HR professionals talk value of company culture, recruitment

Peggy Frazier heads recruiting for Blackbaud, a Daniel Island-based tech firm whose software focuses on the nonprofit and education sectors. A few years ago, she was the only baby boomer among her millennial-filled team.

“I had to quickly learn how to work with them,” Frazier said.

Frazier said many recruiters complain that millennials are spoiled, entitled and demanding; others say they are tired of talking about this generation altogether. She said the mindset of not wanting to focus on millennials misses the point and, eventually, will hinder recruitment efforts.

Millennials — those born between 1980 and 2000 — will account for 50% of the workforce by 2020 and 75% by 2030. Frazier said every company needs to figure out how best to attract and work with millennials to excel in the coming years.

“They are the generation of ‘why.’ Purpose is important. … It’s going to be so important that you know how to attract these millennials to your organization versus all the others that are going to be wanting them as well,” said Frazier, Blackbaud’s vice president of global talent acquisition.

Frazier advocated for explaining the purpose behind a job or project to millennial employees. She said a company could put up a job post explaining that they need someone to lay bricks, or it could post one saying they need someone to help build a cathedral.

“That’s the purpose,” she said. “That’s what you’re trying to drive and that’s what’s going to help you attract the talent that you need to have your company be successful.”

Frazier said millennials also expect to have access to a company’s top leaders and flexibility in the workplace.

“They want to be able to work from anywhere, at any time that they want, so flexible work arrangements are important; and they don’t want their personal life to be segmented from their work life. … Change how you engage and make sure you have your benefits to support it,” Frazier said.