IBM's New Millennial Study!
By 2020, Millennials will be approximately 50 percent of the U.S. workforce, and by 2030, 75 percent of the global workforce. (Source: Forbes study)
I am sure you've seen some of the recent studies, highlighting how millennials will be a major part of the workforce going into 2020 and beyond. A Forbes study, highlights that Millennials will be 50% of he US workforce by 2020!
This creates a great challenge for leaders who are faced with managing a workforce across multiple generations namely, Millennials, Gen X (aged 35–49), and Baby Boomers (aged 50–60). At IBM, we see the importance of understanding the preferences and behavioral patterns of each of these segments.
Today, I will share a few of the datapoints from this study from IBM's Institute of Business Value that was released today! Its a multigenerational study of 1,700+ employees from organizations across 12 countries and 6 industries
Here's a few of our findings and actions for leaders in managing this multigenerational workforce:
One surprising finding is that Millennials want many of the same things their older colleagues do. While there are some distinctions among the generations, Millennials’ attitudes are not poles apart from other employees
50%+ of Millennials are accessing their personal social networks for professional reasons less frequently than Gen X employees.
While this finding may not be a surprise, we did find that Gen Xers use social networks more frequently (60%+) to communicate with colleagues, get industry information, and promote their companies products / services. Given today’s escalating concerns about privacy and security, it’s imperative for senior leaders managing a cross generational workforce to publish social computing guidelines and ensure all employees receive direction about what can and cannot be shared externally
3 Actions for Senior leaders managing a cross generational workforce - How to get started
1. Focus on the individual (employee)
2. Foster a collaborative culture
3. Make customer experience a priority
More coming!!!
3 Pieces of Advice for Start-ups and Intrapreneurs from Unusual Places!
I am in Vegas and walked through a great museum with fun quotes and it made me think of the advice earlier from some of our Venture Capitalists!
1. Fish are the last to recognize water. Make sure that you are constantly evaluating the landscape. Sometimes startups fall in love with their products and don't see poor product-market fit with a solid business model. Remember that the product must be desired by a customer -- and there are many substitutes. At our last VC roundtable, the VCs said that they are always weary when someone comes in with an idea that has 0 competition While this seems basic, I have seen many entrepreneurs dive into creating a product that they think is totally unique, not thinking through other options.
2. It's always better to be looked over than overlooked. Many start-ups think about scale and overlook the way to get to need scale. The priority should be on developer productivity and being able to deliver the features and platform that sets your product apart. Focus on scale when it actually becomes a problem. You'll be better prepared with more information about what to fix and where and hopefully with more help to do it.
3. If you want the rainbow you better put up with the rain. Many start-ups put their energy into impressing their boards and investors instead of their customers. Of course you must work with your investors, but a great start-up filters those ides through the eyes of their clients and potential clients. Don't get distracted focusing on the wrong group.
Live from IBM PWLC - eperi Dishes on Cloud Security and Marketplace
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy-wKyG6FzA]
5 Workshops You Need to Attend at Dev@Interconnect
I hope you are going to join me at Interconnect and will attend Dev@interconnect in Las Vegas Feb 22-26!
Register here: http://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing/us/en/interconnect/devat/
Some of my favorite topics at the event! What else would you like to see!
- Think Like a Hacker! Exploiting Mobile Apps and How to Mitigate these Risks
- Let's Build a Start-up In 30 Minutes Using Bluemix and IoT
- Eliminate Dogwork with Leaner and Smarter Methods
- Not another pitch workshop
- Continuous mobile app quality - Listen to that feedback!
I hope you will join me there!
Chef Watson Releases Her Cookbook!!!!
Yes, our own Chef Watson will release her cookbook “Cognitive Cooking with Chef Watson” in the US on April 14!
I had the pleasure of meeting our chef down at SXSW in her food truck last year where she created a chocolate bacon burrito that I first cringed at and then loved!!! Since Chef Watson partnered with the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), the recipes are creative and delicious.
The recipes from the cookbook are generated from the cognitive computer. This machine learning showcases the computer's creativity, and its ability to "understand" flavor profiles and ingredient pairings. It drives the chefs to think outside the "norm". The book promises to introduce us to new food and flavor pairings conceived by Watson.
I will be ordering the book of over 65 Watson generated recipes. How about you?
Girls Who Code Partnering with IBM! Summertime fun in 2015!
I'm so excited to announce that IBM is sponsoring Girls Who Code, a national non-profit dedicated to empowering teenage girls with computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities! 
I love it! Being a mother of two girls, I know how important it is to nurture girls to embrace STEM-type skills, like coding! And, even better, the girls love it! This Summer, IBM and Girls Who Code will host a group of 20 young women each day for 7 weeks as they learn everything from mobile app development to robotics to web design and ultimately get a chance to build the app they want to see made available. Applications are now being accepted for the 2015 Summer Immersion Program. Current 10th and 11th grade girls with a passion for tech are encouraged to apply. The program is free for participants and no prior experience is necessary.
This is sure to be a life-changing experience! We hope you will spread the word about this fabulous opportunity and encourage the 10th and 11th grade young women in your life to apply today at http://www.girlswhocode.com/applynow.
Here are some tweets you can use to help spread the word! And be sure to follow them on Twitter @GirlsWhoCode!
- Awesome org @GirlsWhoCode is accepting applications for summer 2015! High School girls who love tech can apply at http://girlswhocode.com/applynow
- Learn to code, change the world! High School girls can apply now for @GirlsWhoCode Summer Immersion Program at http://girlswhocode.com/applynow
- Join the movement! @GirlsWhoCode is recruiting teen girls for the unforgettable Summer Immersion Program. Apply at http://girlswhocode.com/applynow