generations. Millenials are now the largest generation in the U.S. workforce and their preferences should matter to employers.
Q. What’s most important to you related to where and how you work?
A. Culture. To me that means the people, the values, and the atmosphere. Gravie does an amazing job of hiring people that not only work hard, but also like to have fun. I think of my co-workers as friends, and of Gravie as a second home. It sounds cheesy, but it is true.
As a young professional, the ability to ask questions and to learn is extremely important to me, and the culture at Gravie fosters that. The co-founders and my co-workers are always open to answering questions and teaching me along the way. These people have become role models.
At Gravie, we support each other and believe in each other, and as a result we’re growing a successful benefits marketplace that empowers people by giving them the tools and resources they need to make their own decisions when it comes to their health insurance.
Q. Are there ways you or your friends act differently when it comes to work (compared to your parents or other generations)? Where does it fit in your list of priorities?
A. My job is high on my list of priorities. The desire to work hard and compete was instilled in me at an early age, but I also know the importance of maintaining a balanced life. I like to travel and explore and the flexible schedule Gravie offers allows me to do that. When I try to explain the concept of unlimited PTO to my parents and grandparents, they look at me like I’m crazy. I know our company is unique, but offering flexibility and a healthy work/life balance seems to be a common trend among strong cultured and successful companies these days. I recently had a relative tell me that he hated his job for thirty years. I can’t imagine myself or my fellow millennial amigos staying in a situation they weren’t happy in for that long.
Now enough about work/life balance and more about working hard :) When it comes to my job, I want to make a positive impact within my company, while continuing to grow and prosper as an individual. I want to learn many different job functions spanning many different industries so I have the flexibility to reinvent my career whenever necessary. In the past, the focus seemed to be on finding a career and sticking with it for many years. Our generation is different. We want to try many different roles and become as well rounded as possible.
Lastly and most importantly, I want to work for an organization that’s positively impacting the community. This is one of the reasons I love working at Gravie. We’re offering a solution for dealing with the minor – and sometimes major – annoyances in our complicated healthcare system. We make people’s lives easier everyday.
Q. How important are the benefits provided by your employer?
A. The paycheck is the bread obviously, but benefits are the butter (or the SAUCE, I love sauce – the spicier the better). Many restaurants make delicious entrees, but it’s the sauce that really sets a meal apart. When it comes to a place of employment, a similar metaphor applies.
Many companies provide a more than livable salary along with traditional benefits such as group health insurance, 401Ks, IRAs, pension plans, etc. But when it came to looking for jobs, what set Gravie apart from the rest of the pack, were the untraditional benefits they offer. These bonus benefits include unlimited PTO and a flexible schedule, a metro transit pass or parking stipend, an employee to employee appreciation program called Bonus.ly that allows me to recognize my colleagues with gift cards for a job well done, free snacks, and most importantly, the ability to select an individual health plan that fits my personal needs. Gravie provides the dollars, and I get to shop for whatever plan I want. I also have the option to add additional health benefits to my account such as supplemental medical, dental insurance, vision insurance, and/or an HSA account.
Q. When it comes to benefits, how do you shop for or choose what you want?
A. Choice is the most important thing to me when it comes to health benefits, but sometimes too much choice can make it difficult to make a decision. That’s why I love what we do at Gravie. Our members are able in shop for benefits using our intuitive online shopping platform and whenever they have questions, want professional advice, or just need peace of mind that they’re making the right decision, they can speak with one of our awesome licensed advisors over the phone or in-person. Gravie gives members the tools they need to be independent, active decision makers when it comes to choosing the benefits that fit them best while at the same time offering unmatched support and customer service.
Free Webinar: Welcome to Your Future – Employer’s Guide Modern Employee Benefits
Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Time: 12:00 PM Central Time
Duration: 1 hour, including live Q&A