Guest Post by Külli Koort

Each generation brings their innovative solutions to the table and like with everything in this world, there are advantages and disadvantages. According to a PwC’s Next Gen Study one thing is for sure, Millennials differ from previous generations at work.

Well, you might argue that it has always been like this. Younger generations being apart from the older ones. But never before has the gap been so large. This does not mean that there is something terribly wrong and all change is negative. I often read articles that set the tone as if things have gone sour. This could not be further from the truth.

Improve Team Communications
Photo credit: Jessica Duensing

The new generation has brought some incredible updates that bring us all closer to a greater work-life balance and bigger job satisfaction. The PwC study shows that everything from what the Millennials want out of work, willingness to speak up, to various work habits differ from managers that are only 5 years older. Although this often creates conflicts between the generations, it also entail benefits. These changes have been especially loud in the way the teams communicate.

How Millennials Improve Team Communications

1 – They bring openness and low hierarchy.

Millennials are not afraid to speak up and pitch in their ideas. The increased self-confidence and numerous ideas are bound to come out. They have always been treated as a partner rather than a subordinate, who needs to wait for its turn. Therefore, they are not shy and will not sit and wait for their turn. Instead, they will speak up and contribute. Although every now and then these ideas might be utopic, they bring a pinch of inspiration to the teams.

All this results in open teams and two way communications. Ideas flow and people feel more comfortable to express their opinion. The communication inside the team has become more open and honest.

2 – They do not settle with the status quo.

If there is something constant in this life, it is change. And this is welcomed by the Millennials. The fear of being stuck in the status quo, is bigger than than the resistance to change. Therefore, they thrive on innovation and change, which has turned the old-fashioned teams into dynamic entities, where learning and growing are prioritized.

Very few, if any, will have a life long career in one company. People tend to be more individualistic and independent. Stability and job security are not valuable assets anymore. These have been swapped with innovation and change. Resulting in dynamic teams that pursue high growth and learning-curve.

3 – They are not afraid to use online tools that increase productivity.

As more and more teams are spread around the globe, working from home getting increasingly popular, Millennials thrive for tools that help them stay connected. What is more, they want to get the job done even more productively. Whether it is a tool that helps to stay focused and be aware what anyone on the team is doing, like Weekdone, or a tool that helps to connect and communicate, like Skype, they are bound to find the right solution. Experimenting with different kinds of tools and apps is written in their DNA.

This in turn has increased the number of productive interactions teams encounter.

No doubt that a generalization about the whole demographic could not be accurate about each case, but the trends are there. Millennials have different work habits, which have made the communication inside and between the teams more transparent, open and productive.

Guest Author

Külli Külli is currently working at Weekdone weekly reporting startup, where she is focused on introducing the easiest and most efficient weekly reporting tool to the world. She likes to write about time management, productivity and employee engagement.