While you can find tried, tested, and true aspects of project management software, 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 software solution provider, said learning how to help millennials is the vital thing since “digital natives now rule, and definately will surge in power and influence within the next many years.”
“Just like every immigrant and native in the society, you can find differences, and the ones differences will alter work,” said Shootman. “Differences include that digital natives view the workplace as egalitarian vs. hierarchical, they prefer telecommuting and versatile hours as well as the possiblity to constitute work remotely, (i.e., coming from a cafe on the weekend or while on vacation).”
“Natives like multitasking or task switching and prefer to understand ‘just-in-time’ and just what exactly is minimally necessary.” Shootman said millennials “interact and network simultaneously with lots of, even hundreds of others. Egalitarian, flexible, task switching, just-in-time skills and highly networked. This is simply not the present work environment.”
SEE: Millennials are twice as bored at the office as forty somethings and beyond, report says
Why the target for the role of millennials in projects?
“By 2020, millennials could make up half the world work force, and by 2030, they’ll account for 75%. Millennials’ aversion to hidden agendas, rigid corporate structures and details silos as well as a willingness to explore new opportunities will fundamentally change the nature of work or severely cost businesses,” said Eric Bergman, v . p . of Buy Project Management Books at Changepoint, a professional services automation company. “Gallup estimates millennial turnover costs the US 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, and repair.
Simply what does this suggest for project activities that support business goals?
Bergman declared a year ago, businesses realized their survival hinged on embracing digital transformation. Now, adapting to shifting expectations means delivering IT capabilities that complement business priorities. The most agile, tech-forward businesses are rewriting their playbook in the face of evolving expectations.”
Marianne Crann, director, hours at Changepoint adds “Millennials are disrupting traditional business models. We’ve seen this in HR for many years. These days, everyday processes must be updated to support new generations of talent. They work differently and also have different expectations. Companies that realize that sweet spot-the the one which attracts talent without detracting from your success from the business-will gain happier staff and happier stakeholders, regardless of generation.” Changepoint has even gone into greater detail on millennials and project management software in their new 2017 trends report.
At GlassSKY, a company dedicated to the empowerment and growth of women, founder Robyn Tingley believes millennials differ in their approach to timelines, collaboration, and communication. “Millennials use a greater feeling of work/life balance than Gen Xers,” she said. “This does not mean that they can won’t devote extra time in the event the situation demands it, or react to correspondence after hours, but they will most definitely expect that is the exception.” Tingley declared more so than other generations, millennials are drawing boundaries more clearly knowning that this new state of mind is a odds with all the old ‘all nighter’ mentality of project management software deadlines. “It’s making project leaders rethink deadlines, the way to schedule work and wins, key milestones and what’s truly realistic and achievable when your key players clock out prior to the best choice, and prior to anyone from the older generations expect,” said Tingley. “It entails decision making has to be put on steroids…if the downline will be productive for only 8 hours, you cannot you can keep them spending 2-3 of those every day in meetings presenting powerpoints and flow charts to acquire consensus around change requests and scope adjustments.”
In regards into collaboration Tingley said millennials excel: “They are true team players and want to solicit inputs and views and are natural connectors.” And they expect tools to maintain pace. “Static whiteboards that can not be seen until you take a snapshot, SharePoint sites, Excel spreadsheets, and firms that don’t have adequate video conference solutions are dinosaurs to them,” said Tingley. “Project managers should embrace and support modernized software that may 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, plus they communicate simply speaking bursts of emojis and splintered spelling. Email just won’t work to align teams, manage inputs, and drive performance.” With the rise of virtual workers and geographically-distanced teams, Tingley predicted that project management software apps will end up the newest norm. “The future just could entail millennials working in the local cafe, uploading a visible chart they only drew or perhaps a photo they snapped of something inspirational, as well as the entire team is able to see it and make into it, click to vote yes/no, drag it to another location two-quarters out for the future phase, etc,” she said.
Just how do millennials see their role in projects and effect on business goals?
“The millennial generation has been dubbed the ‘selfie generation,'” said Daniel Malak, who works well with Motionloft, a provider of hyperlocal pedestrian and vehicle traffic sensors. “I want to think it’s more the ‘self-starter’ generation. Young professionals realize that in paying down student education loans, advancing in their career, and establishing relevant experiences for growth needs a decisive attitude towards dealing with and leading new projects.”
Malack, a millennial, believes his generation is interested in not just meeting expectations of the project, but exceeding them. “Millennials are nimble and can adapt faster to changes superior to others,” he explained. “Younger associates can oftentimes be going to deliver, knowning that presents an interesting situation through which projects become opportunities as an alternative to hurdles…deadlines are managed through the implementation of latest communication methods, which could both expedite the work and increase the main point here at the same time.”
What should companies take away out of this?
Millennials will be the future, bringing newer perspectives and much more innovative approaches. Companies should harness their contributions and recognize the actual potential they possess.
Technology is almost wired in to the DNA of this tech savvy group in manners the prior generations might not fully understand and appreciate. This may cause millennials a hybrid solution by themselves and a powerful resource for projects.
Millennials must not be automatically mistaken as ‘not as experienced’, or unaware. They’ve come up through a business climate that is certainly more diverse, complex, dynamic, and yes, more stressful than other generations. This may cause 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 end result can offer a sustainable solution than depending on only 1 or another.
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