5 Valuable Gifts of the Millennial Workforce

Close your eyes and think of the first word that appears when you hear 'millennial.' Some common descriptions include entitled, self-absorbed, diverse, independent, and entrepreneurial. According to a 2012 UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School report, by 2020, 46 percent of all U.S. workers will be Millennials.This is a truly astonishing reminder for us to recognize the incredible qualities of Gen-Y in the workplace. Let's discover the top 5 valuable gifts that millennial professionals bring to the office!

1. Fresh Perspectives & Renewed Energy: Millennials have very fresh, unadulterated outlooks on projects, ideas, and on life, in general. This authentic judgment of a situation combined with the diehard optimism characteristic of anyone in their 20's or 30's is infectious and creates a pulsating and productive environment. New ideas are dreamt, fresh solutions are proposed, and meanwhile, everyone enjoys the entire process. Think Google and LinkedIn: these are the quintessential companies driven by millennial energy!

2. Thirst for Challenges & a Hunger to Grow: There is an intrinsic desire to grow and a hunger to achieve in every millennial, myself included. This hunger motivates us to seek out new challenges with the sole goal of making ourselves better and more qualified for the next big thing. Ours is a generation that is attracted to solving challenges, because maybe the next challenge will turn into the next big opportunity. Last but not least, each and every millennial has a ferocious urge to prove themselves and ultimately to earn credibility in the workplace. Give the analyst on your project more work? Sure he'll take it, because he wants to learn. Ask a consultant to make an important client presentation? She'd be happy to jump on board because she will grow as a result of it.

3. Desire to be a Hero & Make a Real Difference: I'm just going to say it! The millennial generation glorifies the idea of a 'hero.' Maybe because there is greater media coverage on heroes in the 21st century than there's ever been, or maybe because truth be told, it is just fascinating to us to become a hero to someone else and quite frankly, to have heroes in our personal and professional lives. Whichever it may be, my generation is obsessed with becoming a hero, whether at work in the form of a brilliant boss to many others, or at home, in the form of an outstanding mother to 3 young children. Millennials are also driven by a need to make a real and tangible difference. We would like to be remembered for contributing something substantial and memorable to the world and the workplace, something that stands the test of time even after we are long gone.

4. Keen Sense of Adaptability: I've noticed this time and time again. Millennials are superbly adaptable and part of the reason is the dizzying amount that my peers, colleagues, and I have already traveled in our lives. I grew up in India, Malaysia, and the United States, in addition to visiting about 20 countries by the age of 22. I can guarantee that others of this generation have similar stories to tell. This exposure to so many diverse cultures early on contributes to an innate comfort adapting to change and an inherent sense of flexibility and a seriously cool attitude when faced with something new. Switch around the presentation 5 minutes before show time? Sure, ask a millennial, and she'll deliver the presentation with poise, confidence, and authority.

5. Quest for Mentors & Brutally Honest Feedback: Millennials really want to learn from the best of the best. We have a real desire to seek out mentors who will guide us to achieve our goals in the workplace. There is something comforting about getting advice from someone who's been there and done that, a sort of reassurance that comes with experience. Also unique to this generation is the desire to receive brutally honest feedback, and I mean brutally honest. No holds barred. After all, there is no better way to improve than to hear what we're messing up big time on, right? The quest to find the best mentors and to get the most honest feedback keeps us marching in line with our dreams.

The Me Generation, Generation WHY, The Selfie Generation, whatever you'd like to call us, we're here to work with you to make a difference. We have several amazing gifts we'd like to bring with us to the office party and we're knocking on the door. Just let us in?

What are the best qualities of the millennial workforce? Feel free to comment below!

Shinjini Das is an Industrial Engineering graduate from Georgia Tech and delivered the Bachelor's Ceremony Student Commencement Speech, "The Spirit of Georgia Tech" in front of 10,000 people. She serves on The New Agenda's 2014 Young Women Leadership Council, and was invited as the youngest presenter by The Soledad O'Brien Foundation to lead a workshop on Life After College. Follow her on twitter here: @speakershinjini"