Home topics workplace recruitment-blogs Recruitment Small Business Recruitment Win the war for talent with future-focused remote and flexible working environments Alan Burt September 26, 2016 In 2015, millennials became the biggest cohort in the Australian workforce [i] , signalling a major shift in the way small businesses engage staff. This highly connected, constantly switched-on generation expect instant access to technology which is forcing businesses to rethink the way they work. Offering more flexible work environments will be key to attracting and retaining the best millennial talent. Globally, society is hurtling towards mass connectivity and this will continue to have a profound impact on work. Today, more than 48% of the global population has internet coverage, and by 2019 it is estimated that 71% will be using it [ii] . This increase in internet usage will see data continue to grow exponentially as more people and devices connect. The rate of digital media consumption is also revolutionising the way small businesses interact with their staff and customers . Since the iPhone was launched in 2007, the amount of time spent consuming digital content has doubled every year. Consumers access 51 per cent of content via mobile devices and social media is now a go-to source for news [iii] . Unlike the generations before them, the millennial workforce has distinctly different expectations of how, when and where they work. Historically, staff have had to come into work to access their emails and office technology. Now, company information can be securely accessed outside