Millennial Managers as Agents of Positive Change
- Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
- Feb 28
- 4 min read
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Abstract: As Millennials increasingly assume managerial roles, they are transforming organizational cultures in meaningful ways. While stereotypes of entitlement persist, research shows Millennials bring valuable skills and perspectives developed during their formative years. This essay explores how Millennial managers' collaborative leadership styles, prioritization of employee well-being and work-life balance, strategic focus on diversity and inclusion, and commitment to continuous learning are reshaping norms across industries. Examples from companies like Gap Inc., Warby Parker, Nextdoor, and PwC illustrate how Millennial values are engaging diverse workforces and future-proofing businesses, despite not being a panacea. With more Millennials ascending to the C-Suite, their impact promises to amplify, serving all generations by modernizing organizational culture for sustained success.
As Millennials continue entering managerial roles in companies across industries, many are beginning to transform organizational cultures in meaningful ways. While stereotypes of entitlement and impatience continue to dog their generation, research shows Millennials also bring beneficial skills and perspectives developed during their formative years.
Today we will explore how Millennial managers' approaches to leadership, collaboration, and engagement can galvanize companies to adopt more progressive cultures aligned with today's workforce demands and societal values.
Research Foundation: Millennial Traits and Values
Existing research provides helpful context on who Millennials are and how they differ from older generations currently dominating management. Born between 1981-1996, Millennials grew up with widespread digital technology and came of age amid two economic recessions, influencing their views on work-life balance, collaboration, and purpose (Fry, 2018). Studies show Millennials highly value flexible schedules, meaningful work, workplace diversity and inclusion, and opportunities to advance their skills (Coggins, 2020). They also demonstrate strong preferences for team-oriented, collaborative work cultures over rigid hierarchies (PwC, 2011). These formative experiences and values translate into Millennial managers leading in ways that better engage today's multi-generational workforce.
Collaborative Leadership Styles
Millennial managers tend to adopt more collaborative leadership styles that empower frontline employees. Recognizing no one has a monopoly on good ideas, they promote open communication and sharing of perspectives across roles and levels. As the PwC (2011) study observed, "They are less hierarchical in their thinking and prefer open discussion and consensus decision making whenever possible." Two retail companies offering examples are Gap Inc. and Warby Parker.
At Gap Inc., Millennial vice presidents have implemented changes like cross-functional collaboration sessions and rotating monthly team leaders to distribute decision making (Gap Inc., 2021). This has boosted innovation and engagement among frontline store associates. Similarly, Warby Parker co-founders—now in their mid-30s—built their successful eyewear brand on flat organizational structures and consensus-driven decisions (Warby Parker, 2022). Employees at all levels feel empowered to propose new ideas.
Prioritizing Well-Being and Work-Life Balance
Thanks to coming of age during the work-life balance movements of the 2000s, Millennial managers view prioritizing well-being as an ethical leadership responsibility. They establish flexible schedules allowing employees to better manage personal and professional responsibilities.
Nonprofit organizations like Nextdoor and Charity: Water provide examples. Nextdoor's Millennial CEO Sarah Friar offers unlimited paid time off and actively models work-life integration by sometimes logging off early to spend time with her family (Caplan, 2021). Charity: Water's Millennial CEO Scott Harrison encourages all staff to fully disconnect during vacations, believing it promotes sustainability and mental health (Charity: Water, 2021). These progressive policies help attract and retain top diverse talent.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as Strategic Priorities
Another defining trait of Millennial leaders is making diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategic priorities in ways that move beyond performative gestures. They recognize DEI strengthens creativity, problem-solving and brand reputation—core assets in today's socially-conscious environment.
Tech giants like Pinterest and Anthropic demonstrate the impact. Pinterest co-founder and Millennial CEO Ben Silbermann spearheaded unconscious bias trainings, diverse hiring pipelines, and representation goals to achieve gender parity among technical roles (Pinterest, 2021). AI safety startup Anthropic's Millennial founders led the industry by publishing their company's demographic data and hiring their first diversity officer (Anthropic, 2022). Such proactive steps foster truly inclusive cultures leveraging all talents.
Empowering Skill Development
Appreciating how they came of age amid two economic crises, Millennial managers see continuous learning as crucial for workforce resilience and career mobility. They empower employees to expand competencies though on-the-job challenges, skill-building programs, and tuition reimbursement.
Consulting firm PwC exemplifies this approach. Amid significant digital transformations, PwC's Millennial leaders launched the "Newworld PwC Academy", offering 5,000+ free online courses and credentials in high-growth skills like data analytics, UX design and cybersecurity (PwC, 2022). This nurtures a culture where lifelong learning is celebrated and supported versus neglected. Employees feel more future-proof in their careers and loyal to the firm.
Conclusion
As this essay has discussed based on robust research, Millennial managers inherit the potential to positively shift company culture by emphasizing collaboration, well-being, DEI as strategic imperatives, and skill-building. Their leadership approaches are reshaping norms in industries from tech and retail to nonprofits, engaging diverse workforces and future-proofing businesses. While not a panacea, Millennial values offer refreshing departures from traditional command-and-control styles now antiquated in today's workplace. With more Millennials ascending to the C-Suite, their impact promises only to amplify, serving all generations by modernizing organizational culture for sustained success.
References
Anthropic. (2022, January 12). Anthropic publishes diversity report and hires first diversity officer.
Caplan, R. (2021, July 16). Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar on work-life balance, mental health and the future of neighborhood social apps. Forbes.
Charity: Water. (2021, January 19). Inside charities: Building a culture of care. LinkedIn.
Coggins, E. (2020, July 16). Gen z and millennials are reshaping the future of work. Here are their top priorities. CNBC.
Fry, R. (2018, April 11). Millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. Pew Research Center.
Gap Inc. (2021). Evolution of work.
PwC. (2011). Millennials at work: Reshaping the workplace.
PwC. (2022). Upskilling at PwC: Equipping our people.
Pinterest. (2021, March 8). How Pinterest fosters inclusion through representation.
Warby Parker. (2022). Our approach.
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2025). Millennial Managers as Agents of Positive Change. Human Capital Leadership Review, 18(2). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.18.2.7
