I’ve grown up with a cell phone in my hand since age 13. Rather than reading a newspaper, I check the New York Times twitter account every morning. I am active on at least five social medias a day where collaboration is the norm. Texting is not only my preferred but also main source of communication. And when it comes to landing my first job, I know that the network I build is just as important as the talent I bring to the table.
Being a part of the Millennial generation, technology and social connectivity play a major role in my standard lifestyle. There is not a day that goes by where I am not in touch with at least one person via a technological device. However, as I graduate from college next year I’ve realized I will be entering into the work force with a new perspective compared to traditional mindsets. And as technology advances, where exactly does that leave a Millennial wanting to get involved?
It’s a no brainer that as technology advances social connectivity will become more and more intertwined. As a result, I believe shared experiences will rise to
the heart of all business matters; no more promotional campaigning, simply real testimonials from real customers.
Whether it’s a blog, forum, or simply a LinkedIn discussion, social media generates conversation at a level of informality that gives people a strong sense of trust in first-hand experience. Personally, the first thing I do when I am looking to purchase a product is hop online and research other customer’s experiences. According to an article on Business Insider, Millennials are more likely to share opinions on the things they buy through emerging social media technologies than other generations.
Having access to hearing what the customer wants first-hand creates a greater pool of empathy for the end user. I read in a recent blog by Jeremy Thomas that the featured Millennials at SAPPHIRE had chosen to focus immediately on social and community aspects of the design thinking workshop challenge and “demonstrated a higher comfort with empathy for others” than he had seen from participants in the traditional corporate environment. I couldn’t agree more with the observation. In a world of ever-growing connectedness, that kind of empathy is a natural tendency to draw on and innateness in the new mindset.
When it comes to the future of work, shared experiences don’t just happen at the customer level. They can happen within the company network as well. Greater sharing of ideas means more room for collaboration and innovation with a stronger value on the process itself rather than just the outcome. Technology will enables us to share with greater flexibility and meaning, allowing us to feel like our co-workers on the other side of the world are our next-door cubicle neighbors. It’s an exciting time to be coming in at as I see nothing but new opportunities for business growth!
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