I am repeatedly asked questions in my seminars on Generation Y and their tendency to communicate in different ways than older generations, particularly their tendency to use email, instant messenger and SMS. The issues that are most commonly raised are:
- How do we manage and retain knowledge through such mediums?
- Isn't it a little impersonal.
To which the answer is you can't and no. It is very difficult to monitor such communications and trying to do so may be more of a headache then it is worth. And as for being a little impersonal, I disagree. Impersonal for someone who has not spent most of their life communicating using technology, but not for a member of a generation bread using such technology. For example, just 3 weeks ago my Grandmother passed away. My younger brother (18) sent dad and email offering his condolences and as far as he as concerned this was a perfectly acceptable thing to do.
A recent study of 1000 on line Australians found that almost half of those aged under 35 regularly used instant messaging to communicate at work, with almost 90 percent considering good spelling and grammar was not important in their on line business communications.
Other key findings from the study revealed:
76 per cent of Australians don't use correct grammar when on line;
Cyberspeak is growing with 50 per cent of on line Australians regularly using jargon such as L8R (later), K (okay) or CU (see you);
63 per cent admitted to being more cheeky and 54 per cent of men reckon they're more direct and bolder on line.
