News
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.