The Future of Work is Flexible

Baby boomers currently represent the largest share of active workers. Research has shown that boomers identify their strengths as organizational memory, optimism, and their willingness to work long hours. This generation grew up in organizations with large corporate hierarchies, rather than flat management structures and teamwork-based job roles.

Millennials have a very different point of view on what they expect from their employment experience. Millennials are knowledgeable, innovative, self-confident, have the ability to multi-task, and are very energetic. They have high expectations for themselves and their coworkers, and prefer to work in groups, rather than as individuals. Millennials seek challenges, yet work-life balance is of utmost importance to them. They do, however, realize that their desire for social interaction, immediate results in their work, and sense of entitlement may be seen as weaknesses by older colleagues.

So how do businesses keep this generation – the savviest, best-educated generation to date – involved, productive, and engaged?

According to HR Technologist,

Gone are the days when workers were exclusively full-time workers, glued to their desks and being supervised over their shoulders by strict supervisors and time-clocks. An increasing number of workers today want to work independently, branding themselves as independent consultants and freelancers.

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Recruiters will need to reach out to new talent pools, by tapping online recruitment forums meant for the flexible workforce. Work infrastructure such as laptops, software subscriptions, security-ware, and place of work must be defined in new flexi-work policies.  The traditional performance management approach will need to be rethought, to factor in the flexible work hours/location and bringing together of virtual teams.

You can learn more about understanding, attracting, and recruiting your millennial workforce at the 2017 MACo Summer Conference session, “Dude, What’s My Job?”- Understanding, Attracting, and Retaining Your Millennial Workforce.

The MACo summer conference is August 16-19, 2017 at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City Maryland. This year’s theme is “You’re Hired!”

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference: