How To Improve ITSM Metrics With a Millennial Workforce and Gen Z
How the Tech-Savvy Millennials and Younger Generations Will Influence ITSM Metrics
As the ongoing retirement of the boomer generation begins to draw to a close, it is only natural that some Millennials and many of their younger counterparts, the members of Generation Z, will begin to take on positions of leadership and influence alongside members of Generation X.
Unlike Gen Xers though, who didn’t grow up with the Internet or much of the technology that younger generations take for granted, tech-savvy Millennials and their juniors will likely force ITSM professionals to adapt to an even stronger tech-heavy mode of operation.
Of course, there will be challenges that arise from this massive paradigm shift. But for every challenge, there exists a corresponding opportunity that directly correlates to it. In this article, we will look at some of the challenges and opportunities that ITSM can expect as the younger generations come into their own, driving businesses even further into the digital age.
Smartphone Use and the Younger Generations
One of the first things that come to mind when you consider the tech-savvy Millennials and their younger counterparts is their near-continual use of smartphones. While smartphone use and second-screen behaviors of other types have proven challenging for marketers trying to reach the younger generations, this largest smartphone user base in history is practically built to make life easier for ITSM professionals.
Increased mobility and technical agility amongst younger workers could naturally lead to higher organic customer satisfaction rates (CSAT), as younger workers come pre-trained (through the consumerization of technology) to access and utilize technologies that their older coworkers inherently struggle to adopt. This phenomenon could move the needle on a myriad of ITSM metrics beyond CSAT, as well.
Millennial Self-Reliance and Tech-Savviness
Another couple of traits that many members of the younger generations possess and are expected to bring to bear as they rise in the ranks of business include: their self-reliance, as well as their tech-savviness. Self-reliant and tech-savvy Millennials could naturally bring about new processes in the world of ITSM that are currently cost-prohibitive because of the nature of the learning curve for contemporary, less tech-savvy, older workers.
Additionally, look for the IT processes to become more automated as younger workers replace older ones that are as technologically self-reliant. There will be a natural increase in the adoption of self-service processes within IT, as well as a growing reliance on machine learning and AI-human hybrid models of service. This is because tech-savvy Millennials and younger workers are often more comfortable interfacing with machines.
How to Leverage the Behavior of Tech-Savvy Millennials to Impact Your ITSM Metrics
As Millennials take on leadership positions within organizations, many ITSM metrics will be impacted organically, as was mentioned above. There are, however, other ways that you can leverage the behavior of the up-and-coming generations to improve on your business’s KPIs.
For example, creating standardized processes for improved productivity and investing in better ITIL tools are two profound ways that your organization can prepare to exploit the dramatic increase in self-reliance and tech-savviness that younger generations bring with them into the workforce. Embracing digital transformation as it is driven by consumerization and other factors will also help to put your organization in a position to welcome younger workers into the fold.
Driving ITSM Metrics by Embracing Millennial Tech-Savvy Behaviors
It can be challenging for many organizations to embrace change, and many seem to prefer reactionary incremental growth to visionary proactive growth. The opportunity represented in the tech-savviness and technological self-reliance of those entering (or those who have just entered) the workforce is too great for your organization to wait to react to the new paradigm.
Instead, work to get out in front of the coming trend, and prepare your organization to reap the benefits of embracing younger workers – together with the productive behaviors they bring with them.
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Kelli Buchanan
Kelli is a Senior On-boarding Specialist, ITSM at SolarWinds. She works with customers of all industries and sizes to customize the service desk experience for…
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