More Savvy than we can hope to be: A generational lens on ICTs in the changing workplace

Abstract

We take a generational lens to the study of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the changing U.S. workplace. Specifically, we draw from a broader qualitative study on generational difference in the workplace to explore the questions: How is the interplay between generational differences and ICTs reshaping the culture and boundaries of work and the workplace? We present two preliminary findings related to differences in (1) socio-emotional associations with ICTs and (2) the socio-technical structure in the work-life relationship. In conclusion, we discuss potential implications of these changes, as well as critical questions to be addressed in future research around generational differences and the role of ICTs in the changing U.S. workplace.