Really, We’re All Millennials

Recently, I took an online test from the Pew Research Center and learned that I’m apparently a true millennial – I scored a 91 out of 100! This despite my actual birth year solidly putting me in the category of Baby Boomer.

When you read about business today, you’ll inevitably come across references to millennials and the changes they bring to the workplace.

As with all new generations, our youngest workers have ushered in new ways of thinking about old ideas. Some of us spend so much time bemoaning the changes that these new workers bring that we forget to reflect our own change and growth when it comes to technology. The truth is, we are all millennials!

Here are 5 reasons why I think that really, we’re all millennials:
 

1. We Share A Thirst for Knowledge

Millennials have an incredible appetite for knowledge, data, and information…and it’s contagious!

For example, a colleague recently told the rest of our team about his upcoming vacation. No fewer than three of us immediately opened our browsers to learn more about the exotic, faraway land. Within minutes we were exclaiming over pictures and sharing tips from reviews. Maybe that would have happened ten years ago, but not with the same urgency and speed.

Collaboration and research tools provide all of us with access to knowledge bases with access to historical and current real-time information – giving us all the advantage of reviewing the history of any topic or issue. Once we’ve experienced what it’s like to have access to all of this knowledge, we never want to go back.
 

2. We Embrace Today’s Technology

Yes, millennials have grown up in an age of the Internet, free Wifi, 4G, and social media. These tools have been a part of their lives.

But if you stop to think about it, these tools are now part of everyday life for Boomers, too. We’re using technology we couldn’t have dreamed of when we were their age (and we have the advantage of watching the original Jetsons!).

Speaking of new technology, I’m excited to report that I won an Apple Watch this week at the office holiday party! I haven’t been able to stop clicking on all of the icons, watching every how-to video I can find, sending unique messages to other Apple Watch users, and texting emojis that I’ve never seen before.

My younger coworkers pretend it’s no big deal but one secretly admitted to me, “That’s dope.” High compliment, indeed.
 

3. We Insist On Staying Connected

We’re connected around the clock, well beyond the traditional 9-5 — we’re about creating a work-from-anywhere environment offers everyone the ability to collaborate with anyone anywhere from any device.

We can physically leave work early, but we don’t really ever leave. We respond to messages from coworkers and clients just as readily as we respond to our pals.

What’s great about this is that it offers us an unprecedented level of flexibility. You can watch your kid perform in a holiday pageant, hit the road for a trip, or shop for last-minute gifts — and because you’re still connected, you can respond to messages and avoid becoming a bottleneck on critical projects.
 

4. We Hate To Wait

Millennials and Boomers not only want access to information, we want it immediately. Presence, click to call, video conference, and IM/chat with tools like Redbooth satisfy that want.

Have you noticed millennials hate voicemail and email? Texting and getting quick bursts of information is where it’s at!

Now, I text throughout the day, when in the past I would have left a voicemail or send email and wait, wait, wait for a response. My use of emojis to communicate is a newfound joy — much faster than finding the right words! ?
 

5. We Blend Social And Personal

The lines are blurred between home and work. The impact of social media in our personal lives spills over to our work personae, and we now share everything, with everyone.

We all want to share screens and have face-to-face conferences – at home and at work, wherever that is. That’s something I love about working at Redbooth — we all get to do all of this in real time.

Finally, like my younger colleagues, I’m just as comfortable sharing work updates on Facebook as I am on LinkedIn. I’m finding that LinkedIn is increasingly a place for people to share life updates and we’re all OK sharing work updates on Facebook, too.

How great is it that my first mentor, who is now 84 years old, can like my Redbooth blogs that appear on Facebook?
 

Our Time Is Now

We all have the skills to navigate a world that is more global, diverse, and fast-changing than ever before. Millennials may have head start, but when you get down to it, we really are all millennials — embracing change, disruption, and technology!
 
Want to try the project management and collaboration software that’s intuitive and easy-to-use for millennials of all ages? Explore Redbooth’s features >>