Millennials are the most studied generation in history, and for good reasons: They are the generation that came of age with the Internet and with information available to them 24/7 at their fingertips. They are easy to stereotype, yet enigmatic and diverse. Circumstances have impacted their development, including a 1970s self-esteem movement that influenced how they were parented, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. Yes, they need attention and reinforcement, but unlike their generational predecessors, they are not too cynical. Instead of “wearing flannel and complaining,” they are rather “earnest and optimistic,” according to Joel Stein of Time Magazine.

If you are in a position to hire Millennials, know that Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation, loves them. “He calls them the Wary Generation, and he thinks their cautiousness in life decisions is a smart response to their world,” says Stein. Brokaw believes “Their great mantra has been: Challenge convention. Find new and better ways of doing things. And so that ethos transcends the wonky people who are inventing new apps and embraces the whole economy.”

After years of working with Millennials ourselves, we can’t help but concur. This is the second generation we have seen emerge as a force in the workplace, and we expect an even more rapid pace of business innovation as they come to prominence. Consider what the research says of Millennials in the workplace, and you may agree as well:

 They are the largest and most diverse generation:

By sheer numbers alone, they would have the potential to change the landscape of business, even if they resembled prior generations in their approach to work.

• At 80 million, they are the largest generation in American history. Time
• In 2015, Millennials (ages 18-34) surpassed Generation X to become the largest share of the workforce. Pew Research
• By 2020, 46% of all U.S. workers will be millennials. UNC Keenan-Flagler
• They are the most ethnically diverse generation. UNC Keenan-Flagler

 They want to grow:

In the 1980s, the younger generations were largely driven by desires for wealth and status. Though Millennials generally have an obsession with fame, they also value personal and professional development, according to research from UNC Keenan-Flagler.

• 52% said opportunities for career progression made an employer attractive.
• 65% said the opportunity for personal development was the most influential factor in their current job.
• 22% saw training and development as the most valued benefit from an employer.
• 80% say they value real-time feedback on their job performance/progress.

 They value flexibility:

Before Millennials came of age, mobile technology had set the wheels in motion for a more flexible work experience. Deloitte research shows that Millennials show a strong desire to push the boundaries of flexibility in the workplace and establish a new paradigm.

 67% feel flexibility has a positive impact on productivity.

• 66% feel it improves their well-being, health, and happiness.
• 65% believe it enhances their work/life balance.
• 65% think it increases their levels of engagement with work.
• 62% believe it can help enable organizations to meet their objectives.
• 56% believe it enhances their organizations’ financial performance.

In addition:

Millennials are more loyal than previous generations to employers that embrace flexibility. Fortune

• 33% prioritize social media freedom, device flexibility and work mobility over salary in accepting a job offer. UNC Keenan-Flagler

 They show early signs of leadership potential:

CEOs and top executives often reminisce about entrepreneurial desires and ventures in their teens and 20s. As a generation, Millennials show a high inclination toward starting ventures, a key indicator of future business leadership potential.

• 92% of MIllinnials feel entrepreneurship education is vital in the new economy and job market. UNC Keenan-Flagler
• 30% started a business in college. UNC Keenan-Flagler
• 35% have started a side business. UNC Keenan-Flagler

 They believe businesses can be a force for good:

Whereas prior generations viewed businesses as values-agnostic, Millennials have values expectations of businesses, according to Deloitte . It will be interesting to see if they maintain these ideals as they age and gain experience in business.

• 76% regard business as a force for positive social impact.
• 62% consider business leaders to be committed to helping improve society.
• 74% believe business has the potential to solve the challenges that concern them, but only 59% believe they are doing so.

 And yet, they have some degree of entitlement:

Millennials’ parents were influenced by the early research on self-esteem, which showed a correlation with success. Unfortunately, later research also showed a correlation with narcissism. Reality TV and social media exacerbated this effect.

• The incidence of narcissistic personality disorder is nearly three times as high for people in their 20s as for the generation that’s now 65 or older. Time
• 58% more college students scored higher on a narcissism scale in 2009 than in 1982. Time

Entitlement does have a positive flipside though; Millennials are confident and have high expectations. They go after what they want.

 They believe technology brings business rewards and risks:

Though this generation never knew a world without the Internet and other technologies, they have a balanced understanding of its risks and rewards. Given that future generations will depend on their sober approach to advancing AI and technologies that will replace humans in the workplace, this data from Deloitte is encouraging.

• 62% see technology increasing productivity.
• 53% think it will drive economic growth.
• 50% believe it will allow for more worker flexibility.
• 53% feel the workplace will become more impersonal.
• 51% believe they will need to retrain.
• 40% think technology will put their jobs at risk.

The more data we digest about this generation, the clearer it becomes that our individual views of Millennials’ attitudes and futures in business depend largely upon our own perceptions of change. The more we seek change, the more likely we are to embrace the generation that stands on the threshold of creating it.