While there are tried, tested, and true aspects of project management, millennials are bringing fresh perspectives – leveraging technological advancements and placing additional focus in areas like economic, ecological, and social factors.
Alex Shootman, CEO at Workfront, a cloud-based enterprise work and project management solution provider, said learning how to use millennials is vital since “digital natives now rule, and will surge in power and influence on the next a few years.”
“Just like every immigrant and native in a society, there are differences, the ones differences changes the office,” said Shootman. “Differences bring that digital natives see the workplace as egalitarian vs. hierarchical, they prefer telecommuting and versatile hours and the opportunity to make-up work remotely, (i.e., coming from a cafe on a weekend or while on vacation).”
“Natives like multitasking or task switching and prefer to find out ‘just-in-time’ and just what’s minimally necessary.” Shootman said millennials “interact and network simultaneously with many, even numerous others. Egalitarian, flexible, task switching, just-in-time skills and highly networked. It’s not the present work environment.”
SEE: Millennials are twice as bored in the office as seniors, report says
Why the main focus around the role of millennials in projects?
“By 2020, millennials is likely to make up half the global labor force, by 2030, they’ll are the cause of 75%. Millennials’ aversion to hidden agendas, rigid corporate structures and information silos as well as a willingness to explore new opportunities will fundamentally change the nature of work or severely cost businesses,” said Eric Bergman, vice president of Project Management Books at Changepoint, an expert services automation company. “Gallup estimates millennial turnover costs america economy $30.5 billion annually.” Bergman believes organizations will focus more extensively on employees and their needs to be able to address the negative impact of churn on productivity, quality, restore.
Simply what does this suggest for project activities that support business goals?
Bergman asserted last year, businesses realized their survival hinged on embracing digital transformation. Now, transitioning to shifting expectations means delivering IT capabilities that complement business priorities. Perhaps the most agile, tech-forward companies are rewriting their playbook facing evolving expectations.”
Marianne Crann, director, recruiting at Changepoint adds “Millennials are disrupting traditional business models. We have seen this in HR for decades. The good news is, everyday processes have to be updated to allow for new generations of talent. They work differently and have different expectations. Businesses that discover that sweet spot-the the one which attracts talent without detracting from the success of the business-will gain happier staff and happier stakeholders, regardless of the generation.” Changepoint has gone into greater detail on millennials and project management within their new 2017 trends report.
At GlassSKY, a company focused on the empowerment and advancement of women, founder Robyn Tingley believes millennials differ within their method of timelines, collaboration, and communication. “Millennials use a more effective a feeling of work/life balance than Gen Xers,” she said. “This does not mean that they can won’t devote additional time if the situation demands it, or answer correspondence after hours, but they will most definitely expect that to be the exception.” Tingley asserted much more than other generations, millennials are drawing boundaries more clearly knowning that this new way of thinking is a odds with the old ‘all nighter’ mentality of project management deadlines. “It’s making project leaders rethink deadlines, how to schedule work and wins, key milestones what is actually truly realistic and achievable when your key players clock out prior to when the best choice, and prior to when anyone in the older generations expect,” said Tingley. “It includes decisions needs to be placed on steroids…in case your affiliates are going to be productive for just 8 hours, you can not keep these things spending 2-3 of these daily in meetings presenting powerpoints and flow charts to acquire consensus around change requests and scope adjustments.”
When considering down to collaboration Tingley said millennials excel: “They are true team players and love to solicit inputs and views and they are natural connectors.” And so they expect tools to hold pace. “Static whiteboards that can’t be seen unless you please take a snapshot, SharePoint sites, Excel spreadsheets, and firms that do not have adequate video conference solutions are dinosaurs in their eyes,” said Tingley. “Project managers need to embrace and support modernized software that can handle collaborative brainstorming, real-time updates, multiples readers and users, integrated video, voice and much more.”
Regarding communication, Tingley said millennials are “the true tech generation; gadget-friendly, always on, highly responsive tech connoisseurs, and they also communicate to put it briefly bursts of emojis and splintered spelling. Email just will not work to align teams, manage inputs, and drive performance.” With all the rise of virtual workers and geographically-distanced teams, Tingley predicted that project management apps will become the modern norm. “The future just could entail millennials working in the local coffeehouse, uploading a visual chart they just drew or even a photo they snapped of something inspirational, and the entire team is able to see it and produce about it, click to vote yes/no, drag it to a higher two-quarters out for a future phase, etc,” she said.
How can millennials see their role in projects and effect on business goals?
“The millennial generation has been dubbed the ‘selfie generation,'” said Daniel Malak, who utilizes Motionloft, a provider of hyperlocal pedestrian and automobile traffic sensors. “I love to think it’s more the ‘self-starter’ generation. Young professionals recognize that in settling student education loans, advancing within their career, and establishing relevant experiences for growth requires a decisive attitude towards signing up for and leading new projects.”
Malack, a millennial, believes his generation is interested in not only meeting expectations of a project, but exceeding them as well. “Millennials are nimble which enable it to adapt faster to changes superior to others,” he said. “Younger associates can oftentimes be going to deliver, knowning that presents an appealing situation by which projects become opportunities as an alternative to hurdles…deadlines are managed through the implementation of latest communication methods, which can both expedite the work and raise the main point here simultaneously.”
What should companies take away out of this?
Millennials will be the future, bringing newer perspectives and much more innovative approaches. Companies need to harness their contributions and recognize the actual potential they possess.
Technologies are almost wired to the DNA on this tech savvy group with techniques the last generations may not completely understand and appreciate. This makes millennials a hybrid solution by themselves and a strong source of projects.
Millennials mustn’t be automatically mistaken as ‘not as experienced’, or unaware. They’ve appear via a business climate that is certainly more diverse, complex, dynamic, company, more stressful than other generations. This makes their experiences and contributions highly valuable. Project teams should leverage their varied insights for improved outcomes.
When companies can harness the complete combined potential of previous generations and millennials, the result may offer an even more sustainable solution than counting on merely one or another.
For more information about Project Management Books check out our website: click here