Cisco Gen-Y study: New research reveals that Generation Y employees prefer device freedom over higher pay, and they would rather lose their wallets than their smartphones.
A recent study published by Cisco of more than 2,800 college students and young professionals in 14 countries showed that one in three people under 30 would prioritize social media freedom, device flexibility and work mobility over salary in accepting a job offer, indicating that the expectations and priorities of the next generation of the world’s workforce are not solely tied to money.
The 2011 Cisco Connected World Technology Report shows the demands of the next-generation’s workforce to work remotely, include flexibility and choice of devices. In a company release, Cisco said that the traditional methods to attract young employees could be lessening in importance and effectiveness. How those two factors related to the Internet, workforce culture, and companies’ competitive advantages.
The biggest revelation this time around must be that approximately one in three college students and young employees under the age of 30 (33 percent) would prioritize social media freedom, device flexibility, and work mobility over salary in accepting a job offer.
Additionally, more choices regarding mobile networking, bringing personal devices to work, and the blending of personal and work lifestyles (most likely most easily accomplished by social media) are increasingly important in determining which companies will land the next wave of the best industry talent.
Here are some of the more surprising highlights from the survey, by the numbers:
- 40 percent of college students and 45 percent of young employees would accept a lower-paying job if it had more flexibility on device choice, social media access, and mobility than a higher-paying job with less flexibility.
- 64 percent of college students would ask about social media usage policies during job interviews, and one in four overall (24 percent) said it will be a key factor in determining whether or not to accept an offer.
- 41 percent of young professionals said their companies marketed a flexible device and social media policy to recruit and attract them.
- More than half of college students globally (56 percent) replied that if they encountered a company that banned access to social media, they would either not accept the job offer or would join and find a way to get around it anyway.
- 29 percent of college students believe that once they begin working, it will be their right –- not just a privilege –- to be able to work remotely with a flexible schedule.
“These findings among college students and young employees indicate the freedom to access social media and use devices is increasingly important to the next generation of the world’s workforce- in some cases, more important than salary. The results in the Cisco Connected World Technology Report demonstrate how companies need to acknowledge this fact in greater numbers, and response accordingly- for many industries, the status quo of previous work environments is becoming a thing of the past,” said Sheila Jordan, vice president, communication and collaboration IT, Cisco.
