How to Maximize the Benefits of Millennials and Technology in the Workplace

Technology has dramatically transformed the way that we carry out tasks and conduct business in the workplace today. While the increased dependency on technology in the workplace has been an adjustment for older generations, Millennials seem to not be affected by this shift at all. This is because the Millennial generation has grown up in the digital age and has always been surrounded by technology.

 

While the Millennial generation’s close relationship with technology can prove to be very beneficial in the workplace, it can also be counterproductive as well. Here are several pros and cons of the tightly knit relationship between Millennials and technology in the workplace:

 

Pros:

More Efficiency

The Millennial generation is very comfortable with using technology in the workplace and typically have a shorter learning curve with new platforms. This generation is also more likely to embrace changes and is not afraid to test the limits of new technology.

 

Ahead of the Curve

While older generations are still primarily using email to communicate, Millennials have moved on to alternate forms of virtual communication such as texts, hangouts, social media and cloud-based messaging systems. Many organizations are catching on to this trend as these forms of communication can be more efficient than dealing with a clogged email inbox.

 

Global Communication

Millennials are comfortable building relationships across the miles using communication tools like FaceTime, Skype and other similar technology. With today’s technology, you can still collaborate with your team without everyone being physically present in a conference room.

 

Cons:

 

Multitasking

We mentioned that Millennials tend to be highly efficient with their use of technology in the workplace. However, carrying out single-focused tasks can be very challenging for this generation of multi-taskers.

 

Security

There seems to be little to no separation to the way that Millennials use technology in the workplace and in their personal lives. As you can imagine, this scenario has the potential to become a security nightmare.

 

How Can You Maximize the Benefits of Millennials and Technology in the Workplace?

 

  • Be sure to have a security policy with clear guidelines of how technology in the workplace should be used.
  • Find ways to emphasize the value that can come from focusing on one task at a time versus multitasking.

 

Establishing a balance for how Millennials use technology in the workplace can allow you to create an environment where everyone thrives.