---
title: "'Don't Employ Millennials. They're Lazy' — REALLY?!"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/897ef738-099f-4c03-8932-8d6c7fd8dcc6
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/dont-employ-millennials-theyre-lazy-really-2715060
category: "General"
published: 2021-02-23T16:11:34.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:25:16.869Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/181e3821ef81918f59027b316e8905721810.jpg
---

# 'Don't Employ Millennials. They're Lazy' — REALLY?!

**TL;DR:** A manager's comment about millennials being lazy sparks a discussion about avoiding generational stereotypes and focusing on individual performance. The author argues that managing lazy workers is the manager's responsibility, regardless of generation.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2021-02-23. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/dont-employ-millennials-theyre-lazy-really-2715060).*

## Story

I often hear managers and business owners complain that their "young employees" **—** and by that they mean millennials **—** are lazy. The accusation is that millennials are not motivated or engaged, and simply don’t work very hard.

When I hear managers, business leaders, HR professionals or entrepreneurs complain about "young employees," I like to remind them what I learned (the hard way) over the last two decades of hiring and leading young people:

You receive the behavior you're willing to tolerate.

No matter the generation **—** young, old or somewhere in between **—** managing *any* lazy worker (millennial or otherwise) comes down to you. You, as their manager, are ultimately responsible for their actions.

Here are some of things I do to keep my entire team engaged, motivated and on the right path. You can do them too!

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- General (sector)
- employee motivation (topic)
- generational stereotypes (topic)
- management techniques (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/dont-employ-millennials-theyre-lazy-really-2715060). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/897ef738-099f-4c03-8932-8d6c7fd8dcc6).