Month: May 2017

Archives for May 2017

How Millennials are Changing the Way We Work

You cant look anywhere and see an area in which millennials have not infiltrated our world. From the way they consume voluminous mountains of media, to the way they will take a company to task for unethical practices, its part of a new reality that we have no choice but to embrace. In fact, if youre still holding on to the “tried and true” ways of getting things done, get ready to start letting go. Its all for the greater good, after all.

The truth is, millennials will comprise the majority of the global workforce very, very soon. So it stands to reason, that if we arent paying attention to what they need, theyre just going to pass us by in favor of something they prefer. And what might those things be? Here are a few…

They dont do the nine-to-five

Flexibility is the name of the game: flexible work hours, days, and work spaces, that is. By accommodating remote work (at the very least), or allowing for a flexible work day, you will be encouraging your millennial workforce to work when they are at their most efficient. In fact, many millennials prefer to be their own boss, whether that means starting their own company, or working freelance in the gig economy. In this sense, a flexible workspace makes a lot of sense too. Witness the rise in popularity of coworking, and shared office spaces: this trend is being driven by millennials, who find they can be more productive in the company of others. No matter which way you toss it, flexibility equates with value in the millennial point of view.

Millennials dont have time for idle communication

Forget about email. Its so last decade. Millennials prefer to communicate face-to-face, or by texting. Its about short attention span, in some ways, but it also allows them to get down to business faster. But when you do meet up, prepare to get things done.

Corporate hierarchies are out – collaboration is in

Where previous generations may have followed the traditional corporate track, millennials prefer to work with people they see as peers. This is likely why so many millennials opt to become entrepreneurs, or work on a freelance basis. It allows them the freedom to connect with others who share similar values, ideas, and goals, and from these foundations, many great things could arise. So, if you are looking at this from a corporate standpoint, and wondering how to connect meaningfully with a millennial workforce, listen to what they have to say, give them the chance to be creative, and to collaborate with others towards a common goal, and you will always win.

Social responsibility

Social responsibility and ethical practice rank very high in importance for most millennials. They wont patronize companies they feel dont live up to their promises, or who do business without a conscience. The reasons, the causes, are as individual as the people themselves, but one thing is for sure: authenticity and caring about your customers is paramount. Consider also that almost 85% of millennials have made a charitable donation in the very recent past, and youll get a clear picture of just who they are.

Lakeside Executive Suites: it all starts here

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Make your Meetings More Productive

Meetings are a necessary part of doing business, and essential to a team environment where there is input required from all of your colleagues. But if the mere mention of a meeting has your workforce running for the hills, maybe its time to rethink your meeting strategy. Meetings should be productive, they should encourage new ideas through discussion, and help co-workers understand what others are concerned about. However, if half of the room tunes out before its even begun, your meeting productivity is already out the window.

Here are some sure-fire meeting management tips to supercharge your productivity and maybe change the way your team comes to think of a meeting in general:

Meeting management rule #1: Be realistic.

Dont try to cover a hundred things in one hour. Having this kind of expectation always leads to the feeling that you didnt get anything done at all. Look at the key points you need to address, and focus on that.

 Meeting management rule #2: Make an agenda in advance.

Second to being realistic, having a clear agenda before you walk in is probably job one. take some time to consider everything that needs to be discussed, and prepare a list of topics to be covered, with bullets under each item to stimulate discussion. This will also help you remember to cover everything that needs to be addressed. Then, make a copy of this agenda for every attendee and have them ready at each chair when they arrive.

Meeting management rule #3: Make sure your technology works BEFORE you start the meeting.

There is nothing as frustrating and time wasting as taking 10-15 minutes to get your technology up and running. Make sure your meeting room is fully equipped with the latest technology and offers a plug and play environment so you can easily connect to devices such as a smart TV and a VOIP phone for conferencing

Meeting management rule #4: Everybody should have something to bring to the table.

Make it imperative that each person is responsible for one thing in the meeting. If its a general meeting, then assign each individual to bring an issue into the meeting they would like to discuss. This will keep them on point through the proceedings and help them feel like they are actually contributing.

Meeting management rule #5: Only invite people who need to be there.

If youre talking about finance, you dont need sales and marketing personnel in your meeting. If its about human resources, you dont need sales. Make sure the right people are at the meeting. If you only invite essential people, it will be easier to stay on track.

Meeting management rule #6: Dont stray off topic.

Sometimes its inevitable that the discussion goes off in another direction, but if you see it veering too far afield, even if its interesting and valid in a broader sense, rein it in and table it for another time. You only have so much time.

Lakeside Executive Suites: your meeting productivity headquarters

If you are a small business, entrepreneur, solopreneur or startup company in Weston, FL, and you are looking for a place to call home, give us a call today. We help small businesses thrive with flexible options such as shared office space, virtual office services, meeting room rentals, and a collaborative coworking environment that is guaranteed to drive innovation. Come by for a tour, or drop us a line.

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