Millennials In The Work Place: It Means Change — For The Better

By Ally Kutz, contributing writer

Now, 50 percent of the national workforce is comprised of millennials, according to a new report from LogMeIn’s subsidiary JoinMe. In 25 years, that number will jump to 75 percent of the workforce.

There’s a lot of apprehension surrounding millennials entering the work force as employers anticipate change. In the infographic that presents report findings, Jamie Guthfrend of the CAA Intelligency Group and Shara Senderoff, CEO of Intern Sushi, explain, “Millennials desire a different sort of work environment. [They] are motivated by autonomy. They’re not clock-watching pencil-pushers, and they’re not lazy; they fully expect to be able to work 24/7, but they also expect the ability to leave the desk behind and take a walk.”

A falsehood pointed out by the JoinMe study is that millennials are “digital addicts who want to do — and share — everything online, without regard to personal or professional boundaries.” According to a recent study from IBM Institute for Business Value, millennials’ top three preferred learning techniques for new skills are physical, not virtual. Fortune Magazine also found that Millenials are more likely than older generations to draw a firm line separating their professional and personal lives.

According to JoinMe, millennial executives — those younger than 35 — host 52 percent of their meetings online, versus only 31 percent by Generation X and Y members. Many millennials are looking out for key factors in their workspace, including flexible work environment, meaningful feedback, and mentorship opportunities.

According to the report, 80 percent of millennials text with their colleagues, 60 percent text with their bosses, 51 percent own and use a laptop, smartphone, and tablet, and 40 percent are willing to accept a lower salary in exchange for more flexible work hours.

Millenials in the workforce means a permanent shift to a more mobile, connection, and collaborative work environment, which means four things for the companies hiring them, says JoinMe:

• Companies will need to embrace and implement tech that enables fast and reliable on-the-go work and mobile meetings.
• Companies will need to ensure these platforms integrate well with each other to provide easy, seamless work experiences.
• Companies will need to choose platforms that are optimized for all smart devices — including ones that have yet to be invented.
• Companies will need to think beyond brick-and-mortar offices in order to accommodate flexible schedules and consider any space with Wi-Fi as a potential work location.

So as millennials join your team, it will probably mean the need for change, but as the JoinMe infographic concludes, “One last thing: It means that the future of collaboration and productivity will be more fruitful and sustainable than anything we’ve witnessed so far in our lifetime.”