How Digital Natives Are Reshaping the Workplace Experience

Experts often use the term "digital natives" to describe the young people — or Generation Z — now entering the labor market. As commercial real estate places ever more weight on the workplace experience, the labor force's demand for young talent is critical to the industry's success. As more and more digital natives join the workforce, their influence and expectations are changing how the digital workplace operates.

Nearly half of workers already identify as digital natives, and by 2025 that share will rise to 75%. There is no doubt that technology will play a major role in the digital workplace's future, but how people interact with that technology will matter most. The so-called digital native generation holds high expectations for adopting cutting-edge technology in the workplace. Companies that fail to modernize their workplaces will certainly fall behind.

Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

The American author and speaker Marc Prensky — who coined the term "digital native" in 2001 — also coined "digital immigrant." In today's society, young people who grew up with the internet, digital media, mobile communication devices, and video games are what Prensky calls digital natives. Digital natives process and engage with the world around them through a technology-first lens, setting them apart from generations that had to integrate technologies that arrived after years of major change — which is what distinguishes them from millennials and earlier generations.

The older generation of digital immigrants is doing its best to adapt to this new environment, much like learning a second language. It makes sense, then, that their technological experience and expectations differ — both from one another and from Gen Z. Because the two groups' early learning experiences differ so greatly, there may be significant differences in how their brains are wired.

When it comes to creating experiences — even at work — these shifts in how we think (and how our brains are organized) matter. Companies that fail to modernize their workplaces to meet these differences will certainly fall behind.

Digital Natives in the Workplace

Digital natives drive the development of a new corporate culture by bringing technological expertise and a proactive work ethic into the workplace. What digital natives demand and desire from the workplace differs from what digital immigrants — who have learned, or are still learning, to embrace and absorb new technology — expect. When it comes to technology investment, leaders are in charge, even though they are almost certainly less computer-savvy than digital natives.

They must deliver both the adaptability and intuitiveness digital natives expect, and the support digital immigrants need to accept and use the technology. Simply put, enabling both groups to succeed requires a mindset that avoids either/or dichotomies and instead tries to meet people where they are. Without building a new employee-experience model, leaders will never reach digital natives or the tech-fluent skill sets that will drive the company forward.

Generation Z's hunger for innovation will shape how and where they work. Young workers are used to being constantly connected. Companies that once relied on rigid hierarchies and in-person influence will need to change if they want to keep customers interested.

The Need for Change

Promoting a "physical" or multichannel workplace experience is especially important for attracting young talent. Here are five ideas for improving the work experience of digital natives:

• With more virtual programs, a vibrant, technology-enabled workplace culture will take shape.
• Offer employees both online and offline activities, such as wellness and fitness programs.
• The employee experience will ultimately be enhanced by a willingness to experiment with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and intelligent automation.
• Digital natives should be able to use any device, anytime, anywhere. Today's employees place a high value on mobility, so companies must build their technology solutions accordingly.
• Create accessible, open forums for debate, build them into daily tasks, and provide clear guidelines on how to use the technology.