Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative. - H. G. Wells
As with nature, this imperative is true with business. A business that doesn't adapt its way of working, will soon become obsolete. Famous examples include Blockbuster and MySpace. Where innovation is encouraged and people work in a collaborative state of mind progress and growth soon follow - think Apple and Netflix. The positive side effects of a growth mindset are greater productivity, along with staff retention and happiness. In the current era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, how do we foster a culture of adaptability?
It is estimated that by 2028 millennials will make up 75% of the workforce in America (Pew Research Centre). New Zealand may follow a similar trajectory, which is why businesses are trying to attract, engage and retain them. And of course, with a younger workforce that is more technologically savvy the way the office works has to adapt to future ways of working.
They expect team tools and information systems that give them the flexibility to think, collaborate and contribute in a meaningful and productive way. Yes, they're engrossed in tech and they don't want to be chained to a desk. The new generation focuses on outcomes, in whatever form that may be expressed.
Millennials are digital natives. They expect clear and intelligent flows of information in formats that are easy to access and use. They also expect their tools to work fast and be flexible. Thus, smart companies are turning to collaboration tools to help them transform their business.
Companies need to adapt the technology they use as their workforce become younger. New collaboration tools should provide faster access to knowledge, better teamwork with an improved culture, better products and services. Plus a much better understanding of projects throughout the organization and beyond.
But this is also a balancing act. You must get the right mix of great experience that provides all the familiar tools without losing control of your information and work. Many platforms and apps on the market today don't make this an easy project.
If you use different apps for communication, file sharing, task management, workspaces and file storage, you might end up losing a lot of information in the cloud. Or the information will still be there, but you won't be able to find it - which is as good as lost. So companies have to be careful with how they adapt to these new ways of working. Clever document migration can prevent lost information, and make information more accessible to all members of your team, regardless of where they find themselves.
Document management, task management and team management should happen seamlessly and in a way that encourages engagement from your entire team. Your tools and platforms should not contribute extra work or encumber the work of your team members. Millennials will most likely find an alternative or a shortcut if your designated tools don't help them achieve their goals.
Book a free personal demo of PIQNIC to learn how we can help you to adapt to future ways of working.
The smartest way to adapt to the change in the way we work now is to build high performing, connected teams. Your people are your biggest asset, older team members as well as millennials. To help them become high performing and connect, there is something you can do. You can provide them with the right tools.
We all have some sort of experience working remotely, whether it's at home, a cafe or while on the road. The experience has met with mixed results for both the workforce and management. With a remote team, fostering trust and a culture of productivity is key. Smart and motivated employees don't need monitoring. They're inclined to work and they will get it done regardless of their location. Thus, with the right people and the right tools productivity will naturally follow.
Now, when it comes to connectivity, just handing them smartphones and communicating using message apps might not be enough.
Your remote teams must have access to all relevant information – documents, files and data so they can do their job. This is where filesharing and document management platforms are absolutely cardinal. These platforms should be tested for ease of use, meaning that they should have an excellent file structure, be searchable and be accessible from anywhere. Furthermore, with cybersecurity and privacy of information top of mind, you need to have a platform that delivers not only accessibility but safety.
Millennials are likely to be savvier when it comes to phishing scams and hacking of online assets. Yet they need the tools they use for communication and document sharing to be inherently secure from the get-go. Employers are responsible for taking care before implementing systems and platforms to make sure the company and the workforce are protected.
Communication should be easy and contribute to their productivity. Nothing is worse than endless email chains, meetings and online chats that don't seem to achieve anything. Your communication tools should be helpful to decision-making, progress updates and collaboration. Investigate how your tools accomplish this, or even IF they accomplish this.
As a smart company, you should break down silos and build cross-functional collaborative teams. Remember your end goal is to work with your team members and provide the best product and services to your customers.
To achieve this, there needs to be transparency in the organisation. That is, information, ideas and work need to flow more openly. Building connected teams, departments, supply chains and customers is just the smart thing to do. This is what millennials and indeed, all teams of the future will expect.
Learn more about the Future Ways of Working by downloading PIQNIC's latest eBook. It's free.