The highly experienced but less tech-savvy baby boomer generation has been dominating the global workforce for some time now, but that’s about to change. Before you know it, the soon-to-retire boomers will be replaced by the ambitious, technologically savvy and collaborative millennials, who don’t remember a time without computers and smartphones. Growing up with laptops, Wi-Fi, 3G and social media, the digital world circulates through their system as they expect immediate access to information at all hours of the day.

We’re Facing a Generational Change

Millennials blend work and life differently than the average worker; they are inherently mobile and many want to work off-site. Needless to say, this generation anticipates a management style that is distinctly different from the baby boomer corporate culture; they’re seeking a culture that effectively meets their needs. If their expectations are not met, they will most likely run out the door, heading to a top competitor with the latest tools and modernized working strategies.

So here’s the million-dollar question: is your company preparing for millennials to turn the working environment upside down? By deploying technologies that reflect millennials’ tendencies such as Unified Communications – the integration of real-time and non-real-time communications – your business will be able to fully maximize their productivity, as well as to retain top talent.

Ready for Millennials

Your organization cannot afford to sit on its thumbs while the millennial workforce sweeps in. They already form 25% of the workforce in the U.S. and, by 2020, millennials will be 50% of the global workforce, according to PwC survey called “Millennials at work – reshaping the workplace”. Moreover, 41% of millennials prefer electronic communication at work instead of face-to-face; also, three-quarters say that access to technology makes them more efficient.

Are Companies Prepared?

A generational change is in the air, so will your company invest in cutting-edge technologies like Unified Communications to keep up? Because UC can retain millennials at your business for a lot of reasons:

Instant communication: Millennials are 24/7 online. Social media and instant communication feel as natural as breathing. They’ve come to expect instant-everything, therefore allowing for the same type of communication at work is essential to make them feel that they are part of a modern organization. With features like instant messaging, click-to-call, conferencing and presence, your fully-stocked UC system can ensure that millennials will always have seamless access to communication, anywhere and at any time.

Embrace new: Young people like to try out new stuff, tinker with it, discard it if no good, or adapt that tool if it proves useful. By incorporating the latest technology, you will be feeding this need for trying out new things, creating a more suitable work environment.

Collaborate: Social media and gaming also made millennials more collaborative. They are used to sharing, commenting, building up on ideas. This natural behavior is priceless for companies, saving tons of money on expensive trainings. Implementing a Unified Communications system will lay the foundation to support this kind of behavior. They’ll be able to collaborate and share information with the touch of a button. Your employees will not have to be in the same room face-to-face and it’s not even necessary to talk over the phone – just the way millennials like it.

Work from anywhere: Millennials value a flexible working environment, where they can work at home for some days during the week, plug in at a coffee shop or even work from thousands of miles away. By implementing UC into your business plan, millennials will have the freedom to work using their smartphone or tablet at anytime and anywhere, be that at a branch office, at home or on the road. This level of work flexibility leads to a better chance that millennials will join your team and stay for the long term. 71% of telecommuters say it’s an important benefit when considering a new job, 10% would take a salary reduction to keep the telecommuting benefit and 65% of employers who allow telecommuting report happier employees, according to Staples’ 2014 telecommuting survey. The shift towards remote working or telecommuting is huge, and UC systems are indispensable to this shift.

How will you fully tap into the potential these millennials offer? Tell us in the comments section below.