Maude Standish, Trends Analyst, Millennial, and Co-Founder of Tarot, tracks cultural trends and sociological back-stories of Millennials, particularly how they view and behave in the workplace in an inter-generational workforce. To put their worldview into perspective, here are the Top Five Myths About Millennials, notably held most often by Boomers—their parents!

1. Myth: They Only Want to Be Famous

Reality: Selfies aside, Millennials are building their personal brands by documenting and commenting on their lives as they live them. They actually prioritize family and friends higher than fame. They have been exposed to a world in which fame is a double-edged sword, and fleeting at best.

2. Myth: All Millennials Are Lazy

Reality: Just because it looks like they are online all the time, whatever screen of choice, they are not lazy. Millennials are on their Grind. They work long hours. They check in online vigilantly, both professionally and personally. They are constantly planning for the future. Most Millennials have a day job and are also into some entrepreneurial business they are creating on the side.

3. Myth: They All Leave After Two Years

Reality: They all leave after two years. They leave because they didn’t see a clear career pathway to the future with the company; there was no room for creativity; there was not enough flexibility in the workplace; or they were looking for a mentor and did not find one.

4. Myth: They Are Never Really Working

Reality: They draw no lines between leisure time and work time. Millennials demand balance in their lives. So for example, seamlessly alternating between Facebook and work is a way to squeeze in personal fulfillment to balance the demands of their jobs.

5. Myth: They Have No Loyalty

Reality: Millennials have trust issues. The recession hit, their parents were losing their pension packages, and their homes were taken. If you give them reasons to trust you—benefits, mentorship, clear examples of career paths in the firm—they will become fiercely loyal.

Some Ah-Ha Insights

• Millennials never have to leave friends behind because of social media and online connections
• 6 out of 10 Millennial college graduates are women
• They are fiscally conservative because they did everything they were told, but then few jobs were available to them when they graduated, and as a result they have trust issues.
• They are not lazy and entitled, but rather they want to be rewarded for their Grind.
• There are more Millennials than Baby Boomers.
• No one, no matter how old, likes to be told “you have to do it this way…”
• The reason most Millennials think and act the way they do is because they’re YOUNG! They think and act just the way everyone else did at the same age.
• Headphones now are replacing office doors.