How Web 2.0 is impacting today’s young people, and how they’re going to impact your business

A new generation of young staff and clients have different expectations of work, management, how they will buy from you, and even how they communicate. The old idea of shouting your message – or he has the deepest pockets wins – has changed. What people want now is a way to engage with you. As customers they want websites that allow interaction – they want you to listen to them, not just shout messages at them. As staff, they use their computers (and mobile phones and Blackberries) not just for work, but as integral ways of managing their lives – and even as tools to help them take a break and refocus.

Yet, so many companies simply fail to grasp this new approach to the application of technology that is happening in their offices. Some respond by banning the use of social networks during office hours. Others have attempted to use these sites to sell their goods and services, and have done more harm than good to their brand. Contrary to the media’s characterisation, Twitter and Facebook are not just places for
celebrities to tell the world what they ate for breakfast. The stats – and reality – tell a different story, of a vibrant community of opinion shapers and a new forum for your team to interact with each other and your customers. This is the world of Generation Y – and they’re here to stay.

Some of the key points covered by the presentation include:

• New generations have new attitudes and expectations.
  
• How the coffee break became the Facebook break.
  
• Why customers want to interact with you, and not just hear from you anymore.
  
• Latest research on how young people use computers to enhance productivity and business connections.
  
• Different generations use their computers differently – and process information differently, too.
  
• Why spelling and grammar still matter – and other real-life lessons for an online world.
  
• What’s the difference? Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Blogger, Google Docs and Alerts, Bing, and many more – the pros and cons of using these for business purposes.
  
• Why do you want to be there? Having a clear purpose is vital.
  
• How will you measure success?
  
• Who will be doing it – who in your organisation will manage this Web 2.0 presence for you? Selecting the best team.
  
• Case studies of companies using Web 2.0 successfully (and a few examples of spectacular failure, too).
  
• Being where your customers are. Ask questions, listen and engage.
  
• Connecting with younger staff, without alienating the older ones. Using new communication tools to enhance productivity, have better meetings and improve staff morale.
  
• Beyond the hype – embrace the new technology, but make sure it works for you!

Formats

This session can be delivered as a keynote presentation or strategic input, lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. We use full multimedia, laced with humour and insights about different generations. The keynote is adapted for each audience, and can be made industry-specific or function-specific in its application and focus.

The session can be delivered as a workshop, either half day or full day. These workshops need to be tailored to your specific requirements.

Take Home Value

At TomorrowToday, we’re experts on the new world of work and multi-generational workplaces. We will help you cut through the noise and clutter, and make sense of it all. In this presentation, we will show you why today’s young people have different values and what they expect from your company, as both staff and customers. We will help you make sense of the dizzying array of options, and select appropriate tools to
enhance productivity in your office and improve your brand awareness through an intelligent use of new social networking technologies. You’ll see the latest research that shows how these new tools can be used to improve output and interactions, and you’ll learn how younger staff (and customers) process information in entirely different ways to their older managers.

Download a summary of the slides

PDF versions of all of our presentations are available for download. Click here for the full list, and to download a summary of this presentation.

Links to resources

Our white papers library has numerous articles on generations. The most important are:

• Navigating this differently connected world – Exploring the impact of social software on business today
  
• “Terra Incognita – Territory Unknown”: Communication in a new World at Work

• Leading the Whatever Generation – the ‘Bright Young Things’
• The Myth of Innovation

The TomorrowToday team writes regularly on all these issues on their blog. Click here to go directly to the appropriate category at ConnectionEconomy.com.

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