Millennials possess a dynamic resume of technical, innovative and transferable skills that researchers are defining as “hallmark” qualities of successful supply chains.
Senior levels of management, including President of Morai Logistics, Kelli Saunders, recognize the contributions millennials give to the supply chain industry. During an intimate interview with host of Let’s Talk Supply Chain, Sarah Barnes, Saunders highlights the importance of women and millennials in supply chains. There are significant variances in communication styles that have developed over the last eight decades. In comparison to traditional methods of communication via telephone and email, this tech-savy generation is showing how technology can benefit a blended workforce. Despite unfavorable stereotypes, Morai Logistics believes that millennials is a generation that motivates organizations to ask how are we doing better for the world?
Statistics show that ‘millennials will comprise three-quarters of the global workforce’ by 2025. As a generation born into technology, the growing presence of this cohort will have a positive impact on the future of supply chains. This article reinforces the requisite for millennials in the workforce by outlining the current transformations they have made in communications and the workforce.
New Forms of Communication
In alignment with the unceasing technological advancements that continue to develop, there has been a considerable shift in how different generations communicate. Millennials prefer instant, efficient and snackable content that can be sent and received at any time. In comparison to 47% of the “call me” cohort, Gen X, 68% of millennials admit to texting “a lot”. Informal communication has also been found to be very important to this generation and many organizations are noticing this in their workplace.
Research confirms that millennials usually communicate with ‘friendlier, more familiar tones, and casual forms of exchange’. Many question whether this could make communication in work environments with blended generations challenging, however, Morai Logistics takes a positive perspective.
The reality is in 2020, 50-55% of the population is going to be the millennial generation in the workforce. We’re going to see some of this wonderful technology driving how we make decisions, how we buy, how we sell and who we sell too. So we have to adapt to the differences. –Kelli Saunders, President of Morai Logistics
In her presentation deck “Women & Millennials in the Supply Chain”, Saunders confirms that millennials use instant messaging and texting. There seems to be a strong correlation between methods of communication and technology. Furthermore, the skills that this cohort possess also qualify them as integral members of any organizational team.
Millennials in Supply Chains
As an industry leader, Saunders encourages organizations to embrace the differences in communications, work ethic and philosophy that millennials demonstrate. She reinforces that as the “first generation to truly grow-up on technology”, this cohort “will take risk”. They bring to the industry a unique drive to make the world a better place and consistently ask “how are we doing better for the world?”
When discussing the benefits of opening the supply chain workforce to millennials, Saunders points out that their contributions are ‘a wonderful blend’. On the opposite end of the chain, millennials are also showing significant interest in the industry. SupplyChain247 states that 87% of millennials feel that working in the supply chain industry will help their ‘personal growth and development’. In addition, 88% also believe that there are significant opportunities to advance in this industry.
However, in the same way that communication styles differ, the type of work environment millennials attract to most is also unique. In fact, diversity is reported to be the primary consideration for this generation, which explains their gravitation toward supply chains. Statistically, 85% of surveyed millennials believe that this industry ‘involves a diverse workforce and encompasses people of all types’.
There is no denying the positive impact millennials will make on the supply chain industry. Their unique skills and abilities, built on technology and innovation, will promote companies to ask important questions and achieve lucrative results.
