How young or old do people take an interest in technology?  We’ve talked about how one’s immersion in it depends on one’s age.  We’ve already also said that incessant exposure to “all day TV,” violent video games, instant messaging, and the always accessible cell phone interferes with the development of the psychological traits known to be essential to positive outcomes for our kids and also adults. 

We’ve pointed out that one’s exposure to technology may depend on one’s age.  We now pick up where we left off and further identify the so called “technology generation gap profiles.”;

Tech magnets
Gen Y workers are practically glued to their PCs, PDAs and mobile phones. They spend an average of 17.4 hours in a day using any of these devices, whereas, Boomers report spending just 9.7 hours in a day using the same devices.  Perhaps partly a reflection of their seniority, Boomers cite significantly less time using all devices, except personal computers. Gen Y claims to be the heaviest device users overall. 

Additionally, Gen Y workers multi-task at even higher levels than the other generations as evidenced by the amount of hours in each workday that they report accessing various devices and programs. And this is especially the case for programs and websites that may not be strictly work-related. 

The survey found the Gen Y group spending an average of 20.5 work hours using e-mail programs, Internet browsers, instant messaging programs and Microsoft Office programs.
Boomers, on the other hand, only report spending 11.9 work hours using the same programs.

Gen Y and Gen X professionals also report spending an average of 8.52 and 8.09 hours of every workday accessing social networking websites, news websites, blogs, Internet forums and multimedia-sharing websites, versus 4.78 hours reported by Boomers.

While over two thirds (68 percent) of all Boomers agree that PDAs and mobile phones contribute to a decline in proper workplace etiquette, less than half (46 percent) of Gen Y workers think so. The same number of Boomers feels the use of a laptop or PDA during in-person meetings is “distracting,” but less than half (49 percent) of Gen Y workers think so.

Additionally, while only 17 percent of Boomers think using laptops or PDAs during in-person meetings is “efficient,” over one-third (35 percent) of Gen Yers think it is. 

Based on the Lexis/Nexis Technology Gap Survey, around 41% of Gen Yers more than Boomers believe it is acceptable to blog about work-related issues. And while almost half of Gen Y workers think it’s acceptable to befriend a client on a social networking site, only 24% of Boomers do. So that goes to show that the older ones are more conservative about that. I tend to agree with the boomers. 

I carefully watch out for who I add to my Friendster or Facebook much less who I allow to follow me on Twitter.  Hey, it’s like letting your clients or prospects in on the personal side of you!  This is contrary to how a majority of Gen Y respondents feel. They think it is appropriate to befriend a colleague on a social networking site. 

As in most things, too much of a good thing could also be bad. The Gen Y workers know this as they exhibit the most concern at how unrestricted use of software, hardware and the Internet at work may not be good for their own workplace productivity.

That’s why most offices bar or block their employees from being able to go to social sites much less play games, view videos on their workstations.  This is especially so for websites that can blur the boundaries between their personal and professional lives. Thus, 32 % of Boomers think the Internet can decrease workplace productivity, whereas 50 % of Gen Y workers think this is the case.

A quarter of the respondents from the Gen Y say that social networking and multimedia-sharing websites decrease their productivity at work, something that is almost a non-issue among Boomers.

Only 7%percent of Gen X respondents report feeling less productive at work due to social networking websites and a mere think that blogs decrease their workplace productivity, versus only can you believe it, 1% of Boomers? Half of Gen Y respondents also agree that personal devices such as BlackBerrys and mobile phones encourage too much multi-tasking.

As I learned about divergent ideas about what is and is not an appropriate use of technology and software in the workplace based on the Lexis/Nexis Technology Gap Survey I realized that the improper use of software, gadgets, the net or technology per se could contribute to in-office tensions and even harm teamwork and productivity. 

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