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IT executives 2040

8 ways Generation Z will transform the future workplace

  • min read
    • Generation Z (Gen Z) – those born between 1997 and 2012, now in their teens and early twenties – is making an impact on the world. Many brands have aligned their products and communication with the generation's tastes and preferences. Employers are adjusting their business processes to accommodate their arrival. Kaspersky welcomes hundreds of Gen Z interns annually, sparking curiosity about what tech industry leaders might be like in 2040. Here's how we think Gen Z will transform the future workplace. 1.   Exploring vast information efficiently Gen Z is the first generation surrounded by tech and the internet since birth. Information on smartphones is their natural experience and knowledge. They effortlessly navigate and integrate torrents of information. They don't mind not knowing things because they can swiftly find the answer. 2.   Developing deeper analytical skills The inclination to dive into pools of information may also lead to shallow and fragmented thinking. Without a critical approach, it could challenge Gen Z as future tech industry leaders. Gen Z must balance leveraging vast information with deep, analytical thinking to become well-rounded and effective in their work. 3.   Moving away from vertical hierarchy As future managers, Gen Z may establish companies with horizontal management structures. In these organizations, transparency, trust and teamwork will take center stage. By prioritizing these principles, Gen Z leaders will build businesses that empower employees and promote collaboration, where each individual's voice is heard and respected. This shift towards more inclusive management could pave the way for more innovative and progressive workplaces. 4.   Valuing own and others' personal boundaries Gen Z places high value on healthy work-life balance. They firmly believe work should bring similar satisfaction to socializing or leisure. It's crucial to allow distance and dedicate time for relaxation. One way to achieve this is refraining from sending messages outside work hours and respecting their boundaries. 5.   Ever-evolving leaders with backgrounds in multiple career fields These young people don't show the same rigid preferences or brand loyalty as previous generations. They can imagine more possibilities, so they fearlessly explore new opportunities and embrace change. They don't hesitate to switch companies and even transition between different career fields. While the average person may change professions three to seven times in their lifetime, Gen Z may have some 10 to 15 different careers over their working lives. Wide expertise and experience open the door for innovative approaches and the creation of novel cross-platform products across different industries. 6.   Being proactive Many managers observed that Gen Z's proactivity stands out. They readily propose creative and innovative ideas that transcend the boundaries of their roles and departments. 7.   Building unique tech startups What's more striking is their willingness to embrace mistakes as part of learning. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z won't wait for the perfect moment to launch a product. They act in the present and don't fear making mistakes. Gen Z will likely lead the charge as CEOs of numerous tech startups, fueled by unconventional product ideas. 8.   Becoming the youngest generation of leaders This boldness and decisiveness will mean a significant drop in the average age of startup CEOs. Young people and even teenagers are already proving successful in running businesses. Generation Z is the future of the IT industry. The hundreds of young people we welcome into internships at Kaspersky each year gain an opportunity to unlock leadership qualities. They already possess the essential traits – we nurture their potential, refining soft skills and technical know-how. Participating in international student competitions, like Kaspersky's Secur'IT Cup or education and internship programs, can be instrumental in the journey of these young people. With determination and support, they will shape the industry and leave a lasting impact on the world.
women who shaped computing, careers, education, history

We should all know about these women who shaped cybersecurity

  • min read
    • The UK's National Health Service (NHS) asks, "Is cyber a man's world?" It's a provocative statement to promote cybersecurity careers to women, but why should we be asking this question today? Surely cyber and computing careers are for everyone. So why are many women tuning out? Today's working wisdom is that diversity benefits teams, but there's slow progress in getting more women to join technology-led careers and keeping them on board. Human computers: The first data scientists The word 'computer,' coined in 1613, was first used for humans who performed computation. Many of the best were women: Nicole-Reine Etable de la Brière Lepaute helped predict Halley's Comet's return in 1758. A century later, Maria Mitchell plotted the planet Venus's motion, earning an astronomy professorship. When the US Civil War ended in 1865, war widows needed to support themselves. Women were hired as human computers. Agnes Meyer Driscoll, known as 'Madame X,' led the decoding of Japanese ciphers and manuals for the US during both world wars. Women solved the ultimate Enigma Britain's Alan Turing is famed for cracking the Nazi's 'Enigma' code during World War II, but it wasn't the work of a lone genius. Of Bletchley Park's codebreaking team, 75 percent were women. Turing's colleague Joan Clarke worked out how to speed up decoding double-encrypted messages, but unlike many of her male colleagues, her technique wasn't named after her. Clarke's job title didn't match her expertise – there was no 'senior female cryptanalyst' role, so she was given the job title 'linguist.' Painstaking calculation devalued as 'kilo-girls' The dominance of women as human computers cloaked an inconvenient truth. Their work was on average better, and they were cheaper than male counterparts. The Harvard Computers, mockingly called "Pickering's harem," supported Edward Pickering at Harvard Observatory in the 1880s, doing work men and scholars found tedious, unpaid or at a fraction of what men earned. The term 'kilo-girl' came about in the 1940s to describe complex calculations seen as 'women's work.' We measure computing power in gigabytes or terabytes, but they measured kilo-girl hours – one kilo-girl was a thousand hours of painstaking calculations. The kilo-girls work was far from trivial: In the 1950s, Gladys West's calculations for the US Naval Weapons Laboratory led to GPS's development. Computing becomes a man's world By the 1960s, human computing had given way to machines. In the 1940s programmers were mostly women, but by the end of the 1960s women made up 30 to 50 percent. Women were still paid less and few were promoted to leadership. The perception computing is for men and boys started at home. A 1984 report showed 1 in 5 girls used a computer at home, compared with 1 in 2 boys. Female computer science graduates peaked in 1984 at 37 percent, before steadily declining. Academic Wendy Hall says by the 1990s, men led professional computing and computers "were sold as toys for boys." Ten women from computer history to know Ada Lovelace invents the first algorithm Publishing the first algorithm in 1843, Ada Lovelace is said to be the world's first computer programmer. She realized Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine could do more than calculation: Combining mathematics and analysis. Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women's achievements in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and encourages young women to follow her path. Hedy Lamarr averts the Cuban Missile Crisis 1940s Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr co-invented a frequency-hopping method to control torpedoes remotely without the risk of signal tracking or jamming. Naval ships were using the technology by the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. It later became part of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Grace Hopper invents new ways to code Grace Hopper created the first compiler for a programming language. She programmed and wrote a comprehensive manual for an electro-mechanical computer based on Babbage and Lovelace's Analytical Engine, Harvard Mark I. She wasn't credited for this but is widely miscredited for coining the term 'bug' when a moth caused her computer to malfunction. She later developed computer programming language COBOL (common business-oriented language) and invented new symbolic ways to write code. Margaret Hamilton took us to the moon The 1969 moon landing wouldn't have happened without Margaret Hamilton, who programmed Apollo's flight software.It needed more 'human computing:' After Hamilton's programming, seamstresses hardwired the code by threading copper wire through magnetic rings. Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler organized the internet At Stanford University in 1969, Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler created the first internet directory, ARPANET, alongside mostly female staff. By the early 1970s, they'd put together the first WHOIS directory of web domain ownership. Feinler suggested categorizing domains by where the computer was, like .edu domains for educational institutions. Women who built new audiences for technology Organizing, building relationships and human factors – often thought of as female traits – are critical in computing projects' success and creating demand for new services. Joan Ball set up the first computer-aided dating service in 1964. In 1988, Stacy Horn started a community in New York, the East Coast Hang Out (ECHO,) where users could chat online. Game designer Brenda Laurel's research showed girls wanted to play more interactive character computer games. In the 1990s, her company Purple Moon developed a best-selling game series inspired by that research. In the 1970s, Joan Margaret Winters researched how software should consider human factors for IBM's SHARE project. When you see the iconic trash symbol on your Apple Mac, thank Susan Kare. She worked with Steve Jobs to design its original icons. Today's influencers for women in cybersecurity When young people see people who look like them succeed in a career, they're more likely to choose it. For women considering going into cybersecurity, there's no shortage of inspiration. Parisa Tabriz, the self-styled "Security Princess" (official title: Director of Engineering,) runs Google's security testing labs. Eva Galperin, Director of Cybersecurity at Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF,) fights for digital privacy, security and civil liberties. Eva Galperin helps women secure their devices against stalkers and spying ex-partners. Rebecca Bace's threat intrusion detection work at the US National Security Agency contributed to famous hacker Kevin Mitnick's arrest. The cybersecurity community nicknamed her 'Den Mother' for her vital mentorship and advice and posthumously inducted her into the 2019 Cyber Security Hall of Fame. Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE creates skills training and certification to encourage young women to pursue cyber careers through her company Stemettes. Jane Frankland, security entrepreneur and author of InSecurity: Why a failure to attract and retain women in cybersecurity is making us all less safe, helps the C-Suite (senior management) attract and retain women in cybersecurity. Attracting and retaining more women in IT careers In the UK, the proportion of women in IT has stayed at 16 percent for the past decade. But in many countries, such as those in Central Asia, women make up nearly half of the IT workforce. It's the gender-equality paradox: In countries with less gender equality, educated women seek careers with more income security, while in countries with better gender equality, women avoid careers said to discriminate against women. There are green shoots of progress. Kaspersky's 2021 Women in tech report surveyed women in four global regions. Encouragingly, 57 percent say gender equality is improving in their organization. Despite this, 44 percent think male colleagues progress faster. COVID-19 has brought one step forward: 1 in 2 think remote working has improved gender equality – but 60 percent say they're now doing "most" of the housework and homeschooling. In the report, Dr. Ronda Zelezny-Green, Co-Founder and Director of Panoply Digital, says change is slow because "too much activity around gender equality in IT focuses on one-off gimmicks and band-aid solutions that can be spotlighted in the press, instead of focusing on female employees and actions that will make a sustained difference in their professional lives." Dr. Zelezny-Green thinks we should entice more women into the industry by creating new products and services for women. Widely-reported diversity problems with Artificial intelligence (AI) could be seen as an opportunity: "There's huge potential in telling the stories of Timnit Gebreu and Joy Buolamwini, black women leading the charge for more ethical and inclusive AI design. These stories make inroads in IT and tech roles where women are currently underrepresented." In a prosperous future, we won't need to ask, "Is cyber a man's world?" or "Where are the women in cyber?" They're not hiding under the desk. They're making change, but in another industry. We're on the right path, but it's a long journey ahead. With more women, we can better create products that represent users and benefit from a gender-equal computing industry.
future cybersecurity jobs

7 new roles we’ll soon see keeping business secure

  • min read
    • Technology penetrates every sphere of our lives, and more devices mean more cybersecurity challenges. How we protect systems is evolving with technology and threats: Routine work like monitoring and response is being automated. But cybersecurity isn't getting less complex – businesses will soon need new, more creative, more diverse roles. While they may seem futuristic, some already exist in one form or another. Given long-term trends, leaders should start planning to recruit for these new roles, coming soon. 1.  AI mentor The rise of AI-based technologies like ChatGPT and voice assistants like Siri and Alexa made new tech more accessible while bringing new concerns around privacy and security. AI's control, regulation and monitoring requirements go beyond product management and development expertise. William Gibson's 1984 science fiction book Neuromancer imagined we'd one day have 'Turing Police' to control AI and AI-based systems, stopping them evolving and becoming independent. Turing refers to famed UK mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing's test to distinguish humans from machines. A need for firm limits on AI is little disputed among experts, with a range of tech leaders, including Elon Musk, signing a open letter asking for a pause in AI development in March 2023. AI Mentors will assess and control AI technology. They may also teach AIs, control access to data and constrain evolution – you might call it, being AI's parent. As AI's complexity and sophistication grows, there will be growing demand for such experts. AI mentors could also develop 'stop' buttons to prevent systems operating on their own. They may also develop protection against malfunction and alternative rescue plans if computers are out of service. 2.  Digital footprint consultant Leaks and breaches negatively affect any brand. Cybercriminals often use threats of reputational damage to extort money from companies once inside systems. A digital footprint consultant will work to protect your brand. However, there's no need to wait for a digital footprint consultant to come on board before you develop strategies to restore your brand reputation after a data leak. 3.  Cyber immunity developer Cybersecurity will change as businesses are forced to rethink how they develop new tech. Embedding cybersecurity principles from the start makes cyber immunity possible – systems so secure that the cost of hacking them isn't worth the reward. Demand for cyber-immune products will see employees scrambling to hire designers and developers with security-first skills. 4.  Threat endurance manager 2022 was a costly year for cyberattacks, with high-profile big tech names like Twitter, Uber and Rockstar Games all hit. Cybercriminals don't shy away from attacking public services and life-saving institutions either, with several universities, the UK's National Health Service and the Red Cross among those attacked. Cyberattacks interrupt production and business processes, pose reputational risks and lead to big financial losses. Health insurance giant Medibank reported a ransomware attack cost them 26 million US dollars. They'll be responsible for business continuity and protect companies by controlling IT systems, responding to cyberattacks and managing software and human errors. 5.  Cyber investigator Cyber investigators already exist, but their work will become more complex and diverse as digital systems get more sophisticated and automated. These specialists normally manage the aftermath of a security breach, covering the whole investigation and eliminating the threat. At Kaspersky, they collect evidence about an incident by analyzing log files and network events, finding indicators of compromise and more. New-generation cyber investigators will be generalists with skills in programming and hacking, but also psychology and decision-making in volatile conditions. They'll also understand robotics and AI, as they must work with emerging systems. 6.  Digital bodyguard Like bodyguards in the physical world, we'll want to hire consultants to protect our digital identities. These bodyguards will protect against doxing – when attackers publish personal data online for revenge – and cyberstalking. They'll clean our accounts and digital history, and guide and support our virtual lives. Pew Research Center found more than 40 percent of US adults experienced online harassment in 2020. Sometimes, online harassment is linked with offline harassment and even violence. Digital bodyguards will help protect us from these kinds of threats, and disrupt and identify the offender when they happen. They may also give victims emotional support. Businesses that provide digital technologies must consider how they'll facilitate digital bodyguards' work protecting their clients. 7.  Space cybersecurity engineer Satellites are the most conspicuous piece of space technology in daily life, used in communications, navigation systems, broadcast media and more. Our reliance on satellites makes them attractive to threat actors. The space industry needs dedicated specialists to prevent attacks, particularly securing operational systems like navigation, engine control and life support. With the advent of space tourism, asteroid mining and new space stations, there'll be rising demand for out-of-this-world cybersecurity experts. What does it all mean for business? The cybersecurity landscape is complex and always changing, giving rise to new roles like these predicted. It's easy for businesses to get left behind. Examples of expensive data breaches at big-name institutions suggest those who invest in top cybersecurity will save time and money long-term. For those developing future technologies, embedding cyber immunity is becoming necessary, especially if your tech will be used in critical services like healthcare and infrastructure.
neurodiversity interview nicola whiting

How cybersecurity businesses are welcoming neurodiverse talent

  • min read
    • Neurodiversity's importance in organizations is gaining steam, with many large, tech-rich enterprises like Ford, IBM and Microsoft reforming their HR processes to ensure they recruit and retain neurodiverse talent. Neurodivergent people have conditions that mean they think differently than others, for example, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. I asked Nicola Whiting MBE, co-owner of Titania Group and NeuroCyber board member,  why neurodiversity matters in cybersecurity and how businesses can be more inclusive and supportive of neurodivergent employees. Gemma: Why is neurodiversity important? Nicola: Neurodiversity – where you have many different thinking styles and perspectives – increases the range of ideas in a business, which means competitive advantage in innovation and resilience. It's the opposite of groupthink – when everyone has similar ideas, so businesses stagnate and make poor decisions. More personally, being autistic, I'm saddened by how many brilliant neurodivergent people struggle to get jobs in our industry, despite the known skills gap. JPMorgan Chase reported in 2021 that neurodivergent employees in certain tech roles may be up to 140 percent more productive than neurotypical colleagues. However, businesses still struggle to build inclusive practices that let all neurotypes thrive. I want to help change that. You're on NeuroCyber's advisory board. What are its aims? NeuroCyber's founder and CEO, Mike Spain, has a neurodivergent son. He saw too few opportunities for neurodivergent people in cybersecurity and wanted to change that. NeuroCyber believes in inclusion at every level – over half the board are neurodivergent. We're driven to improve career outcomes for neurodivergent colleagues, enriching the sector and reducing the UK's cyber skills gap. Why does the cybersecurity industry especially benefit from neurodiversity? In cybersecurity, everything we do is either innovation – creating new things – or resilience against attack and business threat. Neurodiversity is essential for both. For example, if you follow the principle 'to defeat an attacker, you must be able to think like an attacker,' you need a variety of neurotypes because attackers are similarly varied. What about in leadership? Should boards and C-suites consider neurodiversity? Absolutely. Boards should be especially wary of groupthink. Many innovative, well-known entrepreneurs are neurodivergent, like Richard Branson, who is dyslexic, and Elon Musk, who is autistic. There are also many neurodivergent industry leaders who don't disclose the fact because they fear stigma. Which cyber organizations are 'doing it right' with neurodiversity? One organization I admire is Genius Within, founded by Dr. Nancy Doyle. They believe in creating inclusive workplaces, allowing neurodivergent people to thrive and maximize their talents and strengths. What's your advice for companies that want to become more diverse and inclusive of neurodiversity? Follow the principle of 'nothing about us without us' (NAUWU.) Teams that can drive their processes and practices are more engaged and have better outcomes. You should also acknowledge that people have unconscious bias that draws them to prefer working with people that look and think like themselves. You can see it in the questions we prioritize in recruitment like, "Will this person fit with the team?" rather than, "What new skills and talents will they bring, and how will we support them?" There's plenty of fantastic advice on reducing bias in hiring and retaining team members, much of which is free. Companies needn't look far to learn how to improve their processes, practices and culture for greater diversity and inclusion. What will organizations gain if they take action on neurodiversity? Taking action on neurodiversity can mean benefits in terms of growth, innovation and resilience to risk. You'll also gain the personal benefits of inclusive, welcoming work environments. It always pays to diversify. Opinions reflect those of the expert. Interview has been edited for clarity.
ciso turnover

Keeping your CISO engaged will benefit your business. Here’s how.

  • min read
    • Between stress, overwork and constant new threats, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) face countless challenges. And the security of nations, businesses and society relies on their doing everything they can to rise to the challenges. Growing complex threats and the rapid shift to remote work complicate an already expansive role. Today's CISO needs technical skill and the ability to respond fast to reputation-damaging breaches like ransomware attacks. High stress, low retention Many CISOs haven't been in their role long. Research by Cybersecurity Ventures in 2020 found nearly one in four (24 percent) of CISOs in US Fortune 500 companies had been in their job just a year. A further 16 percent had been in post for only two years. There's no single reason CISOs move around more than other C-suite executives, but higher stress probably plays a part. UK domain registry Nominet's 2020 CISO Stress Report found 88 percent – around nine in 10 – CISOs said they were "moderately" or "tremendously" stressed. The same report found average CISO time in post was just two years and two months. Seasoned CISO Matt White, once fashion brand Chanel's Global Head of Information Security Strategy and co-founder of software-as-a-service platform XaaS, thinks CISOs' biggest challenge is lack of understanding from companies and boards. CISOs have an uphill battle – under-resourced with budget and staff while battling red tape and bureaucracy. Relationships make a fulfilling role What can CISOs do to find a role where they feel fulfilled? White suggests considering what a potential employer wants from a CISO. Do they want change or someone to continue the status quo? Although it may be hard to assess before joining, a CISO should investigate how well the organization has established and resourced its cybersecurity. White adds, "It's paramount to understanding the type of company, its level of maturity and how supportive the board may be of changes." If the last CISO left because they didn't have the financial resources or headcount for a good cyber defense strategy, a new CISO should make sure there's since been change. Kaspersky research, in association with Longitude, a Financial Times company, found a closer relationship between the C-suite and cybersecurity teams leads to better security outcomes. Over a quarter (26 percent) of survey respondents said they believed "strong integration between the C-suite and cybersecurity teams will be very important in the next two years." This group also reported they were better prepared to deal with the impact of cyberattacks. It's important senior managers get involved in elements of cybersecurity. If CISOs foster strong relationships with C-suite colleagues, they can help those executives better understand challenges facing IT security. Continuous skill development With new threats and cyber challenges cropping up daily, CISOs must keep their skills and technical knowledge up-to-date. But their role also demands a range of 'soft skills.' "CISOs, like all C-suite roles, need continuous development, not just with technical skills," says Naveen Vasudeva, Founder and CEO of United Arab Emirates-based CyberTree Paradox, a cybersecurity firm focused on small-to-medium enterprises. "The CISO must be a diplomat, skilled in communicating technical things simply, so others can understand and take action." To thrive in their career and ensure a long tenure at companies they enjoy working for, CISOs should build their skill base. This will mean they're as prepared as possible for challenges that come their way. But if a CISO finds they're completely exhausted and can't perform their job because of lack of company support, the best option may be to seek greener pastures. Strong teams are everything C-suite executives have a vital role in improving CISO working conditions and retention. Not all C-suite members can gain a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity. Those who do develop that understanding can show inclusive leadership and better support the CISO. A CISO is only as effective as the team they lead. Highly skilled cyber professionals are in hot demand, hard to retain in a competitive market. A Cybersecurity Ventures 2020 study found unfilled cybersecurity jobs grew 350 percent in the eight years to 2021. A CISO may enter a business and find their staff don't have the right skills, making it hard to succeed in their role. Vasudeva thinks selecting the right team is the difference between success and failure. "You can't do it all, and you shouldn't. Pick skills in your team you can rely on and help them develop their next moves, so you can develop yours. It's about leadership, not management – there's a massive difference." Short tenure hurts CISOs and companies, so everyone involved should address the issue. Kaspersky's 2020 global business survey backs this up, with 38 percent of respondents saying lack of consistent management in IT security is a challenge. Being a CISO for just a year or two isn't enough time to make a real difference or embark on transformational projects, let alone change corporate culture. There is no one way a CISO can fully protect themselves from short tenure, but if they focus on enhancing their skills, build relationships with executives and create a strong team, they will likely find themselves in a strong position. C-suite colleagues have an important role to play in retaining CISOs too – raise your cybersecurity understanding so your CISO can rely on your support.
Designing professional development for Millennials and Gen Zers

For Millennials and Gen Z, today’s professional development needs work

  • min read
    • The generations we call Millennials (born 1981 to 1996) and Gen Z (born 1997 to 2012) now make up most of the global workforce. But despite their numbers, today's workplace may not meet their needs, because they're quitting jobs and hopping between positions in growing numbers. Those businesses that examine how they're retaining, developing and supporting these employees will have a chance to get ahead of their competition. There are signs information overload and mental fatigue are making us all gravitate to short-form content, but Millennials and Gen Z express this preference more strongly – they seem to learn, think and communicate differently from their predecessors. If companies want to boost their performance, organizational resilience and enterprise capabilities, they should redesign their professional development programs to engage these audiences better. Where professional learning is going wrong As a futurist keynote speaker and workshop presenter, I train thousands of professionals on how to adapt to industry change and emerging technologies. I need to bring audiences up to speed and inspire enthusiasm within minutes. But I find IT learning and professional development methods are still tied up in rigorous training programs and demanding certifications that take weeks or months to unpack. In the age of Zoom fatigue, things are going in the wrong direction. I've seen a steady increase in the average length of training I'm asked to give, from under an hour to 90−180 minutes. "Today's IT and security pros need to get up to speed on a rising array of breaking trends, technologies and topics in less time than ever," David Thomas, executive director of online programming at University of Denver, told me. "At the same time, they're pulled in more directions and their concentration is becoming more divided." Microlearning as an addition to traditional learning Experts suggest offering a broader range of learning approaches and educational solutions can help fill the gaps around extensive teaching and training programs. Microlearning especially is gaining ground. This rapid-fire approach to learning means breaking content into shorter, more approachable chunks. It helps promote interest in new topics and gets learners up to speed faster. In a 2018 paper, researchers Ján Skalka and Martin Drlík reported that microlearning, in tandem with more comprehensive training methods like coursework and certification programs, helps offset the impact of decreasing attention. It gives a speedy onramp for tech-related topics, reducing the learning curve, driving interest and boosting learning. Tatyana Shumaylova, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Kaspersky says get-to-the-point, bite-sized learning is central to their cyber education program Automated Security Awareness Platform (ASAP). "We understand that maximum engagement is key to learning, so we put that at the heart of our educational approach. For Millennials and Gen Z in particular, the 'old ways' are ineffective, so we trimmed the fat, banished waffle and keep our modules sharp, interactive and impactful." Greater loyalty to businesses that value learning Researchers at Florida International University found leaders and employees admit there's an issue with maintaining attention spans. They also found young audiences can maintain intense focus but are easily distracted. The research found these younger professionals are "most engaged when working on projects that are rewarding and impactful" and when they're doing "meaningful work and being challenged." These generations also actively look for jobs with more development opportunities and are more loyal if they receive continuing education. Companies must adapt development and training programs to short attention spans to engage and retain them. A Millennial herself, Taylor Tresatti, head of industry research for BIZDEV: The International Association for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, told me she'd found learning and experiential opportunities promised but not delivered many times in her career. So she changed job roles and positions to get them: "As an employee, you have to gain working knowledge of new tools, technologies and trends quickly, without active training or certification from your employer. It would be super helpful to have access to faster and easier ways to master new skills." Investing in tech-rich learning experiences In their 2020 paper Educational experiences with Generation Z, three researchers said younger generations motivate companies to "accelerate and improve the teaching and learning process." This means investing in more technology-powered resources for new ways of teaching and learning, and finding more effective ways to capture and hold audiences' attention. Chris Zimmerman, senior analyst with trend forecasters FutureProof Strategies, told me, "There's a time and place for traditional learning methods and deeper dives. But your first goal in an increasingly frenetic business world should be to pique audience interest. That means looking for ways to present learning material that breaks through daily clutter better. It also means finding better ways to package and present material that bestows working knowledge faster." How to make learning more engaging I recently developed a new training method called POP FUTURE – you can download the instruction manual and guide for free. It's a faster, friendlier way to present learning content, putting future trends, new technologies and emerging business topics in a more intuitive and welcoming context that audiences of more backgrounds and skill levels can understand. My methods include reducing training manuals, workplace guides and reports to quick-hit videos, animated explainers or brief charts, illustrations and infographics. Effective teaching can also include games, exercises and simulations based on real-world challenges, like role-playing strategies for addressing network hacks or data breaches. I also recommend using animated GIFs, eye-catching explainers and graphs, and other social media-friendly content to make simple, understandable visual representations of complex subjects. Developing tomorrow's leaders Millennials and Gen Zers are quick learners, hungry for insight. In a world of shrinking employment tenures, they weigh learning and development opportunities highly when considering jobs. When unforeseen challenges emerge, these audiences won't have the time for traditional learning programs or in-depth curriculums. Supplementing your learning and development regimen with more short-form and microlearning-based content will give your workforce access to more approachable, on-demand learning and speak to more knowledge-hungry employees.
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About Secure Futures

Secure Futures magazine is your go-to business guide for opinions, trends and insight into the world of technology and cybersecurity. We help your business to bring on the future. Brought to you by Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity experts.

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