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

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

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

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”

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!

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

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

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

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)

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

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?