When it comes to attracting key talent, employees must now ensure they tick the technology box.
According to a recent survey, 87% of Hong Kong workers are now demanding tech-savvy workplaces. But as the use of social media in the workplace increases, this poses key challenges to HR managers in how exactly such online tools should be utilised.
Adequate technology in the workplace has now become a key criterion for Hong Kong workers in deciding whether their organisation is a good place to work or not. The results from a new survey conducted by Premiere Global (PGi) showed that 87% of Hong Kong workers surveyed felt that an organisation's technology capability was critical when evaluating employer attractiveness and competency. The survey asked 1,000 full-time office workers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia about the current state of their workplace including the role that technology plays now and in the future, as the younger generation of employees enter the workplace.
Gen Y drives adoption of online tools
The vast majority of Hong Kong workers surveyed felt that Gen Y staff were leading the charge in the use of technology including online business tools such as social networking, video conferencing, web conferencing and instant messaging within the workplace.
When asked about the specific technological tools that Gen Y staff had helped introduce into the workplace: instant messenger services within social media topped the list, with 49% of Hong Kong workers saying that they were now being used as business tools. Of those surveyed, 60% agreed that it is now acceptable for social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to be used within the office environment.
Joanne Rigby, Asia-Pacific MD, PGi said, "It's positive to see that companies in Hong Kong are realising the benefits of adopting online tools such as Facebook and instant messaging for their business communications, something that only a few years ago may have been frowned upon. It's clear that Gen Ys are helping to drive this adoption, and organisations are not only listening to the younger generation, but recognise the opportunities and benefits these tools can offer."
Those responsible for managing such staff often have a different response, with the perception of ‘Social NotWorking’ reducing productivity as staff spend time chatting socially online. However, like it or love it, social media is at the forefront of Gen Y communication and being utilised to the max. As a workplace tool it helps keep staff engaged and provides a platform for all employees to forge the increasingly important, if rather intangible, social networks that can make or break today’s business deals.
The workplace generation gap
The survey highlighted this potential rift within the workplace and of the 65% of respondents who agreed that there is a generational divide in their office, 82% felt that it could undermine the use of such online tools. This ‘workplace generation gap’ has emerged largely due to a lack of awareness of how different generations of employees prefer to work and is a key factor HR managers should address to ensure it does not become a stumbling block in the adoption of online tools within their organisations.
"Whilst it's good to see businesses catering to the needs of younger employees, it's important to not forget the baby boomers in the company who didn't grow up with technologies such as webinars, web conferencing and wikis," Rigby noted. She added, "The key lies in having appropriate training and support so that all employees can feel encouraged and use online business tools for their day-to-day work."
The answer…
The good news is that Hong Kong businesses appear to be on the right track when talking about evolving the workplace to cater to a younger generation of employees. Over 70% of those surveyed felt that they were already in that process or would soon be.
When asked how their workplaces should adapt in the future, the concept of flexible working also resonated strongly amongst Hong Kong workers. Greater training requirements (62%) and flexible working hours (53%) were the two highest priorities cited by workers as methods of enhancing their workplaces in the future. Meanwhile, expansion in the use of online tools—to enable more effective information sharing—was on the Christmas wish lists of just over half of Hong Kong workers.
With the increasing number of Gen Y, and indeed Gen Z, employees enter the workforce, Gen X and Baby Boomers will soon become a minority in the workplace. It will be interesting to see to what extent HR embraces technology to ensure that their organisations measure up in the future.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
