Millennials are often dismissed as a layabout generation allergic to work and responsibility, but this is just a bogus myth perpetrated by folks who simply haven’t bothered to notice that it is the nature of work itself that has changed. Young people are still working--they’re just working in different ways. And if you want to attract and retain the young talent that will keep your company vibrant and forward-thinking, it is absolutely essential that you provide said talent with the tools they prefer. And what do they prefer? The thing they grew up with: digital technology that engenders mobility, flexibility and freedom.
First, let’s dig into some numbers that might confirm your worst fear: that you are, as we speak, surrounded by millennials. (Don’t worry--they won’t bite.) As of 2015, more than one in three American workers were millennials, which means they finally surpassed Generation X as the largest demographic in the American workforce. And by 2030, millennials will make up a whopping 75% of the American workforce. So we are no longer talking about an upstart generation here--in many ways, the millennial workforce IS the American workforce. Denial is not an option.
So now let’s find out what exactly this growing contingent of young workers might expect from an employer.
According to a recent study conducted by Polycom, the demographic composed of workers aged 16-29 is the most likely to agree that the ability to work from anywhere can make you more productive. 28% of this demographic believe that meetings can be more quickly and easily conducted with technological mediation, while it is the least likely age group to worry about remote work equating to longer hours.
These beliefs most certainly inform young workers’ employment decisions. In a recent survey sponsored by Cisco, 87% of young respondents said they would prefer to work for a more “video-enabled” organization instead of one that has limited video conferencing infrastructure.
This is the future of your company we are talking about here. The young people represented by these surveys will eventually be a huge factor in your company’s success or failure. And if you aren’t already courting the millennial generation, you are seriously running the risk of falling far behind the competition. Of course, there are myriad ways to attract promising talent: decent wages and good benefits and the promise of career advancement are still excellent tried-and-true methods for acquiring and retaining an impressive roster of great thinkers. But you must not ignore the fact that young workers have grown up in a world that is mediated by screens, a world in which virtual communication is the standard. Give them the tools to succeed and you will flourish with them.
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