Social Media and Bring Your Own Device in Germany

 

I had the opportunity to be the closing keynote speaker at Alcatel-Lucent’s Dynamic Tour event in Dusseldorf, Germany last week.  This is an event for over 800 of Alcatel-Lucent’s customers, partners and team members in western and northern Europe to discuss the phenomena of BYOD or Bring Your Own Device.  I discussed social media and how generational technology trends (Boomers, Gen Xs, Gen Ys and Gen Zs) are impacting the workplace in terms of devices and collaboration.  It was an awesome adventure chalked full of great lessons.  I’d love to share them with you!

 

1. Culture is much more important than age when it comes to determining a user’s mobile technology behaviors.
2. People have an emotional attachment to their preferred devices which is spilling over into the workplace.
3. You have to pay to use public potties in Dusseldorf, and they are not easy to find!
4. No matter where we are in the world- the USA, Germany or Ghana- everyone fears becoming irrelevant with the constant increase in technology.  Everyone wants to know that they will be okay.

Here’s what you need to know:

• BYOD or Bring Your Own Device will become more and more significant in the United States as Gen Y and Z grow in numbers in the workplace.  This means more work for IT, more work around security, greater opportunities for you to work in ways that you find most comfortable,greater opportunities for collaboration and increased customer service opportunities.
• Each generation has specific strengths and weaknesses when it comes to technology.  Smart organizations include team members from each generation and multiple job functions to ensure that any new technology adaptation is done so in a way that is as seamless as possible.

Want to see a copy of my presentation?  I use slides mostly for verbal cues, but there are a few with information you may find interesting.