A new generation of professionals has started to enter the workforce and is seen to drastically reshape the country?s economy.
Dubbed the ?Millennials,? these individuals born between 1980 to 1997 number around 27 million in the Philippines, accounting for half of the current workforce.
In a few years, this group will displace Gen X and Baby Boomers as the dominant generation in the workforce.
Growing up in the advent of personal computers and digital devices, Millennials are exceptionally social and tech-savvy, interacting as much in the digital space as they do in the physical space.
Millennial professionals are more technologically adept than previous generations, and are highly reliant on consumer technology.
Aptly called digital natives, their increased presence in the digital world and affinity towards technology enable them to blur the lines between work and personal time, performing beyond their prescribed working schedules and getting things done more efficiently through the use of multiple technologies within their reach.
Millennials prefer the mobile, flexible workplace compared to Gen X professionals, claiming that they are ?wired differently? from their older peers.
A study by Cisco shows that more than half of millennial workers prefer to be free from the typical 9 to 5 work schedule, and would rather work from home than in the office, aided by mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This working environment enables millennials to perform their tasks more efficiently, with information they need literally a click away for them.
?The Millennial generation is steadily transforming the definition of a modern workplace. Their inclination towards technology allows them to create a more competitive environment both for them and their employers. As Millennials use technology to manage every aspect of their personal and professional lives, companies must learn to harness this competitiveness by making sure that they appreciate the needs of a more digitally-empowered generation,? said Cisco Philippines country manager Louie Casta?eda.
This means that most Millennials do away with desktop PCs and prefer not to be stuck in their desks in the workplace. Nowadays, a millennial professional is only as good as how many devices he can multitask with.
A workplace which allows connectivity for both a professional?s work-issued laptop and personal smartphone will allow him to fulfill more tasks in a more efficient manner.
Likewise, a workplace that provides connectivity outside the office will attract more Millennials and allow them to extend their work day, enabling them to be more productive with their work and personal times.
This demands a connected workplace where professionals can work across devices seamlessly and efficiently. Such a workplace will enable Millennials to take full advantage of their multitasking nature, built from growing up with multiple devices at their disposal, and will help build confidence and competitiveness as they expose themselves to more challenging tasks in the workplace.
