GenMobile is on the Move

Last week a colleague and fellow blogger of mine, Stacey Engle, shared that our generation, GenY, has a new nickname: GenMobile. This new label speaks to both a love for our mobile devices and our fluidity in the world.

I really like this new label and feel it's relevant to our generation. Recently I read a piece in Human Resource Executive titled: Generation Why Not. The article focuses on GenMobile and our willingness to re-locate, and how companies can take advantage of this opportunity.

According to Kelly Global Workforce Index: The Evolving Workforce, a 2011 study that surveyed 97,000 people across 30 countries, 85 percent of millennials would like to relocate and 40 percent would move to another country.

Showing that GenY'ers are not only willing to move, they're asking for it.

Maybe it's the confidence of having all the information you could possibly need in the palm of your hand. With Facebook, Twitter and Skype available to stay close to family and friends. All of a sudden China doesn't seem very far away. Plus, with more and more of us putting off getting married and having children, there's not a whole lot to keep us settled.

So what does this mean for companies looking to retain the newest emerging workforce?

First, companies are no longer just competing with organizations in their country. Second, it's calling for global companies to think bigger. According to the HR Executive article, doing this can be a big win for smart organizations.

Companies investing in opportunities to travel and work abroad will find themselves with eager GenMobiles to fill those positions. Providing more options for expansion and moving toward an even bigger global society.

I'm reminded of the Thomas A. Edison quote: "Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning." Organizations are standing on a path paved with gold. Those that take advantage of this opportunity and plan ahead for it will have the competitive edge.