Hi, my name is Sarah, I am a mobile addict and I am Generation C!
For the past years, we have been discussing a lot about the multi generation workforce and the different characteristics of each. We described the traditionalists, the Gen X, Y & Z , but we haven’t highlighted much about Generation C. So what is Gen C?
To the contentment of many, Generation C is not about an age bracket, it is about a mindset. You can be 10 years old or 85 years old and still be part of this group. It is defined by Shared “C” attributes: Connected, Control, Collaboration and Creativity.
If you are like me, living in a digital world moving from smart phone to laptop to tablet seamlessly, and are often found using multiple devices at once, then you are Gen C!
If you are connected from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep and even track your sleep wearing your smart watch or having a smart mattress, then you are Gen C!
If through technology you control your food order delivery time, cab pick up time, laundry pick up preference and much more…, then you are definitely Gen C!
If you use online media tools to stay in touch with friends, family, and business contacts and engage with people with shared interests, then you are Gen C!
If you love creativity and constantly persist on innovating in your line of business, then you are Gen C!
Knowing all this about Gen C, what does it mean for business leaders and HR professionals? How can we adapt and evolve our organizations to support the new digital relationship with work?
Discussing this interesting topic in the HR Engagement forum last week, I have highlighted few areas we can focus on in our workplaces to support and manage the 24/7 connected generation:
1- Invest in the corporate learning platforms to ensure it is digitally accessible, connected to our mobiles, fast and easy to use. Be certain that different content is promoted individually to employees based on their personal and professional interests with AI-based recommendations and possibility to share with peers. Does this sound familiar? Well it is! All our favorite social media platforms operate this way!
2- Invest in AI for Talent Acquisition to start releasing valuable time for recruiters to address more vital issues. This is where the use of Chatbots & recruitment robots come in place. Those are computer programs that simulate conversation, they are powered by AI and armed by machine learning to interact with humans. If you have interacted with Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri or Microsoft’s Cortana, then you have interacted with a chatbot. Those improve the candidates’ recruitment experience by making the process quick and instant.
3- Revise your work/life policies putting premium on flexibility and agility. The traditional idea of working from 9-5 in a designated office does not exactly correlate to the new world views. To address and support this, in Schneider Electric we have launched our Flex Policy focusing on 6 areas of interest: Telecommuting, Activity Based Working, Flexible Working Hours, Volunteering, Flexible Holidays and Flexible Dress Code. All of those have been implemented to help us draw a valuable talent pool of new recruits and boost our retention . What will you do?
Knowing that Generation C wants to see all of these changes and be part of this digital transformation in the workplace, it is important that we invest in a digital workplace where we align technologies, assess business processes and revise people policies to improve operational efficiency and meet organizational goals.
