AV Technology - August 2008 - (Page 17)

tions much more frequently than other workers. The majority of Millennials expect to be able to use corporate social networking portals, streaming media, and instant messaging to perform their jobs. They also feel entitled to use employer supplied applications, devices, and technologies for personal tasks. They also use personal devices to improve work productivity. Agencies that seek to ban these behaviors will risk alienating the best available new workers. As technology and behavior blurs the line between work and life, policy makers must be educated on how technologies work and how risk can be mitigated while still encouraging productive new behavior. AV technology managers are uniquely qualified to act as advisors and problem solvers in these areas. Our knowledge of the fundamentals of AV allows us to find new ways to use technologies while safeguarding against risks. We can work with manufacturers and security departments to develop devices that use appropriate encryption to allow mobile videoconferencing and streaming. We can work with suppliers and other agencies to ensure systems interoperability. We can also lend our knowledge to legal, security, and CIO departments to ensure that policy decisions are based on an accurate understanding of AV technologies and not just assumptions and fear. We can work with IT departments to properly plan and evolve network resources for sustainable AV data use. The bottom line is that Millennials assume technology and they are rewriting the rules. They demand that their employers create environments where they can share ideas and work in groups. They also demand that employers enable and encourage multitasking, flexibility, and mobility. AV technology managers can assist with these efforts by finding solutions that empower mobile workers and give them options for connecting with each other and creating and accessing information. Agencies must develop strategies for recruiting and retaining staff to fill the knowledge, experience, and leadership gaps that are created as Boomers retire. They will also need to find ways to transfer knowledge to new workers, and they need to start now. Training and mentoring methods must be refined to take advantage of AV resources. Recruiting departments will need the help of AV managers to develop corporate web portals that include audio and video podcasting, streaming media, video chat, and other AV content designed to attract Millennial workers. Agencies that learn how to properly apply AV technologies in their enterprises will have a strong advantage in attracting, retaining, and leveraging the best employees as we adapt to the changing needs of our workforce. Gary L. Hall, CTS-D, CTS-I, is a program management execution officer at the NationalGeospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) in Bethesda, MD. He is also an adjunct instructor at the InfoComm Academy and can be reached at garylhall@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and are in no way officially endorsed by NGA, and do not necessarily represent the views of the United States. http://www.eiki.com http://www.eiki.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AV Technology - August 2008

AV Technology - August 2008 Contents Precedent Corporate: The Project’s Over...Now What? Government: Generational Diversity and the Rise of the Millennials Education: DIY ISP.EDU HD Videoconferencing On a Budget Using Automatic Mic Mixers The Way I See It: The Standards Dilemma in AV Something for Everybody AV Adds the Magic to Microsoft’s Hat Trick Simple Control for Smarter Classrooms Product Review: VeEX VePAL MX100 Product Spotlight: Amps; Touchpanels New Products Ad Index AV MO: Dealing with Ambient Light

AV Technology - August 2008

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