'Net generation' do it their way

Personal technologies play increasingly big role in business

The world of business increasingly has to deal with what is termed the "net generation", born about 20 years ago with technological devices in their hands and hungry for instant gratification.

Manoj Bhoola, head of business technology firm Avanade, says the "net generation" has a different mindset. "They think differently and will jump into new ventures and change working environments with both feet, where in the past business would have thought twice before even dipping a toe.

"The trick is for business to keep a balance between empowering these employees and providing them with what they need, while also ensuring that the company maintains its image and credentials," says Bhoola.

He says recent research by Avanade shows that despite the perception that companies, especially large ones, are sometimes averse to change, there has been a rapid shift in how companies deal with the technological needs of their employees.

"We are witnessing a rapid shift in the way employees are using personal technology in the workplace. Smartphones, tablets and laptops, as well as social networks and online services that employees use outside the workplace, are increasingly being used in business.

"Companies are much more open for employees to use their own preferred devices, while they were resistant to this in the past, mainly owing to concerns around infrastructure and security, as well as a loss in productivity. Our latest research has indicated that these were more emotional resistance than real constraints."

Avanade reports that globally, 88% of executives reported employees were using their personal computing technologies for business purposes. In addition, most of the 605 companies that were surveyed said they were now adapting their information technology infrastructure to accommodate employees' personal devices, rather than restricting employee use of personal devices.

Vinny Lingham started his first virtual company, Clicks2Customers, in 2003 in his early 20s and built it up to a $10-million revenue-a-year company out of Cape Town. Four years later, he started Yola.com, one of the world's first cloud computing platforms for small businesses and set up shop in the US, where he plans to launch his next company, gyft.com, in May.

Lingham believes that young people are totally wired to their devices and would probably suffer from separation anxiety if they were restricted from using them. He advises that companies rather set clear deliverables and accountability to ensure that the job gets done, rather than restricting young employees. "In the world of technology and innovation, it is no longer about hours worked - it's all about output and deliverables. Managing and harnessing those energies is more important than micro-managing."

Jason Levin spends his days researching and analysing the consumer decision-making process of youths mainly between the ages of three and 23 through his company, Hot Dogz International Youth Marketers. He warns that there are as many non-productive distractions on cellphones and tablets as there is value, and that 20-somethings can be flicking from a useful research reference to Facebook to instant messaging. Nevertheless, he agrees with Lingham that companies should allow personal devices, but manage them well.

As far as social networking goes, both agree that it is largely a distraction from work, but could be useful in research, recruiting and networking.

It is important for business to realise that there are over a billion people using Facebook today, and technology is becoming a necessity in the everyday life of youths. By not taking simple steps in rethinking their interactions with the next generation of shoppers, businesses can lose out on massive potential for new sales and profits.

Levin also points out that businesses have much to gain from including the inputs of this "net generation" in their boardrooms. "There is a generation chasm between even mid-30s and early 20s, so they bring a market insight to the table that is otherwise absent; but also fresh thinking and a specific outlook that is whacky, tuned in, optimistic, energetic, brave and fresh. They may not have pat solutions to big business challenges, but they do clarify and shift perspective, and some can out-think their older peers easily in many areas," he says.

Lingham adds that it is important for talented young people to start their own businesses and focus on building companies from the ground up. "It is really time that the youth of South Africa rise up and economically empower themselves, instead of waiting for the government to help or give handouts. South Africa needs more new start-up businesses that can create new markets or make existing markets more efficient."

As far as using technology in the world of business goes, Bhoola says that there is a lot of value and savings that can be gained from hosting virtual events and virtual meetings, especially in combating costs such as toll roads.

Levin adds that, "with entry-level salaries pitted against the almost prohibitive costs of travel owing to petrol and intra-city tolls, there is much value to be gained from a more mobile workforce. His company has used Skype conferencing and is setting up pilots to communicate with its regional staff using virtual and social media.

Lingham agrees that virtual conferencing is extremely valuable. He says South Africa needs cheaper and faster bandwith to successfully implement these initiatives. "Telkom is strangling South Africa's innovation potential, and Icasa (the South African communications regulator) is a lame duck as far as fixing this problem is concerned."