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Core Communications
By
David
Portnowitz
After the lasting legacy of the Baby Boom-
ers, who have defined how people work
for decades, and the comparatively small
(yet mighty) cohort that is Gen X, the glut
of millennials is set to be game changing.
“They expect rapid progression,
a varied and interesting career, and
constant feedback,” say researchers at
PwC. “In other words, millennials want a
management style and corporate culture
that is markedly different from anything
that has gone before – one that meets
their needs.”
Millennials are those born between
1980 and 2000, who are now entering
employment in vast numbers. They al-
ready form 25 percent of the workforce
in the U.S., and by 2020, they will form
50 percent of the global workforce, ac-
cording to PwC. As such, they will be
critical to the success of businesses
going forward. They’re also going to cre-
ate a sea of changes in how businesses
enable communications and workplace
behaviors. Those with the right skills will
be in high demand, which means that
smart businesses will prepare now to attract
the best of this generation.
“Their career aspirations, attitudes
about work, and knowledge of new tech-
nologies will define the culture of the 21st
Century workplace,” PwC researchers not-
ed. “CEOs tell us that attracting and keep-
ing younger workers is one of their biggest
talent challenges.”
The way and amount that millennials in
the workplace use technology clearly sets
them apart.
“They have grown up with broadband,
smartphones, laptops and social media be-
ing the norm and expect instant access to
information,” PwC explained. “This is the
first generation to enter the workplace with
a better grasp of a key business tool than
more senior workers.”
At the same time, millennials in the
workplace tend to be uncomfortable with
rigid corporate structures and turned off
by information silos. They want flexible
working environments that seamlessly
enable mobile and social channels as
routes to productivity.
All of this requires a focused re-
sponse from employers, and unified
communications (UC) will be one of the
foundational pieces. True to its name, UC
breaks down communications silos and
enables millennials and other workers to
communicate on an individualized basis,
with a suite of technologies such as in-
stant messenger, video calling, and other
real-time and traditional communication
applications including email, voicemail,
fax and SMS, available across platforms
and devices, on-demand, via one intui-
tive interface.
This will all seem familiar to the digital-
native millennial generation, which will
leverage UC to maintain dynamic and fluid
work schedules and infuse innovation and
technology as part of the work experience.
Businesses that win in the millennial
talent search will have the “culture, man-
agement style and approach to recruitment
and retention [that] naturally appeal to the
millennial generation,” PwC noted. “And
because of that, they are able to take their
pick of the best younger talent around. Ir-
respective of the long-term aims and ambi-
tions of an individual company. The ability
to attract and retain millennial talent will be
a vital step to achieving it.”
The Young
and Restless
UC key to attracting millennials, SMB success
M
uch has been made of the future impact of
Millennials in the workplace, as they stream
into jobs in ever-increasing numbers.
Channel
Vision
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May - June, 2017
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