The best thing that can help a startup grow is to be part of a large trend that is moving the market.

There is a macro trend occurring beneath the feet of corporate America where an older generation of employees are exiting the workforce and a new, younger generation (millennials) are entering the workforce. Within 10 years, the millennial generation is predicted to account for 75% of the global workforce.

This new generation of employees seek different things from their employer. A sense of meaning, growth potential, and their work environment matter much more to this younger generation of employees.

Leaders in companies are waking up to this trend and looking for new solutions to the knowledge gap that has been created due to the generational divide in the workforce. Enterprise Social Networks (ESNs) are becoming more standard as leaders seek more efficient ways to communicate and better connect their teams. Leaders are now looking to adopt solutions but in a way that they have more control and can be strategic about how their collaboration solution is aligned to the goals of the business.

I believe that existing ESNs have failed to actually connect people because these solutions have only focused on being a communication tool. Real knowledge sharing and learning happens not from online courses or from virtual discussion threads, but from real people sharing real-life experiences. By bringing people together around categories that people have a passion for and also support the business, individuals and teams are able to connect and collaborate in a more meaningful way where the growth of the individual results in the growth of the organization.

I’ve personally spoken with many top leaders inside companies about their key focus areas for this year and knowledge exchange and attracting and retaining the best talent are top on the list.