Millennials are often criticized for seeking immediate results and being glued to their devices.
But it makes perfect sense.
These are learned preferences that mirror today’s society in which technology delivers instant gratification and quick access to information. And it’s no surprise that millennials have these same expectations when it comes to the workplace.
Engagement is another piece of the millennial puzzle. With the majority of millennials (55%) disengaged at work, today’s organizations are missing out on great talent. These millennial workers do not put energy or passion into their jobs—and organizations must work to change this.
For organizations interested in harnessing the power of millennials, it is best to embrace their preferences and give this generation exactly what they want at work—personal development, flexibility, interaction, engagement and instant access.
Virtual training software can help and specific virtual training tools cater to the millennial generation’s obsession with connecting and communicating. Let’s take a look:
Breakout Groups allows instructors to pose a question to the class and divide the students into smaller groups. This allows students to collaborate, discuss lab exercises or resolve a challenge. At the end of the breakout group session, students can present their group findings to the entire class for additional discussion.
Whiteboard provides an image library and drawing/text tools. Instructors can use the whiteboard feature to communicate flowcharts and process maps, as well as draw network configurations or other technology-based architectures. It also can be used to point to specific sections of the course material or highlight which section of the syllabus the course is currently covering.
Public Chat and Private Chat are tools that help virtual instructors communicate with their students. Public chat allows students and instructors to access the public chat area for public updates. The private chat feature provides students with the ability to have one-on-one conversations with an instructor and vice versa, or have a one-on-one conversation with other students. Offering both chat options is vital because some students prefer to ask questions in private.
Inactivity Monitor helps improve classroom engagement in a virtual training environment. To identify disengaged students, instructors can set a time limit, so they are notified when students have not been active in their virtual training lab for a specific time period. Being informed of a student’s inactivity gives instructors the opportunity to ask the student a question or select him/her as the group leader during breakout groups to bring the student’s attention back to the class.
With Lab Timer, instructors can set a timer to let students know how much time they have to complete exercises. Students can indicate when they are finished, allowing the instructor to see the class’ progress through the exercise.
In Thumbnail View, instructors can see all student desktops simultaneously. This allows them to know who is doing what and where they are in the lab exercises.
When it comes to the workplace, millennials are sometimes labeled as lazy, spoiled, narcissistic, averse to hard work and addicted to their devices. But figuring out exactly what America’s largest―and least understood—generation wants at work translates into success for any organization. The next time you have a virtual class filled with millennials, use the virtual training tools above to ensure your students are glued to your class―and not taking Instagram selfies.
