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Companies risk falling behind competitors
if they ignore or restrict these
consumer technologies.

-Colin Lacey, VP data center transformation services, Unisys

A recent post in CIO Update cites the increasing trend in use of social-networking sites in the workplace which grew from 19 percent in 2008 to 24 percent in 2010.

This is evidence of the pervasive use of social technology in all aspects of our daily lives: including that of information workers.

“Tech-savvy information workers often blur home and work in their use of consumer devices and Web-based social media applications.”

So what is IT doing to adpat to this change?
How will IT integrate consumer technologies (smartphones, social networks) into their enterprise?

One small step is in software makers providing tools that integrate social media into existing IT applications. Microsoft Office Outlook Social Connector recent release of its Facebook plugin is one such step.

Corporate Pressures Rely on Response

Citing a recent Unisys study, the post defines a new generation of workers, dubbed “iWorkers,” who are investing their own time and money in advanced consumer devices like the iPhone and other smartphones, because of their power over devices provided by their employers. Moreover, about ten percent (10%) of these iWorkers surveyed said they would refuse to accept a position at an organization that didn’t allow external instant messaging.

How businesses adapt to this trend will be a careful balancing act. The obvious concern being IT security and its implications for their business. however this also present opportunities for business to allow innovation in developing policies that enable workers to use these technologies to extend business and personal relationships, the core of all business.

Just how business chooses to recognize the trend and formulate policy and programs for adoption of Web 2.0 tools and applications as this trend continues may determine their future business success.

How is your company adapting to this trending influence?

What business opportunities do you see in embracing this consumer trend?
Leave your comment here.

Related articles

• Free-to-play business model starting to generate a “geiser of money” for iPhone game makers (venturebeat.com)
• Microsoft Achieves Facebook-Outlook Integration (webpronews.com)
• Mobile Facebook Users Hit 150 Million (socialnetworkingwatch.com)
• Facebook Finally Hooks Up With Outlook (amoswhite3.com)