The Architects

Companies are always on the hunt for the best talent. Despite the difficult economic environment of the past several years, top talent is always in high demand, and those who have the skills, drive, and determination are in the best position to reap the rewards. In industries in which there are shortages of essential skills, creative companies are going after that top talent in new and aggressive ways. The technology sector has been especially active in its pursuit of the next generation of talent, those that will design and build the future of their industry. Facing an acute shortage of software developers and engineers, these companies are offering their top candidates starting salaries that range anywhere from $75,000 to $100,000 and signing and relocation bonuses valued from $5,000 to $15,000. In addition to generous salary packages, these new hires are also being offered additional cash bonuses or equity grants—sometimes worth as much as 1 percent of the company.² Of course, showering a desirable candidate with monetary incentives is nothing new in a highly competitive job market. What is new is the field of candidates being wooed. According to the Wall Street Journal, in an effort to address the ongoing shortage of professional and qualified candidates, these companies are following the model set by professional sports. High-tech companies are identifying the top students, putting on the full-court press, and encouraging them to leave their education behind to join the workforce. On-campus recruiting events, paying other students to help identify the best talent, and routinely wining and dining prospects in an effort to encourage them to forgo the rest of their education is not at all uncommon in this competitive environment. As you would expect, this doesn't always sit well with school administrators. According to Mark Stehlik, the Assistant Dean of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon, most students would be better off getting their degrees: “Students get a little starry eyed. For many of them they are better off finishing.”³

And it's not just companies encouraging students to leave their academic days behind them. In 2011, billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel founded the “20 Under 20” Fellowship Program to identify and pay selected students to abandon their studies and focus on their ideas and inventions. Needless to say, both Thiel and his foundation have come under serious fire for asserting that college can be a distraction. Thiel, however, points to Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to illustrate his point that credentials are not really what matters when it comes to success.⁴ Of course, no one is more familiar with the stories of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg than today's college students. These successful entrepreneurs both famously dropped out of Harvard to go on to found Microsoft and Facebook, respectively. But for every Gates or Zuckerberg who abandons his education and goes on to find success, fame, and fortune, there are countless others who do not find the same. Most experts agree that, for most students, finishing a degree is the best path to take to ensure future success. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in the first quarter of 2012 that college graduates command more earning power than non-college graduates—earning a full $505 more per week.⁵ In addition, despite the fact that his story often influences young entrepreneurs to leave school and forge their own path, Bill Gates himself is a strong proponent of a college education:

Those students who go on to complete their degrees also see the overall benefit in completing their degrees. Four-year college graduates who responded to a Pew Research Center survey weighed in on the advantages that they received from their college education. Nearly 80 percent say that their college education helped them grow intellectually, 69 percent say it helped them mature as a person, and 55 percent indicated that their college experience helped prepare them for their future job or career.⁷

Seton Hall University, located near New York City, prides itself on providing each of the advantages identified by the previously mentioned Pew Research Center survey. According to their university mission statement, academic development and ethical development are key components of the Seton Hall experience. In addition to these aspects, the school also places a focus on preparing their students “to be leaders in their professional and community lives in ... an evolving technologically advanced setting.” To support this mission statement, the University's IT organization developed their own technology mandate in 1997 to “support the university's mission of providing state of the art technology tools to enhance the student experience and prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world.”⁸ To help meet this goal, the University has augmented its existing program that equips students with free laptops by providing the incoming class of 2016 with new Nokia Windows smartphones along with an AT&T service plan. These phones come loaded with customized applications that provide the students with housing information and tools to allow them to connect with their peers and academic advisors. Beyond information related to campus life, the University also expects the devices to be used in the classroom to further prepare students to use mobile computing in their future careers. Although the vast majority of students already have their own cellular devices, school officials decided to provide equal access to the same smartphone, regardless of income level, to ensure learning equity.

Whereas the distribution of smartphones to the incoming class of freshman at Seton Hall University is sure to excite the already well-connected students, the University is set to benefit as well. Officials plan to use a data-gathering feature to survey students on how they are using the devices in an effort to understand better how technology is changing the way that today's student works and learns—and how the administration should adapt the way they approach the overall university experience. According to Michael Taylor, the Director of Seton Hall's Center for Mobile Research and Innovation, “Mobile technology has become ubiquitous and pervasive, but we are just beginning to understand the breadth and impact across campus.”⁹

This trend isn't a new one, because as early in the age of the smartphone as 2009, Abilene Christian University began offering incoming freshmen iPhones and iPod Touches and is now considering offering iPads. The use of advanced mobile devices has sparked users to a range of uses from the expected (in-class surveys and collaboration) to the unexpected (using the devices to map and block stage productions in the arts school). What Seton Hall has done is leverage not only the use of the technology but also the data created by its use to transform the way they teach and develop curriculum.

Seton Hall, Abilene Christian University, and their progressive ilk get it. This generation of students has always been connected. They have never known a world without the Internet. The answer to just about any question they might have has always been just a mouse click away. They have likely never owned a CD. Any music they might want to listen to has always been readily available online. Social networking is a constant in their lives—so much so that they are rarely out of synch with friends, both close and distant. This confluence of technology in their lives has impacted everything, from the way they think, the way they work together, to the way they learn. It stands to reason that, in order to remain relevant, the approach that a university takes to educating their students would need to change as well.

The same goes for enterprises. The habits and experiences of the future workforce are set to turn the long-established state of business on its head. The up-and-coming employees of tomorrow have a different set of skills, a different way of working with others, and a different set of expectations of what their work life will look like. Today's enterprises have already felt the tremors of the first wave of employees who were essentially born connected to the network. Internal company social networking sites, widespread use of Instant Messaging and collaboration tools, fewer solitary offices in favor of more collaborative work spaces—all have been implemented in direct response to a workforce that demands that the enterprise accommodate their working style and not the other way around. As today's students graduate and join those who preceded them in tomorrow's professional world, the initial tremors will grow into a powerful earthquake—demanding that their employers take notice. The organizations that will be successful in the future are those that, like Seton Hall, anticipate the shaking and embrace and accommodate that which can harness the potential and productivity of their future employees—those that don't risk losing their business in the storm.

They are called many things—Millennials, The Net Generation, or Digital Natives. Regardless of the label that is thrust upon them, this generation of young people, born between 1980 and 2000, approaches life, school, and work in vastly different ways than those who came before them. Smartphones, computers, tablets, gaming consoles, and a world of different applications and social networking platforms are more than tools to these young people but, rather, extensions of who they are at a fundamental level.

The human brain is an amazing organ. It is constantly changing and evolving based on our own personal experiences. Scientists studying the brains of these children and young adults have discovered that it is much more than habits and tools that differentiate the digital natives from the digital immigrants—there are actual physical differences as well. The folds in the brains of this younger generation are different from those who didn't grow up in a hyperconnected world.¹⁰ The devices and applications that these young people surround themselves with every day are literally woven into their brains. Thanks to these physiological differences, digital natives have very different cognitive skills. They have stronger multitasking abilities, they can process information much faster than the adults around them, and they thrive in an environment of instant gratification.

In an effort to illustrate how the working styles of these Millennials differ from older workers, the CEO of a marketing services agency ran an experiment at a seminar he was giving. The room was divided, with the older generation on one side and the younger participants on the other. Each group was told that they could take notes however they wished in order to keep track of the seminar and prepare for a quiz on the content. During the seminar, the older workers were busy scribbling notes into their notebooks while maintaining eye contact at all times with the speaker. On the other side of the room, the youngsters had powered up their laptop computers, iPads, and smartphones and rarely, if ever, looked up from their devices to try to connect with the speaker. At the end of the session, the speaker administered a quiz on the content, and the young workers in the room scored a full 20 percent higher than their older counterparts. Although this group rarely looked up from their devices, they were not only paying attention but also sharing and discussing what they were learning with their counterparts in the room in real time.¹¹

However, despite their ability to multitask and quickly process and absorb information, experts agree that this generation does suffer some deficiencies. One respondent to a survey of educators conducted by the Pew Research Center in conjunction with Elon University best articulated these downsides:

It is no wonder that teachers and managers have difficulty connecting with them—they are wired differently, both physically and mentally.¹³

Although understanding the differences between the work and learning styles of different generations may not seem to be a mission-critical aspect of conducting business in today's society, a closer look at the changing complexion of the workforce in America underscores the urgency. Most estimates put the number of Millennials in America at about 80 million. They outnumber baby boomers by 4 million. Half of these Millennials are already part of the professional workforce, and approximately 10,000 of them turn 21 every day.¹⁴ This generation is already reshaping the workforce, and their impact is only going to increase as they continue to join the professional ranks—bringing their different work styles, habits, and expectations with them into the office place. As part of the 2012 Alcatel-Lucent study, 300 top students at prestigious universities across the United States were polled to understand the way they work, the way they use technology, and the way that these combine to influence the expectations they hold for their future careers.

For this cohort, technology is ingrained into their everyday lives. It allows them to get the things they want, find the information they need, and connect to the people they value. This connectedness is reflected in the way that these individuals approach everything they do, including their future work lives. As they enter the workforce, these current college students will bring with them, not only their personal devices, but also the ambitions and expectations forged in a Networked-Community Age. As you would expect, this is a remarkably connected group of people. Beyond just staying connected to others, a full 96 percent of these future workers use a laptop and 71 percent use a cellular device, specifically for school purposes.

This group also holds strong opinions when it comes to the use of technology and flexibility in the workplace. Almost nine in 10—88 percent—say that “the technology at my disposal gives me the freedom to work when I want, where I want,” compared with 74 percent of the current enterprise workforce. When asked if a dynamic work schedule and the ability to work from any location are significant benefits for a potential employer to use to woo worthy candidates, a full 96 percent and 87 percent, respectively, either strongly or somewhat agreed. Furthermore, when asked what benefits they would most value when evaluating a potential employment offer, good technology and workplace flexibility were almost as important as salary considerations. This preference for working remotely is even evident in the way that they currently approach their school work. When faced with a group project, a full 40 percent never meet face-to-face as a group when completing their tasks. Instead, they rely on free services such as Skype, Dropbox, or Google Docs to coordinate with team members. Of those that do meet face-to-face, 59 percent only meet once in order to assign responsibilities before relying on other means to collaborate to project completion.

However, just because they are not meeting face-to-face doesn't mean that they don't value the collaborative process. To a generation steeped in social networking and always-on communication, the collaborative process is not just valued, it is preferred. A full 86 percent of respondents find that working on a team with a high degree of cooperation, in which team members work toward a common goal, is the most productive way to get things done. When a similar question was asked of 2,873 current enterprise employees in the 2012 Alcatel-Lucent study, 63 percent reported that their organizations approach work in this manner—revealing a clear chasm that could impact the productivity of the future workforce.

Although this generation is immersed in technology and the social networking that is enabled by their devices, they do have a good understanding of how this immersion can impact their productivity when it comes to their working lives. Having grown up steeped in an increasingly connected Internet culture, today's college student knows when to say when. Compared with current enterprise workers, today's top college talent is more likely to view surfing the web and social networking activities as a distraction that negatively impacts their ability to get things done.

In addition to being remarkably savvy users of technology, the emerging workforce is also very capable when it comes to providing their own support should some sort of issue arise with their devices or applications. Given the pervasive nature of smartphones, tablets, and computers in their daily lives, it only makes sense that they would develop a high degree of competence when it comes to troubleshooting technical problems. The same Alcatel-Lucent study found that 89 percent of respondents report having outstanding to strong expertise with their technology. Only one in five, or 19 percent, report a reliance on their campus IT support. When an issue presents itself, 67 percent report having the capability to fix it solo or with the help of a peer. Typically, according to a GigaOM report, this often involves “Googling” the problem—with 71 percent identifying this as their primary troubleshooting method.¹⁵

By 2025, Millennials will make up an estimated 75 percent of the workforce.¹⁶ Their utilization of, and comfort with, technology of different types and their preference for a collaborative and team-based environment are raising the bar on what this future workforce expects from their prospective employers. To attract the best talent and remain competitive in this hyperconnected world, it is clear that successful companies must continue to evolve to satisfy these demands. And although established organizations can't change their ways overnight, there are some fundamental actions that can be implemented in the workplace to support this generation in reaching their full potential:

• Let them multitask—No doubt you have seen this behavior before—a young person is listening to music while surfing the web and engaging in a text message conversation with a group of friends at the same time. This behavior easily translates to an office environment as well and is one of the characteristics that makes this generation as productive as they are. It would be easy as a manager to counsel a young employee to focus and tackle one activity at a time. However, this is not how they operate. Growing up connected to the network has literally wired the employee's brain differently than the rest of ours.
• Allow some flexibility—According to Time magazine, research shows that 81 percent of Millennials believe that they should be allowed to work when they want, from wherever they wish.¹⁷ As previously discussed, this generation sees the opportunity to set their own hours and work from wherever they like as an important incentive for employers looking to hire the best talent. This is an incredibly active and mobile group of people. They are always connected and rarely out of touch. A strong work–life balance is of significant importance, and a flexible working arrangement allows them to feel that they have achieved this balance. Of course, just because they want something doesn't mean that they should get it right off the bat. As previously discussed, Alcatel-Lucent found that only 15 percent of entry-level workers are trusted to work remotely in today's enterprise. This number rises to 43 percent as employees become more experienced—illustrating a significant managerial trust gap between inexperienced and experienced workers. However, in today's fastpaced corporate world, the enterprise only stands to gain by reducing the amount of time required to build that trust. Today's technology can provide tools to shorten this gap in the form of monitoring applications that offer managers a degree of unobtrusive oversight. As you would expect, today's top college talent is wary of such monitoring, with only 37 percent agreeing that managers have a right to monitor employees during work hours. However, by establishing clear guidelines in the spirit of full transparency, such objections can likely be overcome. Once a certain degree of trust has been established and a measurable level of productivity has been maintained, loosening the reigns on these employees will go a long way toward establishing a fruitful and productive working relationship.
• Foster a collaborative environment—Born into the ways of the social network, these employees are connected to each other like no generation before them. They are the generation of the viral video, the Twitter feed, and of Kickstarter campaigns. Working as a part of a team toward a common goal is second nature to them. Giving them the tools they need to collaborate virtually and providing physical spaces for them to work with others will help them flourish in an office environment. Additionally, providing the opportunity to work with others across the organization is the best way to integrate them into the culture of the company and to encourage them to share their ways with the rest of the enterprise. However, although nurturing a collaborative environment is an important means to engage this generation, companies should also take care to respect lone geniuses lurking in the virtual hallways (as discussed in the last chapter).
• Let them use their tools and give them the support they need—As discussed in an earlier chapter, BYOD has become a significant issue for IT organizations as workers continue to leverage their personal smartphones, computers, and tablet computers for work purposes. In addition to these specific devices, employees are also going around their IT organizations to use often unauthorized applications and services such as Dropbox and Skype to get their work done. Despite the obvious security risks, no group feels more strongly about using their preferred tools than this emerging workforce. According to a recent report by the security firm Fortinet, 55 percent of workers aged 20–29 believe that using their own device for work is a “right” versus a “privilege.”¹⁸ By respecting their choice of tools, organizations can increase overall employee satisfaction and boost productivity by allowing them to work with the devices and applications with which they are most familiar.

  Given this generation's comfort level with technology and their do-it-yourself approach to troubleshooting issues, organizational IT departments have a unique opportunity to support and engage with these tech-savvy employees. The development and maintenance of self-help portals, troubleshooting communities and discussion groups, and specific device and application training allow the IT organization to fill a real need for those employees who prefer to find the answer to a problem on their own terms. By engaging in this way, the IT department becomes a partner in their success and eliminates the risk of complete disintermediation by a growing workforce demographic.

• Give regular feedback—A recent poll discussed in Forbes magazine indicates that 80 percent of Millennials want regular, ongoing feedback from their managers.¹⁹ Millennial employees have grown up in an environment of instant gratification. The Internet and all its associated services and applications have conditioned this generation to expect the information they need and the answers they want without hesitation. Beyond the instant availability of data, these young people are accustomed to the immediate feedback of loving, doting parents who scheduled their lives around their children's events and activities. Waiting for the traditional semiannual review of their performance is a constant source of frustration—they want to know how they are doing now. In addition, despite their preferences for all things virtual, this cohort strongly prefers face-to-face contact with management. The 2012 Alcatel-Lucent study found that 71 percent of these employees prefer to work in an environment where their management engages in direct contact with employees, despite the fact that virtual contact could allow for more frequent interactions. Millennial employees want to learn, they want to understand the big picture, and they want to understand how their efforts are positively contributing to the goals of the organization. Spending time providing feedback and coaching to these employees may take some extra effort on the part of the manager but will pay dividends from an employee development perspective.
• Provide structure, demand accountability—This generation of workers approaches their work life much differently than the traditional enterprise employee. Like their older counterparts, they want to excel in their professional lives and provide value to the organization, but they want to do so on their terms. However, accommodating these specific wants and needs doesn't mean that projects don't have due dates, meetings don't need to be attended, and goals don't need to be met. Setting expectations and getting agreement on clear objectives are essential components for effective management of any employee group—doubly so with members of this generation. This is the generation whose parents inspired the term helicopter parent. These overinvolved parents were involved in every aspect of their child's life—setting high expectations and encouraging them every step of the way. The 2012 Alcatel-Lucent study found that 58 percent of these respondents prefer to work in an environment where management sets objectives and provides frequent direction. Frequent direction is key. Millennials flourish when engaged by participatory leadership. By providing clear objectives and personally investing in their quest for success, the enterprise will enable these employees to thrive and exceed expectations.

The 2012 Alcatel-Lucent study found that 61 percent of top college students prefer to work in an organization that is constantly changing and provides new challenges for employees. Luckily, these Millennials are entering the workforce at just the right time. Today's fast-paced and constantly changing world is custom-made for a generation that thrives on new challenges. In an economy that demands that organizations continuously innovate to remain competitive, this younger generation has the skills and abilities that today's companies so desperately need. Comfortable with all types of technology, connected and collaborative, these innovative employees appreciate an environment that allows them to make an immediate impact on the success of an organization. To help them live up to their potential, today's enterprise needs to adjust and adapt the way they approach their employees and their way of doing business. As more and more Millennials enter the workforce, the successful enterprise will be the one that realizes the need for a new contract between employer and employee—a contract not based on command and control but, rather, one based on transparency, collaboration, innovation, and flexibility. Whether an organization chooses to respond or not, there is no denying that this emerging workforce is redrafting the very design of the modern enterprise. In today's rapidly changing and competitive environment, the organizations that understand, respect, and accept the blueprint of these new architects are the ones best poised for sustainable future growth. Those that don't should prepare for demolition.