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The Washington NetworkLeverages the Talents of the Millennial Generation to Drive Technology Adoption and Innovation Among Customers

Leader in Business Community Educates Businesses on Working with Milennials

Alexandria, VA— June 29, 2016 — The Washington Network, Inc., a leader in unified communications, is educating business owners on how to harness the talents of millennials and their technology capacities in the modern workplace. As baby boomers continue to retire, younger generations have begun to flood the workplace, bringing a different set of values, codes of conduct and expectations. In order for business owners to achieve higher levels of success, they need to know how to effectively collaborate with a generation that is much different than theirs. While many business owners are quick to dismiss millennials as a passing notion, they may want to take a serious look at how this transition will affect their company.

According to Time Magazine, “By 2025, 3 out of every 4 workers globally will be millennials.” This staggering statistic points to the heightened importance to understand the mindset of these young individuals who will one day become the driving forces behind the success of small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) across the nation.

            “Due to the nature of the technology industry, we spend a significant amount of our time working with millennials,” states RickEndres, Presidentof The Washington Network. “We continue to see more and more of them entering the workforce, which can either be a blessing or a burden. They have a different set of ideals, a different upbringing and different view of the future. The key is to understand how to work with them, and unleash their potential to dramatically enhance the profitability of your organization.”  

            In order to get the most from millennials, it’s important to understand some of the key differences in mindset. In the rest of this article, The Washington Network shares a few of their key recommendations to implement in order to keep millennials performing at their highest possible levels.

            Focus on mentorship, not authority. In virtually every facet of life, millennials experienced a flat culture. From participation trophies in childhood sports to an excess of group assignments in school, millennials are increasingly unresponsive to hierarchical structures. Instead of focusing on authority to drive performance, focus on leading with mentorship. Most millennials are used to constant feedback and are looking for role models to pave the way for their future.

            Reward them in their way. While other generations place significant value on financial success, millennials are motivated differently. For example, millennials are leading the charge against the 9-to-5 workday with hopes of taking their work back from home or with them on the road. With more businesses making the shift to adapt to some form of telecommuting environment, consider what options you have to increase employee flexibility. With an abundance of cloud computing programs and tools available, there’s virtually no reason to deny these options for many jobs. Instead of the annual raise, perhaps remote work agreements with a flexible work schedule will be the “bonus” of the future.

            Only Ask for Their Opinion When You Really Want It. Millennials aren’t shy about sharing their ideas with corporate leadership. They’re just as comfortable walking into the CEO’s office and telling him “how we should fix things,” as they are reading an email on their smartphone. They’re used to speaking up, speaking out and being blunt with their communication. While this can be abrasive to some, consider this, the level of their informality in communication is a signal of trust. In other words, the less formal they are with you, the more they trust you. This goes for internal operations as well as sales environments. Instead of being offended by their bluntness, view it as a shortcut to the heart of the matter from their perspective.

            “Working with millennials is rewarding,” stated Endres. “As leaders in the business community, our job is to learn how to speak their language so that everyone on the team can orchestrate their efforts in the same direction. Millennials have transformed our company and our customers have greatly benefited from it.”

AboutThe Washington Network, Inc.

Founded in 1987, The Washington Network, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia, provides computer networks, VoIP phone systems, IT support and other technology solutions for associations and businesses in the Washington, DC Metro area.

Serving clients without a large in-house IT staff, The Washington Network lowers operating costs while increasing worker productivity. The company’s flat-rate managed services include remote network monitoring, preventive maintenance, help desk, redundant back-ups and on-site support.

A member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, The Washington Network has been honored as the Chamber’s Professional Service Business of the Year.

Through its strategic membership in the Technology Assurance Group, The Washington Network serves and supports clients with multiple locations across the U.S. and Canada.

The Washington Network is located at 3601 Eisenhower Avenue Suite 110, Alexandria, Virginia 22304. For more information on The Washington Network, call 703.212.7100 or visit www.WashingtonNetwork.com.