CSN Conference 2009 - Urs Gasser

Urs Gasser When Digital Natives Enter Workforce (Are You Ready?)

In a nutshell
Digital Natives share a set of characteristics that set them apart from “digital immigrants” like us
Key differences in how they interact with technology, information, and each other - globally
Not only parents, teachers, marketers, … but also employers should care about these differences, since first generation born digital enters workforce
Shared culture of Digital Natives brings opportunities and challenges (even risks) to companies
CSN Conference 2009

What’s different about Digital Natives? CSN Conference 2009 Wear headphones on the way to first job Last nights’ party photos are already online Time it takes to learn how to use a new mobile phone Write SMS without looking Number of friends on MySpace or StudiVZ “ always on”

Digital Natives: Some Characteristics
Always online
Multiple identities, personal and social, shaped online and offline (blurring)
Extensive disclosure of personal data
Culture of sharing
Creators, no longer passive users
Peer collaboration, online activism
Learning through browsing
Wrestling with amount & quality of information, generation of “multi-taskers”
CSN Conference 2009

Information Disclosure & Sharing: Opportunities for Employers CSN Conference 2009
Extensive self-disclosure
Profiles on social networking sites
Create videos on YouTube
Post photos on photobucket
Write blogs, and comment on others’
 Allow HR departments to learn more about employees: their habits, interests, preferences, darker sides...
 But: data protection issues, and: they also google you!

Information Disclosure & Sharing: Challenges for Employers CSN Conference 2009
Self-disclosure as expression of different attitude towards expectation of privacy and confidentiality
Default on information sharing, also when it comes to company information
Not only right to speak, but to be heard
Breach of confidentiality is hip, Digital Natives as fans of WikiLeaks
 Policy-setting and compliance become more important (and tricky!)
 New challenges for reputation management

Information Processing Habits: Challenges for Employers CSN Conference 2009
Different ways in which Digital Natives select, evaluate, and process information.
Non-hierarchical (peer orientation, not experts; tagging)
Short-cuts for info quality assessments
Short attention span
 what means credibility of information?
 require new ways of goal-setting
 require special guidance in prioritizing tasks

Information Processing Habits: Opportunities for Employers CSN Conference 2009
Different ways to interact with content and to re-arrange information may increase creativity (rip, mix, burn) and innovation (mostly incremental)
Orientation towards networks of peers combined with norms of sharing fosters communication within the company
 Attitude towards knowledge management (e.g. wikis, blogs) may change to the good
 Intra-company flow of information may increase productivity

Peer Collaboration & Community Building: Opportunities for Employers CSN Conference 2009
Digital Natives are often experienced peer workers and community builders, responsive to intrinsic motivations
Using alternative types of incentives to encourage intra-company collaboration
Embrace productive power of communities
 opportunities for design of alternative organizations and new governance structures (shared norms)

Peer Collaboration & Community Building: Challenges for Employers CSN Conference 2009
Mind the (same) power of communities when things go wrong
Threat of large-scale, aggressive campaigns against companies and boycotts increases
Digital Natives good at organizing protests: Well connected, experienced users of web 2.0 tools; viral nature of information in online environment,
 requires careful management of relationships with employees
 critical issues must be resolved

CSN Conference 2009 Digital Natives: In 10 years… Where will we be?

CSN Conference 2009 Enterprise 2.0 Where will you be?

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CSN Conference 2009 - Urs Gasser

by KREM on May 14, 2009

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