News: Telephone and Writing Skills
'Adaptable' communication skills needed for Generation Y
10 September 2008
Professionals who belong to Generation Y require a manager who has adaptable communication skills, it has been suggested.
In an observation underlining the pertinence of communication skills training, Deloitte Consulting's Leah Reynolds referred to individuals born around 1982 or after.
"The ability to adapt to generational change is a fundamental competency organisations and people need to have to be successful in the 21st century," she remarked to Simply Communicate.
Ms Reynolds, who is the national practice leader for Deloitte Consulting's 'generational change' and 'rewards communications' services, claimed generations are changing more rapidly than ever before - and how they behave is "significantly different".
"Generational time spans will shorten because of technology change," she added.
According to Deloitte Consulting, such spans could become as short as seven years, with seven different generations eventually working alongside each other in the same organisation.
Simply Communicate notes that baby boomers - so called because of their post-war affluence - are currently still the dominant generation in the workforce.
They reportedly value face-to-face communication over email, but they are also very competitive and "like to find ways to stand out". 
