Millennials are now the largest generation in the American workforce. And, like generations before, they’ve presided over a period of profound change. Much of this change has been driven by the internet, which has had a knock-on effect on the way we work and the evolving demands of today’s consumers. Yet at the same time, 71% of millennials consider themselves disengaged with their jobs, and one of the biggest reasons behind this is the inadequate adoption of technology. If you want to accommodate to the millennial workforce, you should consider the tips below.
#1. Optimize for remote work
The future of work isn’t being stuck in front of an office desk in a soulless cubicle farm, or even a “modern” open-plan office for that matter. Those days are long gone, as the number of remote employees continues to soar. More than half the US workforce now work outside the office for at least a portion of the week.
That’s why your technology strategy should be geared towards remote work. This involves implementing mobile device management software and cloud-based apps that give millennial workers the freedom to work anytime, anywhere. By optimizing your business for remote work, employees can work in an environment that’s conducive to their productivity and mental health, resulting in higher retention rates.
#2. Realize the value of automation
The workforce is becoming more skilled as a lot of repetitive manual work is being taken over by automation technology. While there’s no denying this trend also disadvantages many, it’s also an inescapable truth that’s transforming the world economy. Furthermore, skilled workers don’t want to be wasting their time on tedious and unrewarding tasks like manual data entry when their skills could be better put to use elsewhere. By leveraging automation, businesses can make their employees’ working lives more fulfilling and enable a better work-life balance.
#3. Drive a culture of innovation
Millennials grew up with modern technology. They’ve seen the rise of ubiquitous internet and cloud computing, and they’re more familiar than other generations with technology. As such, millennials are the ones driving digital transformation across every industry sector, partly with their own habits as consumers and partly with the constantly evolving way they work in their professional lives. To make your business more accommodating to millennials, you must realize the value of modern technology and empower your staff with a greater role in its adoption.
#4. Break down information silos
Before online collaboration networks, social media, and cloud computing became enablers of modern business, information silos were commonplace and often unavoidable. The inability of different branches and departments to effectively share and make use of information led to many inefficiencies and reduced teamwork effectiveness. To enable stronger collaboration and align with the needs and desires of today’s connected workforce, businesses need to build a cohesive technology infrastructure where everything works in harmony together.
#5. Adopt a scalable infrastructure
The ability to scale and adapt quickly to change is what makes a successful business stand the test of time in a market that’s constantly evolving. Without a scalable infrastructure, you’ll run into barriers when expanding your business and enrolling new employees. If you’re entirely reliant on in-house IT, your ability to scale will be hindered by things like physical space, the availability of technical expertise, and funding. By migrating to the cloud instead, your business will have access to a practically unlimited pool of computing resources on demand. That way, you can onboard new employees faster and accommodate a wider range of working styles.
Founders Technology Group LLC provides responsive IT support and cloud services to prepare your business for a growing millennial workforce and an increasingly unpredictable future. Call our consultants today to get custom-made solutions designed to solve your unique business problems.