National Public Radio has an interesting piece on how the use of social networking and other technologies are resulting in a culture clash among generations in the workplace. The article contends that companies are grappling with the question of what to do about employees who tweet, text and social network on the job. Many baby boomers believe this blending of work and leisure, or "weisure," has resulted in a decline in office etiquette, the article states.
Still, I wonder if this so-called generational divide is still really that pronounced when it comes to these technologies. The LexisNexis survey was conducted in July and August 2008, and recent survey data shows that social networking use, especially among the baby boomer generation, has taken off recently. Also, the medium is not the message here; taking a short break to check a Facebook page or text message is not any different than taking a short coffee or lunch break with a friend or colleague. It's really about understanding the communication preferences of each generation. As one commenter wrote, "Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile with their Blackberry."
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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