A New Workplace For A Digital Generation

The workplace has changed in recent years and is about to change again, as it is populated by a new generation that has grown up with computers and sees the digital world as normal.

People now entering the workforce have grown up in a digital and social media environment, as their formative years were shaped by seeing and experiencing technology as the norm.

Their experience has influenced their thinking in a different way from previous generations, as they take the digital world for granted and embrace it without anxiety or fear.

Their approach to, and use of, technology, as it flows seamlessly from their personal to professional life will influence the workplace and change the way work is done and how people relate to each other.

This generation has grown up in a world of uncertainty, not least in relation to the collapse of financial and other traditional institutions, and the consequent strain on governments and society in dealing with austerity has had an impact upon them.

Perhaps, as a response to their exposure to uncertainty in their early years, they place greater emphasis on the present and are more interested in making an immediate difference.

They want to be engaged in the work they do and feel it is meaningful and enjoyable, rather than work for work’s sake or the promise of future rewards.

Their experience of digital and social media has had a profound effect, not least because of their exposure from a young age to constant connectivity and interruption.

Their use of technology overlaps between their personal and professional life, as their habit of multitasking replaces the traditional approach of moving discretely from one activity to another.

Their comfort with technology influences the level and depth of their personal networks, as it enables and encourages interactions with a wide range of friends, acquaintances and contacts.

The range of interactions they experience on a daily basis and the level of exposure to information provide many different perspectives; all of which inform their decision-making.

SO, the workplace is changing not only because of technology but also because of the way a new generation understands and interacts with it.

What do you think? Is the workplace changing? Get in touch, we would love to hear your views contact Nick on 028 8224 9494 or via Twitter @nick_oec.