Jada Balster, VP marketing, Workfront
By 2025, three-quarters of the workforce is going to be made up of millennials, so it’s imperative that leaders understand them and adapt their skills accordingly, said Jada Balster, VP marketing at Workfront.
The workplace is changing, which means assembling the right people to allow you to innovate, including the new generation of ‘digital natives’.
Recognising our unconscious bias and reacting accordingly is essential when hiring new people. Try not to have teams that are just made up of people who are similar to you, said Jada, which includes making sure you have gender-balanced teams – which perform better and increase innovation revenue.
Where we work is changing – 43% of respondents in a recent survey said at some point they worked remotely in the last three months. “Work is a thing you do, not a place you go,” said Jada.
Understand what motivates your team. Bonus or salary incentives were traditionally used to motivate people, but this is no longer enough. “In a recent survey, flexible working; a company that is charitable or has a social purpose; and praise from your boss were ranked higher than a bonus and salary as top motivators.”
“For innovation to exist you have to feel inspired,” said Jada. Millennials will not stick around if they’re not motivated – the average worker stays in a job for around four and a half years, but with millennials the length they stay with one employer is on average half of that.