Attracting and Retaining Tomorrow’s Animal Health Experts: What Millennials Need At Work

Born in the late twentieth century and coming of age with its dramatic cultural and technological changes, Millennials are bringing their energy, skills and expectations to their animal health jobs.¹ Now is the time for them to develop the deep knowledge and expertise that can give your business a competitive advantage. Yet as we learned in our 2024 Animal Health Jobs Attitudinal Survey, 36% of employees in their first five years of work are not happy in their jobs.² As a leader and manager, are you giving these employees what they need to thrive?

What Millennials Want

The Millennial generation’s expectations for work and career differ from those of preceding generations. Their preference for electronic communication can cause problems with older managers who prefer in-person or phone conversations.¹ Millennials expect to grow and learn throughout their careers.¹Motivate them by entrusting them with responsibility and providing unique experiences that stretch and teach them.¹If their managers do not provide these experiences, they will leave for someone who does.¹ If you don’t nurture your young talent, you’re inviting a competitor to herd them away.

How Millennials feel at work

Our surveys have shown that most Millennials working in the animal health industry feel that their company appreciates and values their contribution.² However almost 25% of workers in their first 10 years disagree, telling us that their contributions are rarely acknowledged.²This is a crucial period for employers: During these years, employees begin developing their skills and their company loyalty. Everyone want to feel seen and appreciated, but for working Millennials this is particularly important. A recent Gallup report noted that barely one-third of Millennials are engaged at work.³ Perhaps that’s why 42% of these newest members of the animal health industry are actively looking for new roles. ²

Attracting and retaining Millennial workers

The Millennial generation wants to enjoy work, and its members are highly influenced by their direct manager.¹More than half (57%) of animal health employees in their first 5 years of work rank their manager as the top reason they stay in a particular role. ² Be the manager they need: someone who is involved with and supportive of their quest to learn and develop. It isn’t enough to have a development plan in an HR system. Help them make it happen, by providing honest and constructive feedback and assigning projects and responsibilities that give them those essential new experiences and the lessons they can teach. Lead with a steady hand but give them a long leash to learn.

These retention strategies will also serve your company well when recruiting. Talk about how you provide employees with opportunities during your interview process. Even better, use employee examples in your company’s recruitment videos to show Millennial candidates that you mean what you say.

Become a Millennial employer of choice

Now is the time to start identifying potential top talent, whether for leadership or for technical expertise, and to start training them for the future. Today’s Millennial entrants will be the heart and soul of your business in the next ten to twenty years, but only if you attract and retain them by giving them the opportunities and environment they seek.

For an update on how animal health employees of all generations, from Baby Boomers and Generation X to Millennials and Generation Z, feel about work, look for the results of our 2025 Animal Health Jobs Attitudinal Survey, coming this autumn.

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As the premier talent marketplace in the animal health industry, Animal Health Jobs brings together top-performing companies in animal health and nutrition and top-performing candidates of all generations to fill roles of all types. That’s why industry insiders post their resumes at Animal Health Jobs and partner with the experts at Brakke Executive Search. We connect the best companies and the best candidates for long-term business success.

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References

1. Purdue Global ‘Generational differences in the workplace [infographic]’. Accessed 5 September 2025. https://www.purdueglobal.edu/education-partnerships/generational-workforce-differences-infographic/
2. ‘Cultural Challenges: Results of the Animal Health Jobs Spring 2024 Attitudinal Survey‘. Published June 2024. https://animalhealthjobs.com/blog/whitepapers.
3. Harter, J. ‘The new challenge of engaging younger workers.’ Gallup website. Published 26 February 2024. Accessed 8 September 2025. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/610856/new-challenge-engaging-younger-workers.aspx.