Technological innovations are reshaping the future workplace and giving rise to ?Supertaskers,? a generation of workers that are able to use multiple technologies to manage and perfectly carry out various tasks simultaneously.
This is the highlight of the 2014 Cisco Connected World Technology Report (CCWTR) released by the company recently.
The CCWTR reveals that the workforce demands of ?Generation X? and ?Millennial? workers are changing their employers? policies to accommodate more flexible work schedules and attitudes.
Among other findings, the report also revealed that by the year 2020, the majority of Generation X and Y professionals believe that smartphones and wearable devices will be the workforce’s most important “connected” device ? while the laptop remains the workplace device of choice.
The report is reflective of Filipino?s workplace behavior, based on a local survey conducted by Cisco where almost half of the professionals surveyed (47%) said that they want to be free from the typical 9 to 5 work schedule.
Furthermore, more than half of the respondents said that they would rather work at home than go to the office (53%), citing travel times and discontent with the office environment. The survey also showed that Filipinos consider the smartphone as their device of choice?66% of the surveyed professionals chose smartphones when forced to choose one device for their work and personal lives.
This is consistent with a key finding of the CCWTR that Gen X and Millennial professionals believe the smartphone is their most important connected device by 2020.
?These days, people in the office are looking for instant access to the best communication and collaboration tools and expect these tools to be always available on any device, anytime, anywhere. The findings in the Cisco Connected World Technology Report suggest new approaches to consider in deploying technology tools and solutions for the workplace,? said Louie Castaneda, country manager of Cisco Philippines.
?With more Millennials joining the workforce in the Philippines, local companies need to adapt to their highly mobile and flexible working styles to keep them engaged with the company and the role.?
More than 4 in 10 Gen X and Millennial workers, along with nearly 6 out of 10 HR professionals, consider themselves to be a ?Supertasker,? defined as individuals who can successfully do more than two things at once, and do them well.
In the Philippines, about 3 out of 10 Gen X and Millennial workers consider themselves as Supertaskers, claiming that Supertasking helps them become more productive in the workplace.
Millennial workers are highly positive of their performance in the workplace. Believing that they are ?wired? differently than Gen X employees in terms of efficiency and multitasking, 56% of Millennials believe that they are more efficient than Gen X employees.
This is supported by the survey?s findings that 60% of Gen X professionals and 81% of HR professionals believe that Millennials are able to perform their tasks faster than older employees using mobile devices and apps.
In terms of work flexibility, more than half of Gen X and Millennial professionals consider themselves available for work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 3 out of 10 professionals also claim that they are accessible through both email and phone.
However, Gen X professionals are more likely to work remotely as opposed to millennial professionals ? more than 4 out of 10 Millennials (44%) claim that they are most focused and productive when working in the office, while Gen X professionals (38%) say they can be equally focused and productive at home and in the office.
In contrast, 88% of surveyed Filipino Millennials claim that they are more productive in the office, while all surveyed Gen X professionals equally favor their home and office spaces.
