Today, seniority and loyalty seem like old-fashioned concepts. How do we keep employees in the future? It may be a challenge.
Yesterday, work relationships were hierarchical and positional; the boss said so. Tomorrow, work relationships will be more situational and temporary. And it might be a good idea to replace the old newsletter with an internal Facebook site or use something like Slack to keep employees engaged.
Communication styles are changing, too. Yesterday, communications were formal and delivered through proper channels. Tomorrow, communication will be constant, ongoing, high-tech and high-touch. It might be wise to think about the employee experience in areas of attracting, recruiting, onboarding, training, internal communications, work styles, learning styles, and allow 24/7 access for self-directed learning.
The relationship with the manager, will be changing. Yesterday, employees preferred to be left alone to do their jobs. Tomorrow, employees will want help doing their jobs, with more guidance, and more support, and your focus will need to be on communicating meaning, purpose, and passion.
How we evaluate performance will be different. Yesterday, it was an annual or semi-annual review. Tomorrow it will be more frequent, maybe even daily. Also consider getting permission and giving props to employees on your external social media pages.
It is imperative that we keep up with the times, learn and master the new social platforms and communicate with younger coworkers through the channels they choose. If you or your organization is feeling the pressure, contact me at kit@welchlin.com and I will provide a presentation with tips for keeping your talent.