SharePoint 2010 Enterprise Architect's Guidebook

1

A Digital Workforce for a Digital Age

By Arpan Shah

“Generation Z” will be entering the workforce this decade. This generation grew up with PCs, cell phones, and MP3 players, and is one of the largest populations on Facebook. Writing wall messages and texting is their preferred method of communication. E-mail is considered a much more formal medium, and faxing is as ancient as snail mail. It's a generation that blogs, tweets, uses, and breathes technology. They are not scared of technology, and they are all “power users.” “Security setting” is a foreign concept to them, and privacy is an afterthought. They are the future of the workforce.

In the business world, it's really important to understand the needs and expectations of Generation Z, while balancing the need for compliance, IP protection, governance, and security. It's also important to keep in mind the co-existence of Generation Z with older generations, who are not as tech savvy, and even at times skeptical about the usefulness of technology. Striking the right balance for your organization is important. SharePoint provides that flexibility and power.

Since its inception in 1999, SharePoint has changed the way people in organizations collaborate. SharePoint's core value proposition has remained consistent over the years — delivering the best productivity experience through the Microsoft Office client, browser, and phone. Over the years, SharePoint has evolved into a platform that goes beyond file sharing by enabling people ...