week 11: Generation Y:Technology

Generation Y grew up with technology and rely on it to perform their jobs better. Armed with BlackBerrys, laptops, cellphones and other gadgets, Generation Y is plugged-in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This generation prefers to communicate through e-mail and text messaging rather than face-to-face contact and prefers webinars and online technology to traditional lecture-based presentations.
The average employee receives thousands of interruptions every day, from instant messages and texts to e-mails and the good old ringing phone. Workers are so distracted by the various methods people use to get in touch that they often blame technology for reduced productivity and longer hours.
But used right, many of today’s e-technologies can help make it possible for you to spend less time working, not more.
In a survey of 7,705 U.S. college students conducted for the 2007 book "Connecting to the Net Generation," 97 percent of students own a computer, 94 percent own a cell phone, 76 percent use Instant Messaging, 75 percent have a Facebook account and 60 percent own some type of portable media device like an iPod. Because of this, Generation Y has the access and ability to communicate in many ways.

Here's a glimpse into the world of Gen Y and how they're using technology.
Generation Y is arguably the most socially conscious generation in existence. They're well aware of how social changes affect them and use the internet as a tool to keep them aware of what's going on. Gen Yers are making their stances well known on Facebook

However, Gen Y is a technologically advanced generation. So, of course Gen Y won't read books or newspapers in the way that previous generations did. Gen Y goes online to get information. They read more blogs than any other generation. They receive the news from online sources and they may even venture into buying an eBook or two. Gen Y certainly won't write off traditional mediums of information. However, they've adopted and embraced the technological advancements that are taking place to better receive information.

Gen Yers do their part when it comes to helping others.
For example, when entering college, peers amongst Gen Y are more than willing to go out of their way to help the incoming class of students. On my college campus, groups are set up on Facebook and Myspace to help students get to and from Walmart. Web site addresses are exchanged for students to find out the campus ratings for their professors. Tutoring sessions are done online and offline by Juniors and Seniors, not the faculty, and these are activities that are seen across college campuses nationwide. They've advanced the real-life version of peer-2-peer systems using social networks and more.



While Generation Y is very technologically advanced, they're more likely to adopt technologies that help themselves and others whether it's for organizing boycotts, keeping up with the news, or helping peers. They don't just adopt these technologies just because they're out there. They adopt them because of what they can do with them