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Millennials at the Gates

Results from Accenture’s


High Performance IT research
Contents

Executive summary.............................................................................................................2

Key findings...........................................................................................................................3

Implications...........................................................................................................................9

About this study...................................................................................................................10


Executive summary

The Millennial generation (defined as To examine how the Millennial The implications for enterprise
those born between 1977 and 1997) generation views and uses technology, IT organizations are potentially
is beginning to establish itself in Accenture embarked on a study in significant. As Millennials begin to
the workplace, flush with attitudes June 2008 as part of its long-term exert more influence in the workplace,
and expectations that are markedly program of research designed to IT leadership teams will have to find
different from prior generations. identify and understand the drivers a way to adapt their policies and
Nowhere perhaps are the differences of (and challenges to) achieving high procedures to accommodate the new
between new workers and their more performance within IT. The survey technology these younger workers
experienced colleagues more apparent queried more than 400 U.S. students are demanding. And they must do so
than with the use of technology. and employees across three age groups without putting the enterprise at risk.
The Millennials have grown up — 14-17 (“younger Millennials”),
multitasking, enabled by a rapid 18-22 (“mid-Millennials”) and 23-27 This report provides a summary of the
evolution of consumer electronics and (“older Millennials”). We found an research and the potential impact on
social networking applications that increasing demand among these corporate IT organizations.
allows them to stay “plugged in” 24/7. respondents for high-tech devices
Students and young workers take for to connect with colleagues, peers,
granted the ability to connect with friends and family – both inside and
friends and family at any time, from outside of the office or the classroom.
anywhere, via the Internet or their cell From a corporate perspective, the
phone. They are now bringing those findings point to a disconnect between
expectations into the workplace – and the enterprise technology that
turning IT policies upside down in the organizations provide their employees
process. and how young workers actually want
to use technology and collaborate in
the workplace.

2
Key findings

One-third of the My life, my tools – This sentiment may be at least


partly attributable to Millennials’
mid-Millennials said deal with it disappointment with the technology
that employers currently provide. In
they expect not only The majority of our young respondents nearly every category of workplace
technology, more than 20 percent
to use the computer said they expect to use their own
technology and mobile devices for of the respondents who have used
of their choice, work rather than those supplied by employer-provided technologies said
those technologies did not meet
their current or future employer
but also to access (Exhibit 1). One-third of the mid- their expectations. In particular,
respondents were dissatisfied with
their preferred Millennials (ages 18-22) said they
expect not only to use the computer employer-provided virtual communities
(39 percent), online collaboration tools
technology of their choice (32 percent), but
also to access their preferred (30 percent), and enterprise wikis (26
applications once in technology applications once in percent). (Exhibit 2)
the workforce (34 percent).
the workforce

3
Exhibit 1 - ‘Mid-Millennials’ expect to use their own technology and mobile
devices for work
Expected, Current and Ideal Work environments
Mid-Millennials (18-22) Expected = 18-22 in school
Current and Ideal = 18-22 working

Expected 12% 9% 30% 17% 32%


Company My devices
Current 37% 14% 23% 9% 17%
devices (computer)
(computer) Ideal 28% 10% 16% 17% 29%

Expected 12% 9% 23% 17% 39%


Mobile My own
Current 18% 11% 16% 7% 48%
from my mobile
employer Ideal 35% 15% 22% 6% 22%

Expected 9% 12% 21% 23% 35%


Technology
Corporate
Current 30% 17% 28% 9% 16% applications
technology of my choice 5 = Personal
applications Ideal 17% 7% 20% 27% 29% choice
4
Expected 19% 19% 32% 20% 10% 3
My personal
Corporate
Current 48% 18% 19% 9% 6% online 2
social network
social network
applications Ideal 27% 16% 29% 17% 11% 1 = Corporate
choice
Corporate Personal
choice choice

Exhibit 2 - Millennials who are dissatisfied with technologies supplied by their


employer are falling back on tools not supported by the IT department
Looking at the following list, which technologies do you currently use or access for work
related activities that are not supported by your organization’s IT department, or not
meeting your expectations?

social networking sites 59% 15% 26% Currently use, supported by


IT department and meeting
virtual communities 33% 39% 28% expectations
Currently use and supported by
mobile phone/blackberry 54% 12% 34%
IT department, but not meeting
expectations
blogs, vlogs, Twitter 47% 18% 35%
Currently use but not supported by
enterprise wikis 36% 26% 38% IT department

online collaboration tools 23% 30% 47%

instant messaging 38% 11% 51%

online applications 28% 21% 51%

VOIP 27% 21% 52%

RSS feeds 19% 22% 59%

open source technologies 27% 13% 60%

email 14% 13% 73%

Internet 10% 16% 74%

4
Exhibit 3 - Use of e-mail at school or work is still strong among older Millennials,
but the trend shifts downward among younger respondents
How many school or work hours during the week do you actually spend on

10 9.5 Email is still a reality in


the workforce, but text
7.9 and instant messaging
8 7.7
is making way in as
well as social network
5.9 6.1
Mean hours

sites
6 5.4
4.8
4.2
4 3.5 3.8
3.1 2.8 3.0
2.6 2.6 2.6 2.8
2.3
2 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.7 1.9
1.6
0.8 0.9 0.9
0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.7
0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1
0
Writing or Text On the On social Listening Instant In a virtual Blogging or
receiving messaging Internet network to portable Messaging community on Twitter
school/work sites device
related emails

Young Millennials Mid-Millennials Older Millennials Mid-Millennials Older Millennials


(in school) (in school) (working) (working)

We’re even beginning to see some


shifts away from workplace staples
Millennials find many of these types
of emerging communication channels
Asking forgiveness,
such as email. While older Millennials
still spend an average of 9.5 hours a
to be lacking in the workplace –
highlighting a significant gap in
not permission
week writing or receiving work-related expectations vs. reality. While 21 In many cases, Millennials are
emails, mid-Millennials already in percent of respondents say their doing more than just expressing
the workforce say they spend just 7.7 organization should provide online disappointment with their employers’
hours a week on e-mail. High school chat and instant messaging for lack of leading-edge technology; many
and young college students spend far communicating with clients or are bypassing corporate policy and
less time with traditional email – less customers, only 6 percent say their installing and using external devices
than two hours a week – instead employer actually does so; similarly, and applications that are more to
preferring newer (and more immediate) 18 percent thought their employer their liking. Thirty-nine percent of
alternatives such as text messaging, should support text messaging, though mid-Millennials said they use mobile
instant messaging, and communicating just 5 percent said their organization phones that are not supported by their
on social networking sites (Exhibit 3). supports this channel. Ditto for RSS employer for work-related activities
(really simple syndication) feeds: 12 (Exhibit 5). The percentages were high
percent said their organization should as well in regards to unsanctioned use
communicate externally through RSS of instant messaging (27 percent) and
versus only 5 percent who said they social networking sites (28 percent).
actually offer such feeds. (Exhibit 4) Other “back-door” technologies of
note: open source technology (19
percent) and online applications (12
percent).

5
Exhibit 4 - There’s a gap between how organizations enable employees to
communicate with clients and customers and how younger employees would prefer
to communicate with them
Organizational communication with clients/customers
[Working Millennials]

80%
In person
58%

76%
Phone/Voice mail
49%

74%
Emails
46%

38%
Physical mail
20%

6%
Online chat/Instant Messaging
21%

5%
Mobile text message
18%

5% New communication channels


RSS feeds posted on portal
12%

How is your organization communicating


1%
Widgets How should your organisation be communicating
9%

Exhibit 5 - High percentages of mid-Millennials are using unsanctioned mobile


phones, instant messaging and social networking sites for work activities
Technologies currently used or accessed for work related activities
Mobile phone/ Open source Instant Online Social
Blackberry technologies Messaging applications Networking sites

8% 11.8% 10%
12%
19% 17%
22% 5%
27% 5% 5.3% 28%
10.8% 3%
39%
8%
7% 23.7% 12%
30%
6% 28% 18.3% 8%
20% 9%
8% 31%
26%

19%

68%
57% 59.1% 60.5%
55% 55%
51%
42% 41%
34%

Mid- Older Mid- Older Mid- Older Mid- Older Mid- Older
Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials Millennials

Currently use but not Currently use and supported by IT Currently use, supported by IT Not applicable,
supported by IT department department, but not meeting expectations department and meeting expectations do not use

Indicate significant difference between groups at 95% confidence level

6
Exhibit 6 - Millennials are filling in the gaps of IT-supported technology by
accessing or downloading software from free public websites
For those technologies that are not made available to you at work or that are not
meeting your expectations do you then:

Mid-Millennials 75% 25%


online
collaboration tools
Older Millennials 8% 72% 20%

Mid-Millennials 71% 29%


online applications
Older Millennials 25% 50% 25%

Mid-Millennials 52% 48%


open source
technologies
Older Millennials 20% 60% 20%

Mid-Millennials 7% 45% 48%


instant messaging
Older Millennials 8% 46% 46%

Mid-Millennials 9% 35% 56%


social
networking sites
Older Millennials 20% 40% 40%

Mid-Millennials 10% 33% 57%


email
Older Millennials 8% 23% 69%

Use your existing Access/download the technology Purchase the technology


personal technology from free public websites yourself for work only

More than half of Similarly, Millennials say they


regularly download free, non-
on public websites. Nearly one-third
(31 percent) of respondents claim
Millennials say they standard technology from open source
communities as well as “mashup”
they don’t know if their company has
such a policy; 17 percent said their
are either unaware and “widget” providers. For example, employer hasn’t published such a
three-quarters of the mid-Millennials policy; 6 percent said that whatever
of their companies’ report that they have accessed online policy their company has published
IT policies or are not collaborative tools (75 percent) and
online applications (71 percent) from
is too complex to understand; and
6 percent said they will post work
inclined to follow free public websites when those
technologies were not available at
or client information on public sites
regardless of any policy, at least when
them work or not meeting their expectations communicating with colleagues.
(Exhibit 6).
Millennials’ nonchalance about online
The results, in fact, show either a privacy should give CIOs pause. One
surprising lack of awareness or a out of four (26 percent) working
blatant disregard for corporate policies Millennials in our survey said that
regarding the use of information they write openly about themselves
technology. More than half (60 and friends online, and one in six (17
percent) of Millennials say they are percent) said they openly share details
either unaware of their companies’ IT of their life online. (Exhibits 8.1, 8.2)
policies or are not inclined to follow
them.

This finding is particularly troubling


when considering issues of privacy
(Exhibit 7). Only 40 percent of all
respondents said their employers have
published detailed policies related to
posting work or client information

7
Exhibit 7 - Sixty percent of respondents either don’t know about or don’t adhere to
their organization’s policy for posting sensitive information on the public Internet
Has your organization implemented a policy restricting the posting of work or
client information on public websites outside of the organization’s firewall?

My organization has published detailed and easy to understand regulations


restricting the posting of work or client information on public sites 40%

My organization has published a policy, but it is too complex, I do not


understand it 6%

My organization has published a policy, but I post work or client information


on public sites anyway when I communicate with colleagues only 6%

My organization has not published a policy 17%

Don’t know/Not applicable 31%

Exhibit 8.1 - Twenty-six percent of working Millennials said they write openly
about themselves and friends online
Usage of blogs or social sites
Mean

Young Millennials 24% 21% 28% 13% 14% 2.74

Mid-Millennials (in school) 19% 25% 34% 14% 8% 2.68

Older Millennials (in school) 31% 15% 29% 10% 15% 2.63

Millennials (working) 20% 24% 30% 18% 8% 2.70

1 2 3 4 5
I never post any I love writing
information about myself
about myself or and my friends
friends online in blogs or my
social sites

Exhibit 8.2 - Seventeen percent of working Millennials say they openly share
details of their life online
Usage of blogs or social sites
Mean

Young Millennials 35% 22% 34% 6% 3% 2.20

Mid-Millennials (in school) 27% 30% 29% 10% 4% 2.35

Older Millennials (in school) 33% 22% 27% 11% 7% 2.37

Millennials (working) 33% 19% 31% 10% 7% 2.38

1 2 3 4 5
I very am selective I share openly
about what I post details of my
online life online

8
Implications

More than half of These findings hold serious


implications not just for corporate
In order to acquire (and retain) the
best talent from this new generation
respondents said IT leaders, but for hiring managers
as well. It appears that Millennials
of workers, organizations must
develop a better understanding of
that state-of-the- increasingly are choosing their emerging technologies – not just how
place of employment based on how Millennials view and use them, but
art technology accommodating companies are to how these tools might benefit the
is an important their personal technology preferences.
More than half (52 percent) of our
organization as a whole. A proactive
review of corporate policy – with
consideration respondents said that state-of-
the-art technology is an important
input from the Millennials themselves
– is an important first step in getting
in selecting an consideration in selecting an employer. ahead of the technology curve to
In particular, 57 percent of the mid- ensure that the future workforce can
employer Millennials and 67 percent of the older work productively with its preferred
Millennials still in college claim that technologies, in a way that does not
an organization’s use of state-of-the- compromise enterprise security.
art equipment will be an important
factor when choosing where to work.
(Exhibit 9)

The message from Millennials is clear:


to lure them into the workplace,
prospective employers must provide
the same type of leading-edge
technologies they have grown
accustomed to in their personal lives.
And if employers don’t support their
preferred technologies, Millennials are
likely to use them anyway – regardless
of corporate policy.

9
Exhibit 9 - More than half of all Millennials said state-of-the-art technology is an
important consideration in selecting an employer
State-of-the-art equipment and technology will be vital in my employer selection

52%

Total 4% 8% 36% 30% 22%

Young Millennials 6% 39% 31% 22%


2%

Mid-Millennials (in school) 4% 6% 34% 32% 24%

Mid-Millennials (working) 5% 13% 34% 26% 22% 5 = Totally agree


4
Older Millennials (in school) 30% 43% 24% 3
3% Note the aspiration vs realization! 2
Older Millennials (working) 4% 13% 37% 28% 18%
1 = Totally disagree

Totally Disagree Totally Agree


1 5

About this study


As part of a survey to understand how Exhibit 10 - Research methodology and structure (sample)
the technology-driven culture of today’s
Age group
“Millennials” — the incoming workforce
— would affect IT organizations’
decisions in the future, Accenture 23-27 14-17
Number of 106 189
conducted a quantitative online survey respondents:
109
in June 2008 of more than 400 U.S. 27% 26%
consumers between the ages of 14 to 27
(Exhibit 10). All respondents aged 14-17
have completed at least middle school,
and all respondents 18-27 years of age 47%
have completed at least high school.
All respondents included in the analysis
were in school, recently graduated or 18-22
employed. Respondents represent a Education 2%
random sample of this subgroup, not of
Number of 107 121
the general pool of U.S. consumers. The respondents:
survey was part of Accenture’s ongoing 169 7
High Performance IT research program, 26%
which aims to better understand the Full-time student in high school
drivers and challenges to achieving high 42%
Part-time or full-time student at
performance within IT.
college or university
For more information, contact 30%
Jeffrey Francis at jeffrey.a.francis@ Graduated and working part-time
accenture.com or Gwen Harrigan at or full-time
gwen.m.harrigan@accenture.com. Recently graduated and unemployed

10
Copyright © 2008 Accenture About Accenture
All rights reserved.
Accenture is a global management
Accenture, its logo, and consulting, technology services and
High Performance Delivered outsourcing company. Combining
are trademarks of Accenture. unparalleled experience, comprehensive
capabilities across all industries and
business functions, and extensive research
on the world’s most successful companies,
Accenture collaborates with clients to help
them become high-performance businesses
and governments. With more than 186,000
people in 49 countries, the company
generated net revenues of US$23.39 billion
for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2008.
Its home page is www.accenture.com.

ACC08-0659

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