“New-Generation Workers” Want Technology Their Way

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by

Simon Scullion

Today I caught a discussion on the findings of a survey carried out by Accenture.

Millennial generation students and employees (those aged 14 to 27) expect to use their own technology and mobile devices for work and are increasingly choosing their place of employment based on how accommodating companies are to their personal technology preferences

Yet more evidence demonstrating how our consumer technology choices are making their way into the workplace, meaning that the companies that best accommodate these demands will gain a competitive advantage through attracting, and most importantly, retaining, the best young talent.

Observing this, it appears we are increasingly demanding in our requirements for consumer technology, increasingly fickle with our choices and loyalties, and increasingly adept at managing the change new technology presents us.

Yet this often goes against our corporate mandated use of technology, where we are stuck in our old ways, show blind loyalty to old technology, and told that change is painful and risky! (I’d love you to chip in with candidates for each category! ;-))

So why is this still the case?

Will the “Millennial generation” win over their elders?

Comments

2 responses to ““New-Generation Workers” Want Technology Their Way”

  1. Charlie avatar
    Charlie

    I don’t disagree with the survey and the trend; culturally consumerisation is being accepted at a younger and younger age, so will be more ingrained as time goes by.

    I don’t disagree with corporate standards either – these are important! In fact they are there for good reasons. I think when it comes to technology standards the kit, software and mentality is behind the curve and can’t execute in the best place to be standards based yet accommodating.

    It is well known that the consumer space will deliver more leading edge tech than in the corporate – and is a good lab and proving ground for that, especially for UX goods. That doesn’t always happen in terms of standards alignment, which is not as important in the consumer space, and harder to control because of market forces. So therefore there is disconnect in transferring consumer grade goods into the corporate sphere.

    I think the best method around this is to deliberately partition off UX devices, and deliver the standards adherence through middleware platforms – which what I think Steve was getting at. This is a big job because the realisation of the need to do that is a coordinated is just beginning to surface. Needed more than 140 characters 🙂

    Reply
  2. Carl Tyler avatar
    Carl Tyler

    Interesting, we kind of discuss this topic a little bit on the 1352report this week.

    Reply

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