Millennials and Gen Z groups are extremely tech-savvy and are learning in a faster paced environment than we ever could have imagined.
Meet Mike Dahle – Instructional Designer
I recently made the change from public education to the private sector as an Instructional Designer here at Almon and I would say it is fascinating to see how much overlap there is between the two industries.
In the end, we are both looking to provide meaningful training to our customers and we are adapting to the way we do that with the ever changing technology and demographics.
Technology has been a massive game changer in how we deliver our materials and what we are able to do, but it has also changed our customers. The Millennial and Gen Z groups are extremely tech-savvy and are learning in a faster paced environment than we ever could have imagined. Those two aspects are forcing our industry to change the way we do business.
Over the next two decades, there is going to be a major shift of generations within the workforce. As of 2015, Millennials in America have officially surpassed the Boomers as the majority in the workforce.
Let’s take a look at how they each have changed the way businesses operate:
This group is taking the common brick and mortar buildings and is tearing them down. They don’t want to be bound to a building where they come 5 days a week, do their jobs, and leave. They want these employers to offer them something to keep them entertained and engaged in their work while being part of a community.
We have seen progressive companies change the services they offer employees, like on-site gyms, on-site day cares, and on-site dry cleaning. Some are even offering work sponsored happy hours for employees to socialize with one another about something outside the office.
These trends are starting to make their way into Midwest companies, like ZenDesk, PKWARE, EPIC, and also here, at Almon.
Here at Almon we’ve taken our weekends and repainted our studio our new branded colors, hung our best artwork from projects and community bulletin boards for social postings, and we even added a Red Bull Cooler for that much needed morning boost.
Millennials are changing the expectations and experiences in the workplace and are moving away from traditional work environments.
These companies are creating an environment that allows their employees to focus more on their work and create a stronger connection to it their working community. This alternative or non-traditional work environment leads to higher job satisfaction, better job performance, less employee turnover, and a sense of ownership in their workplace.
Remember getting your driver’s license or your first cell phone? These events were considered a rite of passage as you reached the next level of responsibility. The Gen Z group, born in the new millennium, does not view these events as a rite of passage, but more of a social norm. They have grown up with screens, many of them since birth.
Growing up with a screen has changed how they learn new material. Many of them are using the 40+ million channels on YouTube or 1,000’s+ of hours on Lynda.com to learn, almost instantaneously, new material in real time. They have the world’s knowledge at their fingertips and it is forcing the education system and traditional business model to change the way training materials are delivered.
These two demographics are turning the traditional business and educational system on their heads. By 2030, these two groups are going to make up an overwhelming majority of the workforce and companies need to get ready to change quickly to keep up with their demands.
Here at Almon, we have recognized the changing demographics and are changing to get in front of the curve. We are recruiting young professionals with backgrounds relatable to the Millennial and Gen Z demographics. These professionals are not only experts in their field, but understand the mentality among these demographics because they are the demographic. In addition to our traditional training material, we are creating interactive and customizable training to allow our customers to personalize their learning for all audiences.
We realize that the job market is changing and not everyone has time to take classes. Sometimes a quick refresher on a tool or process is all that is needed and we are creating curriculum that will allow our customers to access that knowledge where ever they are. This curriculum is designed to take on many forms including instructor lead videos, virtual simulations, and augmented reality walkthroughs so that any learning style can be met.
Because we understand what it can be like to sit and take these training classes, we design them here at Almon, after all, and with this understanding we strive to make it more engaging and increase the retention rate for our audiences.
For more information about Almon Inc. and its services, give us a call at 262-548-1360 or sales@almoninc.com.
