ACS: Employers need to embrace comms tech

Employers need to pay greater attention to the impact of communication technology on employees or face losing tech savvy staff, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) claims.

That's the conclusion of the ACS' latest report, the Uncollared Workforce, which examines the impact of new communication technologies, such as Wi-Fi, on younger ‘Gen Y’ workers, the impending mass exit of baby boomers from the workforce, and the ongoing ICT skill shortage.

The ACS president, Philip Argy, a case in point was Generation Y's embracing of flexible work options offered by wireless technology.

As office and home environments continued to merge, an "uncollared workforce" was being created, which sought out employers that could best meet their desire for lifestyle balance, Argy said.

With the report, the ACS has made a range of recommendations for employers wanting to keep pace with the changing workforce. They should:

*Use multimode communications for meetings and decision making i.e. MMS, SMS, email and mobile phone;

*Implement an outcomes-focused, project-based work environment rather than hourly based work or clock watching ‘nine to five’ culture;

*Allow workers to set up multiple work locations or multiple office spaces.

*Implement permission structures and a workplace culture that allowed workers to exercise work/life options.

*Develop roles with fluid job descriptions and flatter work structures.

*Offer flexibility in pay structures and working hours that rewarded hard work with increased salary, but also allowed options for reducing salary and number of hours worked for study or family time;

*Facilitate greater personalisation of working environments i.e. social development, parenting time and personal development programs.

*Provide a work environment that encourages ongoing skill development and offers options to use these skills.