A two-day global conference highlighted why an auditing and accountancy firm with an office in the island is ensuring millennials have a key role to play in its business.

The event, organised by Grant Thornton, explored how attracting millennials and delivering a working environment in which they wanted to stay paid dividends.

Authenticity and diversity were key themes as speakers outlined the importance of Grant Thornton leaders creating an environment where millennials - and all staff - can be themselves.

Lyndsay Brew, associate director at Athol Street-based Grant Thornton Isle of Man, said: ’It is quite clear there are always ways to improve and you need to trust people so they can innovate and improve.

’As one of the speakers at the conference said, we need to see differences as strengths - they allow us to have richer conversations and if millennials are restless it’s only because they want to learn, grow and add value.

’That should be embraced and is why Grant Thornton is always looking to attract such individuals.’

Delegates heard there are 1.8 billion millennials making up a quarter of the world’s population with nine out of 10 millennials living in emerging markets and China having more millennials than the whole American population.

Mike McGuire, chiefexecutive of Grant Thornton US, told the conference that ’innovation requires curiosity and courage’.

Lyndsay Brew added: ’Curiosity and courage are key words and should be at the core of building any sustainable business.

’Do individuals possess a diversity of talent and diversity of thought that will make a difference?

’As Anna Johnson (chief executive of Grant Thornton Sweden) said: "If you really believe in something it can be very powerful. People that are on a journey or a mission are unstoppable."

’We need to embrace the millennial generation.’

It is generally recognised that the millennial generation are people born between 1981 and 1996.

Grant Thornton was recently named in the list of the top 50 global organisations for the fourth year running. It followed a survey of more than 228,000 business, engineering and IT students in the world’s 12 largest economies.

Lyndsay Brew says we need to embrace the millennial generation