How to Communicate Across Generations in the Digital World
Netiquette — etiquette for the digital world — is where common courtesy meets the Internet. Netiquette is necessary since business communications have evolved and become Internet-based. Telephone and snail mail are no longer the primary forms of business communication; texting, instant messaging and social media have taken precedence.
People often wonder how the various generations like to communicate. Knowing each generation’s preferences can make a world of difference in business.
Gen Z
- Direct, visual and succinct
- Communicate with images and multitask across several screens
- Short attention spans, communicate in bite-sized snacks with punchy headlines, emoticons, photos and images
- Hate talking on the phone
- Prefer texting or messaging apps
- Like thought-out responses afforded by texts, unlike personal conversations or phone calls
- Will use email, although it is seen as less urgent than a text
- Adapt quickly to new technology
- Grew up with the emergence of the PC, lived through the dot-com bust and the introduction of the cell phone
- Can be reached with a variety of technologies
- The most technologically versatile
- Prefer face-to-face meetings
- Talk on the phone
- Use email, video conference, text, etc.; varies by individual, so their tech knowledge shouldn’t be underestimated
- Stay accessible and visible
- Know what you are going to say before you say it
- Less is more; keep it simple
- Use bullet points
- What’s in it for me? (WIIFM)
- Don’t get bogged down (tangents, lose focus)
- Call to action (again, what’s in it for me?)
- Edit, spell check and review once more
- Follow up