Earlier this week, I described an "aha" moment that has helped me understand how millennial workers think (and approach life and work). That experience happened over two years ago - just a few weeks after attending a seminar on the demographic challenges that are heading our way with both retiring baby boomers and an incoming workforce with new values and expectations.
But before I started writing, I did quite a bit of homework. What did I find? Here are two examples: John Leo from US News and World Report proclaimed, "Authenticity and integrity are prime values (for millennials). ... Enron should have hired millennial executives."
In 2005, Zogby International conducted a poll of young Americans entering the workforce. "...75% said the people they work with and live near are trustworthy. Almost everyone (97%) said they consider themselves to be trustworthy, and 85% said they think their personal goals in life are less important than acting with honesty and integrity..."
You may be thinking, "I'm not seeing it. The young staff I work with don't behave properly online. Even when clear directions are given, they...."
I don't disagree. Living with integrity is hard (in the real world). It is even harder in the virtual world of cyberspace where many activities are being renamed. The "aha" part of this was that millennial workers value integrity and strive to defend it. That is certainly more than can be said about security (for most staff), which is often seen as an impediment to getting things done.
Earlier this year, The Washington Times reported "Millennials show respect for values" with data from J. Walter Thompson, the nation's largest advertising agency. The surprising findings: "a generation brimming with adultlike respect for American institutions, family values and work ethics, despite a few quirks. "
However the same report also stated, "... the workplace was open to interpretation. A minority -- 46 percent -- said they felt obligated to adapt to the workplace environment. Most thought the workplace 'should adapt to me.' They also crave some amusement at the office."
Some experts are even calling for us to rename security and focus on trust, saying that "security and privacy have bad names and bad connotations." My response agreed with John Reece's problem statement, but disagreed that "trust" (alone) was the answer. We can't forget about security, but authenticity, transparency, inclusion, integrity and trustworthiness may be better words to guide virtual lifestyles.
This discussion is more than new semantics or spin that tries to rename important terms. Of course, we still need (better) security and privacy. We also require end user training and awareness on topics such as avoiding phishing scams. But staff usually want to go around or even "defeat" security measures. On the contrary, most people will make an extra effort to defend their personal or their team's integrity. Numerous published stories have shown, even the best trained go over to the dark side, so technology training alone cannot be the answer.
Talk to your staff about online integrity - now more than ever in a Web 2.0 world. There are powerful forces that tempt us all to water-down the commitments we make (such as signing acceptable use policies) at work. I call this character-robbing activity "Integrity Theft" - the covert brother to identity theft. I tell staff about (true) stories of those who have damaged their reputations and careers with inappropriate behaviors in cyberspace.
It may come as a surprise to many boomers, but millennial staff will actually appreciate the fact that you took time for the discussion. Use those mentoring moments to help young workers become part of the office solution.
By the way, the book: Virtual Integrity is coming out this fall from Brazos Press.
But before I started writing, I did quite a bit of homework. What did I find? Here are two examples: John Leo from US News and World Report proclaimed, "Authenticity and integrity are prime values (for millennials). ... Enron should have hired millennial executives."
In 2005, Zogby International conducted a poll of young Americans entering the workforce. "...75% said the people they work with and live near are trustworthy. Almost everyone (97%) said they consider themselves to be trustworthy, and 85% said they think their personal goals in life are less important than acting with honesty and integrity..."
You may be thinking, "I'm not seeing it. The young staff I work with don't behave properly online. Even when clear directions are given, they...."
I don't disagree. Living with integrity is hard (in the real world). It is even harder in the virtual world of cyberspace where many activities are being renamed. The "aha" part of this was that millennial workers value integrity and strive to defend it. That is certainly more than can be said about security (for most staff), which is often seen as an impediment to getting things done.
Earlier this year, The Washington Times reported "Millennials show respect for values" with data from J. Walter Thompson, the nation's largest advertising agency. The surprising findings: "a generation brimming with adultlike respect for American institutions, family values and work ethics, despite a few quirks. "
However the same report also stated, "... the workplace was open to interpretation. A minority -- 46 percent -- said they felt obligated to adapt to the workplace environment. Most thought the workplace 'should adapt to me.' They also crave some amusement at the office."
Some experts are even calling for us to rename security and focus on trust, saying that "security and privacy have bad names and bad connotations." My response agreed with John Reece's problem statement, but disagreed that "trust" (alone) was the answer. We can't forget about security, but authenticity, transparency, inclusion, integrity and trustworthiness may be better words to guide virtual lifestyles.
This discussion is more than new semantics or spin that tries to rename important terms. Of course, we still need (better) security and privacy. We also require end user training and awareness on topics such as avoiding phishing scams. But staff usually want to go around or even "defeat" security measures. On the contrary, most people will make an extra effort to defend their personal or their team's integrity. Numerous published stories have shown, even the best trained go over to the dark side, so technology training alone cannot be the answer.
Talk to your staff about online integrity - now more than ever in a Web 2.0 world. There are powerful forces that tempt us all to water-down the commitments we make (such as signing acceptable use policies) at work. I call this character-robbing activity "Integrity Theft" - the covert brother to identity theft. I tell staff about (true) stories of those who have damaged their reputations and careers with inappropriate behaviors in cyberspace.
It may come as a surprise to many boomers, but millennial staff will actually appreciate the fact that you took time for the discussion. Use those mentoring moments to help young workers become part of the office solution.
By the way, the book: Virtual Integrity is coming out this fall from Brazos Press.
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