Erik Larson over at Adobe blogs about a survey into future technology trends in the workplace.
The survey identified four key categories of knowledge workers:
Leaders – Young professionals who use a variety of emerging technologies both at work and in their personal lives
Actives – Largely over-35 year old professionals who have adapted to emerging technologies to meet the changing demands of the workplace
Followers – The less technically-inclined who rely on e-mail at the exclusion of other technologie
Resistors – Generally older workers who are reluctant to adjust to shifts in the workplace and office technologieshttp://blogs.adobe.com/acom/2009/05/previewing_the_future_of_work_1.html
* The leap in new technology options and the shifting demographics of the workforce mean that the old, traditional way of doing business is rapidly being enhanced by new ways of working. More business will be conducted using emerging communications technologies and social networking platforms.
* Technologies that people prefer to use in their private lives will become the technologies people want to use at work…what we call the consumerization of collaboration.
* The younger generation prefers to use multiple channels of communication, often choosing social networks, text messaging or instant messaging instead of e-mail and in-person meetings.
http://blogs.adobe.com/acom/2009/05/previewing_the_future_of_work_1.html