Millennials: youthful and full of expectations: much of the millennial generation's worldview at work has been determined by the rather mild economic waters they have experienced thus far.

• Author: Tobenkin, David

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Heads up! Batten down the iPods! Texting on full! A new wave is bearing down on Alaska employers and it isn't of the Pacific Ocean variety. Rather, it's the youthful millennial generation, also called generation Y and comprising those born in the year 1982 or later, that is washing over Alaska businesses, bringing with it a tide of employment expectations and issues to be addressed.

The baby boomers, those born from 1946 to 1964, brought with them rebelliousness, questioning of authority, and, at least initially, rejection of financial aims. Then came generation X or the baby busters, born from 1965 through 1982, often characterized as nihilistic slackers seething in alienation, mistrust and anger at the problems left by their illustrious and rebellious predecessors. (The precise boundary year definitions for different cohorts vary, with some, for example, placing the generation X to generation Y divide at 1977.)

And just what is the profile of this new millennial cohort? Alaska employers and trend-watchers say they are:

While any characterization of an entire generation involves a degree of over generalization, Alaska business people say generational distinctions are both real and significant issues for employers to comprehend and address.

EXPOSURE FORMS BEHAVIORS

"It's absolutely valid (to analyze generational groups)," says Rick Nerland, president and chief executive officer of Anchorage-based branding and marketing company Nerland Agency Worldwide Partners. "The time frame in which people are raised and what they are exposed to definitely impacts their behavior as consumers. And we've seen with the passage of times that different eras can generate different behaviors and points of view in terms of how they see the world."

Much of the millennial generation's worldview at work has been determined by the rather mild economic waters they have experienced thus far, say experts.

"The implications of the environment that they have grown up in influencing the millennial generation's traits may be even more true than normal here," says Neal Fried, an economist with the Alaska Department of Labor. "Everyone talks about their showing more turnover and less flexibility and that being unique to them. Some of that is true. None of that generation ever experienced a recession in Alaska. They can be looking for what they want in the workplace. They can be choosier, whereas previous generations couldn't be."

ADVANCEMENT KEY

Millennials are very much focused on the bottom line and advancement, says Julee Drennan, assistant vice president and human resources officer at Anchorage-based Northrim Bank.

"Our millennial generation employees focus on money: They want to be paid as much as possible, and, if given the opportunity, they will accept less than full-time hours because we pay a 25 percent differential in lieu of...