We’re on the cusp of profound shift in the global workplace culture as Millennials steadily supplant retiring Baby Boomers in the workforce. According to most estimates, those born between 1980 and 2020 will comprise a majority of the global workforce within the next five years.
Millennials are unquestionably the most technology-savvy generation ever, having used computers, the Internet, mobile phones, social media and other technologies since childhood. Organizations should be actively adopting technologies and workplace practices that can help them attract and retain the next generation of business leaders.
Here’s a closer look at three key elements of evolving workstyles of millennials, along with some suggested solutions from Mitel to help attract and keep millennial workers:
MOBILITY
Mobility is the defining characteristic of the modern workforce. In an Oxford Economics survey of U.S. executives, nearly 80 percent said their employees can’t do their jobs effectively without a mobile phone. Three-quarters said mobile devices are now essential to their business workflows.
It’s hard to overstate the value of mobility to Millennials. Studies find they perform more work-related tasks while commuting or traveling than their peers from other generations. Smartphones are their go-to device for making phone calls, sending emails and text messages, conferencing, accessing social media, taking photographs and videos, browsing the web, making online purchases. They can do all of this from anywhere at any time, as long as there’s a good wireless connection. Naturally, they expect to be able to conduct business tasks in the same manner.
- Mitel’s solution: The cloud-based MiVoice Office Mobile Application extends unified communications (UC) capabilities to mobile devices. It provides full UC functionality, including business telephony, secure chat and presence, as well as dynamic contact management.
FLEXIBILITY
Global business requirements can no longer be contained neatly in an office-bound, 9-to-5 workday. Mobile computing and cloud infrastructure allow for a more fluid and nimble approach, and Millennials are eager to take full advantage. Studies show that nine out of 10 Millennials want the option to work remotely at least part-time.
Remote work was already gaining mainstream acceptance before the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of people into work-from-home arrangements. Many companies say they will likely shift at least part of their workforce to permanent remote positions after the crisis has passed.
- Mitel’s solution: The MiCloud Connect communications and collaboration solution allows remote employees to work using their existing devices, with no additional hardware needed. A smartphone app allows users to access telephony, conferencing, instant messaging, video, collaboration, and contact center functions from a mobile device with no loss of functionality.
COLLABORATION
Various surveys show that Millennials aren’t entirely comfortable with conventional business meetings, with a significant majority saying such meetings are unproductive, inefficient and prevent them from completing important work. Millennials say they prefer a more fluid approach in which team collaboration and web conferencing tools enable ad-hoc meetings for sharing information or brainstorming with colleagues.
Team collaboration platforms create virtual meeting spaces where users can meet, talk, share files and more from any location on any device. Many organizations are also adopting “huddle rooms” for slightly more formal meetings. These are small conference areas outfitted with UC technology and high-speed Internet connectivity to accommodate small, informal meetings and rapid collaboration.
- Mitel’s solution: The MiCollab platform allows users to access UC features through either a desktop client, a softphone app or supported iOS and Android mobile devices. With MiCollab, users can collaborate anywhere on any device with the same set of tools and a consistent look and feel. It provides advanced conferencing features such as remote desktop control, screen sharing, public and private chats, file transfers and more.
As a national, Platinum-Certified Mitel partner, IPC has the knowledge and experience to help you take advantage of these solutions.