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Appealing to the new generation anticipate and conform to their needs, including heating, venti-
Millennials are absent in industries outside of building automa- lation, and lighting systems. A changing labor force will demand
tion as well; this is an issue that must be addressed. There are environments that help them do their best work, and pressure on
standard strategies to recruit the younger workforce: a positive the building automation industry will increase. The personaliza-
company culture, long-term professional growth, vacation days, tion, performance, and power we expect out of our smartphones
benefits, a sense of purpose. A significant factor, however, will be is now extending to our homes and offices. If your building
high-tech, comfortable, adaptive work environments. doesn’t provide this sort of capability, you might find yourself
It’s a running joke that youth are constantly attached to their without tenants.
technology. They are, and they expect to work with cutting-edge
tech as well. Generation Y grew up becoming fluent in technol- An uncertain future
ogy; it’s no wonder they view it so positively and seek to use it To create high-tech innovations, we need fresh, forward-thinking
wherever possible. According to PWC, over 70% of Generation Y young minds; yet many businesses are still too apprehensive to
survey respondents said using technology makes them more ef- begin hiring the Millennial labor force. Hiring the next generation
fective. The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey reported Millennials now would make for a smoother transition once Baby Boomers
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expect their workplaces to use the latest technology, and retire. A period of cross-generational crossover could even bring
Fortune writes that Millennials seek faster and easier solutions. about dynamic collaboration, as expertise melds with new per-
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Clunky technology inhibits productivity, and is likely to be aban- spectives. Without new ideas, our knowledge base is still largely
doned, Wired reports. It’s not enough to just have technology in stuck in the 20th century.
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the office; it must be sophisticated, fast-paced, and user-friendly. Generation Y wants a fast-paced, productive environment. A
space that holds them back with dumb devices is antiquated,
since Millennials are accustomed to speed and constant connec-
tivity. The offices of yesteryear—with clunky HVAC systems and
rows of cubicles—are archaic. The workplace de rigueur is open
concept, user-friendly, and smart.
This is a crossroads for the building technology industry. By
engaging with Millennials, we stand a chance of advancing
technology, staving off disruptors, and taking the industry in new
directions. We must act now, though: in five years when the Baby
Boomers begin retiring in droves, it will be far too late.

Pook-Ping Yao is a proven business leader with an excellent
understanding of world-wide networking markets and extensive
Graph via Deloitte
international business experience. Recognized expert in smart
Even so, IT departments across sectors might not be prepared buildings, networking and cybersecurity technologies combined
for their arrival, Randstad reports. This disconnect must close, if with first-class communications skills, drive and management
6
companies are to attract young talent. Expecting to do so with skills. Prior to co-founding Optigo, Ping spent 12 years at
salaries alone is a short-sighted and increasingly archaic ap- PMC-Sierra (now Microsemi) in network design and applications.
proach. We spend one-third of our lives working; no one wants
to work in an environment where that time feels twice as long.
The onus is not strictly on IT to provide young employees with 1 “Millennials at Work: Reshaping the Workplace” – www.pwc.com
cutting-edge tech; building operators must also tap into what www.pwc.com/gx/en/managing-tomorrows-people/future-of-work/
assets/reshaping-the-workplace.pdf
Millennials want, and building automation will have to deliver. 2 “How millennial IT pros differ from “old IT guys” and what it means
Mark Trepp, senior vice president of JLL, says Millennials welcome for tech vendors” – Vision Critical – Feb 25, 2016 www.visioncritical.
open-concept spaces with higher density than seen in the past. com/millennial-it-pros/
Whereas space was once 250ft2/person, it has decreased to 3 “The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey - Winning over the next
85ft2/person. Space is used more efficiently, so office popula- generation of leaders” www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/
tions increase—and amenities and HVAC systems struggle to global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-millenial-survey-2016-ex-
ec-summary.pdf
keep up. HVAC and mechanical systems have not been designed 4 “How tech-savvy millennials humanize your workplace” – For-
to support this density, but they will have be updated if business- tune Magazine fortune.com/2015/08/18/how-tech-savvy-millenni-
es want to recruit young talent. als-are-humanizing-your-workplace/
“Even when Millennials aren’t decision makers, they’re definite- 5 “How Millennials Require Us to Design the Technologies of Tomor-
ly influencers,” said Trepp. “The workforce is getting smaller, and row” – Wired Magazine www.wired.com/insights/2014/09/millenni-
als-design-technologies/
keeping millennials happy is critical. If they aren’t, my competitors 6 “How millennials are driving innovation in the tech industry” –
will pick them off.” Randstad www.randstad.ca/workforce360-trends/archives/millenni-
Millennials expect spaces that are smart and high-tech, that al-innovation-and-the-tech-industry_463/

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