Analyst: Don't rely too much on beer-guzzling millennials

Businesses need 'more than a bunch of 20-something digital hipsters' to transform for the future, Forrester claims

Demanding millennials who refuse to work standard hours and "can't work unless there's a fridge full of beer" will need support from more mature business leaders to transform companies for the digital age.

That's according to analyst Forrester, which has come out fighting on behalf of those who joined companies before the millennials arrived.

"We are constantly told that millennials are breaking the workplace rules," said Forrester analyst Martin Gill. "They refuse to work nine to five. They demand iPhones. They can't work unless there's a fridge full of beer and a pool table in the office. And with a growing war for digital talent, many digital leaders are setting their sights firmly on attracting the digital generation to their firms."

Creating a fun environment for staff has become a high priority for a number of firms in the IT channel as they look to attract university leavers to supercharge the next phase of their growth. Staff perks such as games areas, in-office bars and comfortable seating areas are seen by many in the channel as important investments to lure in and retain the best talent.

But Forrester's Gill said there is more to becoming a cutting-edge company than just keeping millennials happy and that more focus should be put on creating well-rounded teams.

"Mature digital teams, especially those that are setting out to transform major multinational businesses, need more than a bunch of 20-something digital hipsters," he said.

"They need a rounded set of competencies in areas like product ownership, customer-centric design and digital strategy governance.

"The war for talent will only get tougher, and arguably with platforms like LinkedIn and GlassDoor empowering job hunters like never before, we are entering the age of the candidate. Attracting digital talent is hard, but there is a growing range of best practices that digital leaders need to turn to."