According to the Pew Research Center’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, Millenials (age 18-34 in 2015) have surpassed Generation X to be the largest generation in the American workforce. This means Universities and companies need to do everything they can if they expect to recruit and keep the new powerhouse of talent. 

By Thomas LaMantia

According to the Pew Research Center’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, Millennials (age 18-34 in 2015) have surpassed Generation X to be the largest generation in the American workforce. This means Universities and companies need to do everything they can if they expect to recruit and keep the new powerhouse of talent.

What Makes Millennials Different?

This group of kids are extremely tech savvy and have a diverse set of skills that can be leveraged; they can be hyper efficient, creative and innovative. Attracting, keeping them, and getting them to reach their potential for your organization is about adapting your environment to them – not the other way around!

Many of them join the workforce with skills very few of our older generations have mastered. Example: many of these kids have had some exposure to coding in grade school and high school. These kids are visual. It starts with your office décor. It does not have to be big, but must be very functional, and if its high tech that is a plus. Regardless, it should embrace digital signage and interactive technology.

What Catches Their Attention? SCREENS!

Ever watch a Millennial at a party with a group of their peers? They are all staring at their screens.

This group grew up with screens everywhere; they have cell phones, tablets, laptops, and TVs. Screens are everywhere and Millennials expect it, even their cars. They are conditioned and comfortable in interacting with this technology and look at digital devices and display as a primary source of information. This expectation what is driving a positive need for digital signage everywhere.  Engaging this era of kids is a perfect reason to begin your organization’s journey toward Digital signage.

It catches their eyes faster than print. Just ask them what did that print sign say vs the electronic one – they probably did not even see the print one.

Universities Must Pay Attention

Old technology often does not reach this demographic; you have to engage them, capture their attention, and deliver the point quickly and concisely. On the school campus it is important to embrace and drive concise and clear messages to digital signs. Further enabling them to interact with it is key. They want the key information they need to know, and the action(s) they need to take, and this generation is less likely to wait. They are simply conditioned to process information quicker. Have you watched them play a video game lately?

On campus Millennials want engaging digital signage that can help them find their way around campus, delivers emergency messaging, educates them about clubs to join, events taking place, and important deadlines for class enrollment, finals and other critical dates.

Offices Must Follow Suit

At work Millennials want engaging digital signage that can help them find their way around the office or campus, delivers emergency messaging, educates them about what is going on in the company (think push content from your intranet), social activities happening after work (think company softball team tryouts) events taking place near and around work, and important company deadlines for healthcare enrollment, job openings, benefits, etc.

Bottom-line with Millennials: If your message takes a long time to convey you may lose them. Think back 10 – 20 years ago and how our generation pushed PC’s, Laptops and Cell Phones, e-mail, intranets into the day to day corporate culture; accelerating efficiency and throughput. This was our generations way of impacting efficiency and disseminating pertinent company info inside and outside the company. The Millennials are our future and we have to accept the way they want us to change the same way our elders welcomed our technology.

These are a few reasons you need to support, push and promote Digital Signage on your college Campus, or in your Company.

Looking to get started?

We’ve done full build outs for a number of clients and can handle your project whether it’s large or small.