Video Conferencing and the Millennial Workforce

Millennials now compose the largest share of the American workforce. Within five years, they will make up 50% of the American workforce. By 2030--which isn’t as far away as you’d like to think--they will make up 75% of the global workforce. To recruit and retain the best and brightest among this new generation, it is imperative that companies adopt tech solutions that jibe with millennial needs and expectations. What works for them will work for you. A mobile video conferencing solution is a great way to start. Here’s why.

 

For better or worse, instant feedback has become something akin to an addiction. The common core in email, social media and text messaging is rapid response. It’s not up to us to say whether this is good or bad. The fact is, for people who have grown up with communication defined by incredible speed, instantly accessible feedback is something they’ll expect from an employer. Using video conferencing for brief check-ins is an effective way to make young employees feel seen, valued and respected.

 

The younger the employee, the more ingrained the notion that work and leisure exist on a continuum. Such is the nature of the personal device: it is an all-in-one machine that combines productivity tools and escapist pleasure. It can seem dangerous to invite distraction into the workplace, but by letting employees use their own mobile devices at work, you are not only demonstrating trust, but providing them with the tools they feel most comfortable using. And with a mobile video conferencing solution, your connection to your employees will actually only be strengthened.

 

We are living in the age of the remote worker, and millennials entering the workforce expect to be able to work from home, at least some of the time. Video conferencing solutions allow for some measure of flexibility in scheduling remote time and in-office time, which gives employees the opportunity to tailor schedules in ways that are most productive for them. Of course, it can’t be a free-for-all--there are still deadlines to meet, clients to greet--but giving young workers some wiggle room can go a long way toward making them happy and productive.

 

A paper-based training packet will look like an ancient (and exceedingly dull) relic to young employees who are accustomed to acquiring information and skills via video. Look at YouTube. That’s where people learn how to do things now. Let’s face it: no one is ever going to love training in the workplace. But it must be done. Try to speak in a language that your employees will understand. For now, that language is video. So grab attention (and maybe even keep it for a little while) with training sessions that incorporate video elements.

 

An employer should work extra hard to foster a collaborative environment in the workplace. Great ideas tend to grow when more than one person is tending them. Office-based brainstorming sessions are great, but for a lot of people--especially younger people--virtual spaces are where they do their best thinking. So give your employees access to the modes of communication with which they feel most comfortable interacting with each other, because feelings of comfort and freedom provide a solid foundation for building new things.