The global workforce will be comprised of 75% of millennials by 2025. This generation favors a collaborative work atmosphere. They also value being heard and acknowledged. Moreover, they want to be active participants in business success. What does this mean for our current workplace?
This change calls for companies to finally improve their work culture to meet the needs of the current and future workforce. In this article, we will discuss the necessary changes, strategies to adapt them, and the perks of using coworking spaces in Manila to create a conducive working environment for millennials.
Benefits of Millennial Work Style in the Workplace
The millennial workforce has always been associated with the emergence of the “quit culture.” They change jobs frequently compared to Generation X and Boomers’ workforce. Thus, millennials have been viewed as lazy, entitled, and flaky.
However, millennials do not feel entitled. They only know their worth and are willing to find a workspace that is willing to value them. Moreover, this population understands the importance of a work-life balance and mentorship. They believe a good working space allows collaboration, flexibility, and growth opportunities.
Now that millennials make up a huge workforce population, knowing their work style and its effects on working spaces is necessary. Here are some of its benefits.
#1: Millennials bring innovation.
This generation aims to continuously improve the workplace to create a dynamic work environment that positively affects the employees. They streamline workflows by leveraging technological tools to work more efficiently.
Millennials are digital nomads who use technology to improve office communication and collaboration. Hence, employees can plan and accomplish their work goals wherever they are.
#2: Millennials are purpose-driven.
They want to know that their work matters. Hence, they pick jobs that will impact their desired career path. Having a purpose also pushes them to be more motivated and engaged in their work and the organization’s goals. This motivation results in increased productivity and efficiency in their working spaces.
Also, they are committed to continuous learning and development. They always aim to be their best for the work they are passionate about.
#3: Millennials promote work and life balance.
Research shows millennials value life outside work and are motivated to work in an environment that promotes a healthy balance. Sometimes, they may prefer a lower salary over a higher one for a better workplace.
This generation demands a more positive work environment that values and appreciates its employees. They also understand that work benefits that lead to a better life and flexibility are important.
Moreover, millennials understand that being in the office from 9 to 5 does not mean people are getting more work done. Hence, they prefer more flexible work styles. Working shorter hours or days is a greater motivation for employees to do better work.
#4: Millennials foster collaboration and encourage feedback.
The old workplace norm is the great divide between the supervisor and the employee, with the latter having little to no power in the office. Millennials have shown that changing this will lead to a more positive and inclusive working environment. Hence, having more collaborative workspaces can also improve the efficiency and motivation of the employees.
This generation is more engaged when given clear goals and ongoing feedback. They prefer to understand how their daily tasks affect the organization. Moreover, they value teamwork and want the members to participate in setting clear goals for the organization.
Challenges of Adapting to Millennial Work Style
Although the millennial work style has many benefits to the workplace, it is still challenging to adapt. Here are some of these problems.
- Technology gaps – While most of the workforce comprises millennials, many older generations are still in the workplace. Hence, shifting to digital work is a hurdle.
- Feedback culture implementation – Some companies do not have a feedback structure or only allot time for them annually or quarterly. Hence, the need for frequent feedback can be challenging as it is an additional workload for the supervisors and managers.
- Resource allocation – Millennials demand more work compensation and perks. However, not all companies have the funds for these needs. Moreover, the millennial work style requires more technological tools that must be factored into the organization’s budget and priorities.
- Communication Problems – Many companies are hierarchal, and communication channels are only open to the higher-ups. Overhauling this old culture will not be easy, especially if the higher positions are taken by people adverse to open and transparent communication.
To sum it up, adversity to change is the first challenge to adapting to the millennial work style. Next is the financial concerns over improving the technological tools and office layout to become a collaborative workspace.
Strategies for Incorporating Millennial Work Style in the Workplace
Changing the traditional work culture is necessary to keep the valuable talents and work the millennials bring. So, how can we change the working environment for the better?
Here are some strategies to incorporate the millennial work style in the workplace.
- Offer flexibility. Millennials are more motivated to work if they can do their jobs at the time and place, they choose. Allow them to work online when their presence is not necessary in the office or let them clock out earlier if they are already done with their day’s tasks.
- Consider a coworking space setup. This generation is highly adaptable and can work in different workplace setups. In particular, coworking spaces are affordable solutions to foster better communication and collaboration when working with this generation.
- Show them they matter. Millennials want to be heard and seen. They also want to do work that impacts the organization. So, acknowledge their achievements by giving bonus benefits and incentives like an extra day off or small tokens.
- Be open to giving and receiving feedback. While this is one of the challenges in adapting to this work style, it is also one of the easiest to change. Include feedback systems in the weekly check-ins to foster open communication in your office workspace. Also, utilize office suites for easier communication even when employees are not in the office.
- Foster a collaborative environment. Allow employees to participate in goal setting and give them opportunities to lead the organization’s projects.
- Invest in learning and development. Millennials have a continuous drive to improve themselves professionally and personally. Help their growth by investing in this development. Many paid and free upskilling training courses are available online to cater to their needs and the company’s resources.
Understanding how to adapt to the changing needs of today’s workforce will help businesses gain more skillful employees who care about the organizations’ goals and values.
M Spaces: The Coworking Space in Manila for Working Millennials
Millennials thrive in a collaborative and flexible work arrangement that allows them to make considerable organizational and societal changes. They can also work in different workplace setups, so having a modern office setup is preferable.
At M Spaces, we can help your business adapt to this changing work style. We provide fully serviced private offices and meeting venues with ergonomic office setup and amenities. We also ensure that your business is always connected online for collaboration and communication with our high-speed internet connection.
We have three different sizes of private offices that you can choose from:
- Micro – 4-5 seats
- Medium – 6–7 seats
- Mega – 8–12 seats
Also, we offer three different meeting room sizes: small meeting rooms (up to 6 persons), large meeting rooms (up to 10 persons), and conference rooms (up to 22 persons).
Explore the possibilities that M Spaces brings to your meetings and collaborations. Check out the reviews and photos of our coworking spaces on Facebook and Instagram. You can also contact us or email info@mspacesph.com for our rates and services inquiries.
