Millennials call the IT tune

Beverley Head
Tuesday, 23 February 2010 14:07

Business IT - Technology

If you are one, or have one lurking in a bedroom right now, it probably comes as no surprise that Millennials think email is somewhat quaint - a way to communicate with a great aunt perhaps.

For people aged 14-27 information technology and mobile communications are now largely considered a birthright, and something to be quickly discarded when too slow or simply uncool. A new global survey of Millennials' technology opinions has been released by Accenture, and provides a glimpse of the technological anarchy that enterprise CIOs should expect.

For one, email isn't fast enough and Millennials are ditching it in favour of other modes of communication. While workers under 24 may still spend 2.2 hours a week dealing with work related emails, they spend 2.5 hours texting, 2.2 hours on social networks and 2.1 hours instant messaging.

They prefer to communicate with clients and contacts via online chat, instant messaging, text messages and RSS feeds.

The survey quizzed 439 Australians out of a total 5,600 young people who were surveyed on their use of, and opinions regarding, information technology and communications.

A full 38 per cent of Australian Millennials expect to have a computer of their choice available in the workplace, and 48 per cent expect to be able to use the application of their choice. For many the technology that's available in a workplace is a factor considered when deciding which job to take.

Someone is in for a rude shock; either employees when they are told what computers they will be using regardless of their preference, or CIOs who find their networks suddenly cluttered by non standard equipment and applications.