Ypulse Essentials: Millennials Are Shaking Up the Workforce, TV Viewing Will Drop In 2012, Retailing Goes High Tech

As the economy slowly improves and Gen Yers find jobs (they’re poised to bring big changes to the companies that hire them. Their work habits are different because their values are different — putting greater emphasis on flexibility, communication, and technology. They want some of their values to rub off on their employers, especially their interest in social responsibility, both locally and globally. Companies that match employee donations or offer time off for volunteer efforts earn bonus points from Millennial job hunters. And when they can’t find jobs that resonate with their goals for social good, sometimes they go out and start them, leading to companies like Tom’s) (Careerbuilder) (WaPo)

- Get ready for a media shakeup in 2012! (People will spend less time watching TV, Facebook will grow as a video platform, and social gaming will be the new boredom killer…all trends driven by Millennials. They’re continuing to seek the best entertainment experiences, and being more platform agnostic than older generations, young adults are driving the shift from TV to computer) (LA Times)

- LeBron James’s new lifestyle boutique in Miami, Unknwn will be a mecca for (sneaker heads and technophiles alike. The store is kitted out with a wall of 45 iPads that shoppers can use to get full product details and see videos of the shoes in action. This is the way tech-enabled shopping was meant to be. Now if only customers could take the iPads off the wall and use them as the move around the store to get info on other products… Touch screens are filling lots of roles in retail these days. Speaking of retailers making modern moves to court Millennials, here are nine that have gamification down pat) (Cnet) (Trendcentral) (Mashable)

- All eyes are on Millennials in the 2012 election (because no one is sure what to expect of them — if they’ll vote, if they’ll stick with Obama, which Republican candidate they’ll prefer. These survey numbers hint at a few of those answers. And then there’s the question of what role social media will play…) (Redeye) (ReadWriteWeb)

- Taylor Swift is going to try her hand at acting (with a role in the upcoming film adaptation of “Les Miserables.” The movie has a star-studded cast including Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Hugh Jackman, Sasha Baron Cohen, Russell Crowe, and Helena Bonham Carter. We’ll reserve judgement until we’ve seen the trailer, but so far, we have low expectations) (HuffPo)

- The Mayor of Washington, D.C., has introduced legislation requiring all high schoolers (to take the ACT or SAT and apply to college, regardless of whether or not they plan to attend. We like the idea of encouraging students who may not have otherwise considered college to at least explore their options, but the proposed law fails to realize that not all students need a college degree to meet their goals — we can name several Millennial hero dropouts, including Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg — and that careers that don’t require a degree can be just as legitimate and valuable as those that do) (NBC Washington)

- For the second year in a row, Barnes & Noble (is calling January “No Name-Calling Month” in an effort to build awareness and stop bullying. In partnership with the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network and Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, the stores will be hosting activities all month long, including a national storytime event) (Marketwatch)