Five ways to deal with Gen Y technology in the workplace

I can remember when I got my first laptop and mobile phone at the ripe age of 35. Both were provided by my company. Then we got internet access at work - it took me four years to get it at home. Compare and contrast this experience with my 19 year old daughter. She had her first mobile when she was ten years old - and is now on her 10th handset. She has her own wireless laptop giving her almost universal connectivity at home, college and in Cafe Nero. The 2012 generation will have wide experience of technology ownership - and may be ahead of the game compared to many workplace organisations. Naturally this may cause concern - and IT secutity issues are often at the top of the list. Here's some advice around this area:

"The fundamental part of all of this is setting expectations," says Daniel Gingras, a partner at Tatum Partners, a consulting and executive staffing firm.
Gingras recommends that IT executives take the following steps:

1. Understand the culture of the organization. While it's not typically found in an IT professional's job description, understanding the corporate culture is essential to setting and implementing acceptable use policies related to technology, says Gingras. For help, look to HR, upper management, and the compliance and legal departments.
2. Craft (or update) a policy that fits with the culture. If the corporate culture disallows iPods in the workplace, the policy must state that clearly. On the other hand, if the organization allows iPods in the workplace but doesn't let employees download music or videos to iTunes, that must be specified, too.
3. Communicate the policy repeatedly. A written policy that sits on a bookshelf in the HR director's office won't serve the needs of the company. IT can play a role in communicating policy by asking new hires to sign a document that says they have read the portions of the handbook related to technology, and by setting up logon screens that contain pertinent policy information.
4. Create a level of expectation that workers will conform to the policy, and make sure you have the technology in place to enforce the rules. "You have to build in the audit trails so that you trust, but verify," Gingras says. "Everybody [should know] you trust them, until they give you reason not to." There are many data-leak prevention, content-monitoring, and compliance products on the market that create audit trails of employees' actions related to sensitive data.
5. Constantly weigh the advantages of a flexible work environment against network security. If policies are being abused -- for example, an employee continues to use his personal Web mail account for business communication, therefore potentially putting sensitive information at risk and circumventing audit trails -- consider blocking the use of personal mail accounts at work.

I feel this advice is spoken like a true techie - and is heavy on "banning" and "conforming" to procedures. In reality - this is a difficult balancing act. I like the idea that you trust everyone until you have a reason not to.