Workers' view of technology: let's do it my way!

An Accenture survey finds that "new generation" workers want control over deciding what technology they use in the workplace. Although employers may find that not exercising control can be risky, they should also take the opportunity to discover whether the new generation's preferences can enhance company operations.

Millennial generation employees (those aged 14-27, referred to hereafter in this article as "Millennials") 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. These are findings of a survey released November 5, 2008 by Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company. In addition, more than half (60%) of Millennials either are unaware of their companies' information technology policies or are not inclined to follow them.

The survey queried more than 400 U.S. students and employees across three age groups: 14-17 (younger Millennials), 18-22 (mid-Millennials) and 23-27 (older Millennials). The survey found an increasing demand by Millennials for high-tech devices to connect with colleagues, peers, friends, and family, rather than face-to-face contact. According to Accenture, the findings point to a disconnect between the technology that organizations provide their workers and how young workers actually want to use technology and collaborate in the workplace.

A recruitment and retention issue?

The survey results show that younger employees insist on state-of-the-art technology. More than half (52%) of all Millennials surveyed said that state-of-the-art technology is an important consideration in selecting an employer. More than half (56%) of the mid-Millennials and two-thirds (67%) of the older Millennials still in college claim that whether or not an employer has state-of-the-art equipment will be an important factor when choosing where to work.

"The message from Millennials is clear: To lure them into the workplace, prospective employers must provide state-of-the-art technologies," said Gary Curtis, managing director of Accenture Technology Consulting. "And if their employers don't support their preferred technologies, Millennials will acquire and use them anyway. In order to recruit and retain the best talent, organizations must understand the technologies that the new workforce expects and then find a way to support their employees without...