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The New York Times just ran an article called, “Antisocial Networking?” in the Sunday Styles section. The cut line reads: Experts wonder if technology keeps children connected or diminishes their ability to read social cues and interact the old-fashioned way.

My take-away
The idea I took away from it is that people are worrying that friendship the way we know it is a dying breed due to social networking. I think that’s probably true, but I’m not sure how important that is.

Some of the parents in the NYT article agreed, saying their introverted and shy children were finding the courage to connect online or their busy teen was using it to schedule time with friends. Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer, author of “Making Friends: A guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Child’s Friendships,” says: I think it’s possible to say that the electronic media is helping kids to be in touch much more and for longer. And the kids themselves are head over heels in love with technology.

I think that’s true. Tribe’s own research has revealed that half of kids in Gen Z prefer a technological gift over something “unplugged.” If businesses capitalize on this idea, then that’s something they can take to the bank.

Old ways of doing things get old for a reason
It’s true kids text about play dates instead of knocking on doors, but letter writing used to be the main form of communication, too. And we’ve moved past that pretty well. I’m not defiling letter writing for those of you that think it’s a lost art. I agree there is an art to it, but I also like to think that each generation improves on the ideas from the last one. This feels like a natural progression to me.

And, companies that facilitate this natural progression are sure to win on many fronts regarding:
1. Innovation. Social media helps people around the world, in a different building or in the same office to share ideas in a free flow form. Thinking up great ideas is as simple as getting smart people together in a room, but now you don’t need the room. You just need smart people.
2. Engagement. Technology is how younger generations connect with each other inside and outside of work, so they’ll expect to use these tools at work. PowerPoints will become obsolete in the near future. So will long meetings, as they become more focused and productive. In fact, most of our clients are adding interactivity to their portals to facilitate that engagement.
3. Recognition. Social media is a great outlet for peer-to-peer recognition and for recognizing people who aren’t all in the same building. It’s an opportunity to say thanks and to say what you’re thanking them for, so they know what they did right.
4. Development. Social media can make development tools available in a fun, simple style that engages people. And when employees see a clear path for themselves within the company, they’re that much more likely to become engaged.
5. Community. People want to be a part of a community, and in a sense, that’s the whole reason social media has been so successful. People will continue to find new ways to connect with one another, and successful companies will provide the tools for employees to do so. Relationships are formed differently, with more and more friendships being formed between people who have never met.

Gen Y and Gen Z connect by sharing
My colleague’s child just thought up an idea to stop the oil spill in the Gulf. He wrote it up and sent it off to BP. He’s 10, but I heard his idea and thought it was pretty darn good. I bet he gets some sort of response. And, as he grows up, he’s going to continue to use the Internet as a channel for sharing ideas. Someday he could help solve world hunger or help protect the earth by solving a problem, like the oil spill of the future – whatever that is.

A true sign of success is when something “just is”
Despite all the times I just said social media, at Tribe, we don’t use the phrase “social media” much anymore. Well, at least not as much as we used to. And, trust me, we’re into it, but we’ve adjusted our language to focus more on the channel’s value and benefits than the channel itself.

We’ve found that talking about “social media” distracts people from why they should use it in the first place. It’s too new. It’s too 2009. It’s too fast. It’s too raw. It’s too time intensive. Also, people tend to immediately think “Facebook” or “Twitter” when those sites are just the tip of the iceberg.

When talking with clients, I’ve taken to using social media and online communications interchangeably. To us, social media is simply online communications, but dished up in a two-way format rather than more traditional static one-way communications. The spirit of interchange and idea sharing are what takes “online” to the next level of socialness.

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At Tribe, we’re interested in how different generations interact in the workforce. We’re currently conducting follow-up research on how the recession has affected the different generations, so look for that to be released soon. Additionally, we’re conducting research on Gen Z, the generation born roughly between 1995 and 2009. As their future employers, we have a head start knowing some of the drivers that have shaped their lives into the people and workers they will become. Gen Z is just now starting to enter the workforce, primarily in the retail and restaurant industries. Here are a few key traits to look for in this group:

• They’ve grown up with technology. Perhaps the most important thing to point out about this generation is that they are truly the first generation to not know what life is like without technology. They were born into the age of the Internet, cell phones, Facebook and TiVo, so technology provides the background for a lot of their predominant characteristics. Expect this group to adapt very quickly to new tools and technologies at work, although they may prove to be overly dependent on these tools.

• They show signs of becoming fantastic multi-taskers. Because they are used to handling so many forms of technology in their daily lives, they are fantastic multi-taskers. This might present a problem once they are working since the challenge will be to keep the Gen Zs motivated and focused on the task at hand.

• Gen Z is highly educated. This will be the most educated generation to date. With this prestige comes strong opinions on everything and they might not do so well at taking suggestions. Even though they are well educated, they may not be drawn to the same types of jobs. What we think of as prestigious professions, like doctors and scientists, might not hold much value for this group.

• They process information quickly. Thanks to the internet, Generation Z is used to instant results – and can be very impatient when they don’t get them. With instant results also comes the ability to process information very quickly, which can be an extremely valuable trait in the workforce.

• They prefer informal communications. Gen Z is typically self-directed, individualistic and private. But when it comes to sharing their lives on the internet, they are much less restricted than other generations. They interact primarily through the digital world and as a result they might lack in interpersonal skills, verbal communication and expression—which can come across as a lack of confidence. This contrasts with Gen Y, who are typically seen as people pleasers and team players.

Gen Z is just now getting their first jobs. And in the coming years as Boomers begin to retire, Gen Z will get a chance to show the working world how their skill set will drive business forward.

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Now’s the time to help your employees get out of the recession rut. And the business can’t move forward if your employees aren’t.

Is your company losing money because people are in a holding pattern?
Corporate employees across the country are experiencing a resigned sense of stagnation. Tribe fielded research in the first quarter of 2010 with corporate employees in three generations, Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y, and found a lethargic do-nothing spirit among workers of all ages. Typical comments from respondents include, “Nothing’s getting better or worse,” “I’m just going through the motions,” and “I’m sort of stuck in neutral.” When asked if they thought it was more likely they’d be promoted or fired in the next year, 77 percent responded “neither one.”

Management has a plan, but employees don’t know it.
One internal communications manager with a Fortune 100 company described a dangerous divide between the great majority of employees and those at the top with clear plans for how they’re transforming the company for more profitability. When asked if he thought the management at his company (a global brand) had a strategy for recovery, he said, “No, I don’t think they have a plan. It worries me.”

During qualitative interviews, many top leaders revealed that they thought employees understood the business reason behind layoffs. In reality, employees aren’t always so clear on the reasoning behind many changes. One reason for this is that employees have trouble separating changes caused by the recession from necessary changes that need to happen, recession or not. The recession is becoming the scapegoat for necessary business transformations to grow the business.

They want to know what’s going on. Especially the younger employees.
Tribe’s survey asked “If your company could do one thing to make you feel better about where you work, what would it be?” The two most common answers, in almost equal numbers, were more money and more communication. New Generation employees offered twice as many comments as Boomers about wanting increased or improved communication.

One way to open communication is a leadership blog.
It’s relatively simple to establish a leadership blog, by the CEO or another top visionary. Tribe’s process for developing a leadership blog includes a topic matrix and editorial calendar, to give key topics the right visibility across the year.

The risk in not having frequent communication from the top down is that employees assume no news is bad news. A leadership blog can efficiently fill that vacuum of communication and help employees feel in the loop and on board.

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I was recently reading Michael Winerip’s “Time, It Turns Out, Isn’t on Their Side” article in The New York Times. The article is a follow-up to an article Winerip wrote a year ago about out-of-work Baby Boomers looking for jobs in this tough economy.

One year later, things had not improved much for most of the job-seekers. Of the 16 people who were followed up with, only one had a higher paying job and nine said they are still struggling. While unemployment is a little less than the national average among workers older than 45, it takes much longer for this group to find work after being laid off.

Historically, Boomers are hit hardest when they reenter the workforce. After the recession in the early ‘90s, rehired workers age 55 to 64 faced a 27% wage loss and a 23% wage loss after the recession in the early 2000s. For employees age 25 to 34, those numbers are 7% and 6%, respectively. Perhaps because they have accomplished less thus far in their careers, Generations X & Y are more resilient when searching for a new position.

These numbers could suggest that older employees have built up so much equity within their companies, it’s hard to quickly reach that same level of achievement at a new job. A common trend among top companies is the way they take care of their employees. Many made it through the recession without having to layoff large numbers of employees (or any at all). These companies may not offer the highest paid positions within their industries, but they do offer the security in knowing that the company sees them as more vested in the business, and subsequently less expendable.

Another obstacle that Boomers face is that they are overqualified for many of the positions out there. For many, this is the most difficult part of being out of work. But the good news for employers is that this is one of the best times to grab top talent for when the economy improves. Companies that are actively hiring right now have a pool of well-qualified and experienced employees to choose from. And as we emerge from the recession, these companies have positioned themselves to have a real advantage over the competition in the future.

Tribe is currently conducting research on Boomers and the workplace. Look for the findings to be released soon.

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A recent study by the Pew Research Center revealed some fascinating findings on Gen Y. According to the study, 40% of young adults age 18-24 were in college in 2008, which is a higher percentage than any previous generation. Great news for employers, but despite their higher educations levels, Gen Y’s lack of experience also means they have the highest share of unemployment (or are simply out of the workforce) of any generation in nearly four decades.

As the recession ends and the economy picks back up, Gen Y will enter the workforce in record numbers as many Baby Boomers, who continued working because of their plummeting 401(k)s, finally retire. That also means good news for Gen X—you’re about to move into higher management positions as Boomers start to phase themselves out of the workforce.

The study also revealed some interesting insights on how Gen Y differs from other generations. Here are a few highlights:
• Their families are different. Only 61% grew up in a two-parent household, the smallest number in three generations.
• They are starting families later. Only 21% of Gen Y is married, half the percentage of their parents’ generation.
• They are active. Compared to previous generations at the same age, Gen Y is more willing to vote and more likely to volunteer for a cause.

For employers, the increased volunteerism of Gen Y shows a willingness to go above and beyond, which is perhaps the key characteristic of an engaged employee. And Gen Y has to be hungry to work—after so much time spent in school, it’s finally time to embark on a career. What better combination could employers ask for?

The face of the workforce is changing. Companies that recognize (and act on) that change will be a step ahead of the competition as the country emerges from the recession.

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Someone once told me that the sign of a true leader is how many leaders come out of their camp rather than the number of subscribers they have. People can confuse being a leader with being really good at a specific task or having a special talent. You can be a numbers genius or a brilliant creative and not have great leadership or management skills.

In Tribe’s research on Gen Y and Gen X employees, we posed the question, “What makes someone a leader?” The top three responses were as follows:

1. Inspiring others to do their best. Great leadership makes the people around them better.
2. Taking responsibility. Which means making the tough decisions. As they say, that’s what you get the big bucks for, right? A directionless leader causes confusion and mutiny in the ranks.
3. Being able to give criticism well. People crave valuable feedback on the work they’ve done. One quality of Gen Y is they’re known to ask for constant feedback. The ability to give someone constructive criticism with grace in a way that they can accept and maintain their dignity is an important leadership skill.

The CEO and C-level people in a company really tell the story of what all of the leadership and management of a company is like. If the person in the corner office leads by fear, then it’s probable that everyone who reports to him will follow that model. Nothing kills innovation faster.

Last year, employees looked to leadership for guidance in how to “get through it.” The stronger the leadership, the better in shape that company is today to motor successfully through 2010.

But that very top level of leadership – the C-level and the other folks in mahogany offices – can’t do it alone. They need to exhibit leadership skills and instill those skills in others so that it trickles down to every corner of the company. Everyone’s the CEO of something, but that attitude can only exist where leadership empowers others to contribute and recognize their own power.

The first thing that leadership must do is explain to management how important it is for them to assume a leadership role. Three key points are:

1. How much people are relying on them
2. How much they impact others
3. How much their actions impact others

Success is directly tied to leadership
Employee engagement has been defined as the point where thinking, feeling and acting meet. A particularly challenging (and exciting) time comes when it’s time to communicate change. If employees are stuck in their old ways, don’t expect much in terms of real change. Employees need to see how what they do affects the entire business, and then they’ll start to take ownership over the things they personally touch. At that point, you can expect change to be fully embraced.

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I was recently browsing through Scott Monty’s blog, the head of social media at Ford. His post about the new features that allow you to update LinkedIn via Twitter, and vice versa got me thinking. How long can the different social networks remain separate? People like things streamlined, and they don’t want to dig around a bunch of different places searching for what they need (especially in a business setting). It’s only a matter of time before someone develops a site where you can quickly and easily scan all of your favorite social networking sites at once.

Here in our office, we’ve discussed how younger people open themselves up to the world more than Gen X and Boomers. Kids today are comfortable sharing their Facebook self with friends and relatives alike. There’s no separation between the work/school version of themselves, the family version and the friend version.

But how will that sit with your employees? Employees are more accessible than they’ve ever been in the past. As smart phones get smarter (and cheaper), it’s not a stretch to think that tomorrow’s employee will have a mini-office in their pockets at all times, with everything they need to access their email, open and edit a file and share it with a client.

It all comes back around to the blending of business and pleasure when linking Twitter to LinkedIn. So how will this impact employee engagement? An employee who happily reads over a work email or sends a few quick thoughts to a coworker on the fly and outside of work is the holy grail of engaged employees.

But that might just be business as usual when Gen Z starts to enter the workforce.

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Initial results are starting to come in from our survey about workplace wellness programs and their impact on employee engagement. Participants are still responding, but here are some numbers that caught my eye right off the bat:

94 percent of respondents say they either strongly agree or agree that they work better together when they spend time interacting with each other about things aside from work.

81 percent say they’d be interested in a company-supported wellness contest or collaborative program. For example, a wellness competition to see who can eat 5 vegetables and fruits a day for the most days, or a program in which employees collectively walk 10,000 miles to raise money for a charity.

What does this tell us?

Some employers might worry that if they give employees time to work out during the day that productivity would suffer. It’s actually the opposite. The more employees interact with each other, the better. When employees are able to put aside differences and focus on getting the work done, everyone wins – including employers. Plus, exercise helps you clear your mind. You’ve returned from the treadmill with a fresh attitude, haven’t you?

Companies have been justifiably preoccupied with the bottom line this last year, but it’s not just the numbers that impact profitability and growth. How well employees work together is paramount to overcoming barriers like a recession. It takes a diverse set of talents to think of global innovative solutions; it takes a village.

So, can’t you just take them out for a drink? Sure, but that doesn’t do much for overall morale in your company. Engaging employees in taking responsibility for their health in a supportive environment is a wonderful way to engage them with each other and your brand, to boot.

With all of the news on health care in the US, the issues with obesity and the costs of providing health care to your workforce, starting a wellness program in your office is simply good business. And, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. But it is important that leadership backs it up, and ideal if they’re involved.

Where do wellness and social media intersect?

I’ve noticed that many companies use social media and also have some sort of health benefit. But there’s not a lot of intersection of the two in practice. Merging a brand’s wellness efforts and social media tools is like engagement on rocket fuel. You’re creating a group of healthy employees who are engaged and invested in each other and your company.

If you’ve started a foray into either area (health or employee engagment), and it hasn’t been going well, try leveraging one to do the other.

If you’d like to contribute your thoughts, please go to: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB22A4FBAHST6.

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I recently read about a survey that found cell phones are indispensable to teens. Teens (and even younger kids) see their cell phones as a crucial part of their identities. In fact, my own son has a cell phone. He’s just seven years old, but won’t hesitate to call me asking where the remote is.

The wireless trade association CTIA and Harris Interactive surveyed 2,000 teens across the US and found that about four out of every five teens carry a cell phone (up from 40 percent of teens owning a cell phone in 2004). These aren’t just older teens—nearly half of kids 8-12 own cell phones in the US, according to a Neilson report.

Engagement will be key among this younger demographic, whether you’re looking at it through the lens of future employee or future customer. And the tool for that engagement can be as simple as a cell phone. So for communicators who think we can just bypass the whole social media fad, tomorrow’s employee will be so integrated with collaborative technologies, they’ll expect to see those same tools in the workplace. And most likely, they’ll access those tools on the fly from wherever they happen to be.

Web-based communications are increasingly becoming as important as face-to-face. A recent article in The New York Times suggests that today’s kids are so comfortable with virtual socialization that they see less of a distinction between a night spent socializing with virtual friends and a Friday night party.

The funny thing is, when you ask a child what social media is, they don’t have a clue. But give them an iPhone, and they’ll be downloading apps in no time. Or ask them to bring you their favorite book, and they’ll hand you a Kindle.

Communications are rapidly changing, but many companies seem stuck in their old ways. And a company that’s not innovative can quickly be replaced by one that is.

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Yes, we’re raising them, but what on earth will they be like to manage? And how will we feel about it when they’re managing us? Gen Z was born starting in the mid-1990s, but they think big. My business colleague and friend has a son who is 10 and actively trying to contact Hollywood directors about his screen play. My son is contacting Lego about his dream job; he’s including pictures and a guess at his salary.

I know, you might be reading this and thinking, “I’m still adjusting to Gen Y.” Or, if you’re a Gen Y, you might be thinking, “Oh, Gen Z. They’re so spoiled. How can I be expected to work with them?” Actually, I know that’s what some of you Gen Ys are thinking (admit it) because during the course of a day I’m bound to talk to a young Gen Y manager who is resentful of the “coasting” of younger siblings or friends.

It will also be interesting to see older Gen Ys managing younger Gen Ys – that age group is so brutally honest and authentic (somewhat due to its use of technology putting them center stage) that I can’t imagine they’ll mince a lot of words. Tribe’s research has found that Gen Y “weeds out” leaders and teammates who aren’t team players without any interference from upward management.

And, I guess that’s part of the reason I’m starting to take a look at Gen Z – to see what can be applied that we’ve learned from Gen Y. If you’re in a position to hire, then here are five reasons to plan for Gen Z:

• If you hire teens, they could be in your workforce now or in the next few years. Gen Z tops out at age 15, so they’re on the brink of employment.
• If this is their first job, then you’ll need to train them from square one.  Especially when you hire teens, you’ve got to work with the raw material. Your open position could be their first foray into employment.
• If you want the best and the brightest, then prepare to compete for them. Cross our fingers, this generation will enter a robust economy, so they’ll be a generation with more options than Gen Y found in 2009
• If your company has a five year plan, then hopefully recruiting is part of it, and Gen Z will be in the picture. Companies already investing in Gen Z include NASA, GE and Siemens.

If one of your business goals uses the word “innovation,” then you’ll need Gen Z on your team to help you see what’s next.

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