IT Management Slideshow:
Social Media, Mobility Worth More Than Money for Young Workers

Talk about perceived value: In the eyes of some college students and young professionals, access to Facebook and Twitter via the mobile devices of their choice is now a bigger workplace priority than money. That's the big eye-opener gleaned from the 2011 Cisco Connected World Technology Report. The study paints a picture of a new generation of information workers that has lofty expectations of mobility and social media access on the job, and is even willing to accept a lower salary in exchange for that flexibility. The survey, conducted for Cisco by market research firm InsightExpress, polled 2,800 college students and young professionals in their early 20s — 100 of each group in 14 countries. The findings, available here, should provide IT executives with much to think about as you contend with growing pressures to support a wide array of devices and ensure anytime, anywhere network access for a user population that is growing increasingly dependent on social media to remain simultaneously connected to work, home and friends. Here's a look at some of the study's most telling numbers (percentages reflect the portion of all respondents, unless otherwise specified):