Objective Proficiency p 12. The Clash Of Ages: How Technology Divides Workers. Extra Listening

Fill in the gaps with a word or expression

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As the generation gap threatens to create a communications 1.___________, if you're a boss, what do you do about employees who love 2.__________, texting and social networking throughout the day? This has many older managers scratching their heads and 3.__________ to define what tech is appropriate in the workplace.

Eric Pro, a 19-year-old electrical engineer at Aquas Inc. in Bethesda, Md., takes a few seconds out from his workday to send a quick text message on his T-Mobile phone. He says he's in trouble with his girlfriend and he's trying to smooth things out.

While Pro may be worried about how things stand with his love interest, recent studies show real tensions are rising between Gen Y, or 20-something employees; Gen X, or 30-something workers; and their older, less 4.___________, baby boomer bosses.

Culture Clash

"I'm old-school, but I am willing to learn," says 56-year-old Carmen Larsen, the president of Aquas, an engineering and IT company. Larsen says she typically reaches for a phone before a keyboard. But her daughters, who work with her, help with the 5.______________/ ____________.

"People go out of the office to take a cigarette break for 10 minutes, people take coffee breaks and people take Facebook breaks," says Emma Evans, Larsen's 19-year-old daughter. "It's kind of become 6.________/ ______ our way of life."

In fact, 62 percent of Gen Y workers say they engage in social networking from work. That's according to LexisNexis, an online information service. The results of LexisNexis' Technology Gap Survey show vastly different attitudes about appropriate technology use among various generations in the work force. And this is creating a 7._______/ _______/ ________ — especially during meetings.

Debate Over Multitasking

"You can have Gen Y-ers who are busy looking at their BlackBerrys. They've got their laptops 8._________/ __________, they're engaging in social networking right during the course of a meeting, and you have a boomer 9._________/ _________/ ___________, not understanding it," says Michael Walsh, the CEO for LexisNexis U.S. Legal Markets. "Two-thirds of boomers that were 10.___________ indicated that they felt that use of devices, technology — such as e-mail, social networking, the Internet, etc. — contributed to a decline in 11.____________/ _____________."

Social Networking's Reach

According to a workplace study on social networking and reputation risk by consulting giant Deloitte, nearly three-quarters of employees surveyed say they think it's easy to damage a company's reputation using social media.

Still, Deloitte's study also found that more than half of employees say their social networking is none of their employer's business.

Sharon Allen, chairman of Deloitte's board, says employers shouldn't put too many rules and restrictions into place: "We do believe as well that the ability to 12.________/ ________ with friends and family during the course of the day allows them to have a better mix of work and life."

Like it or not, technology is 13.____________/ ___________/ __________ between work and leisure. In his book Elsewhere, U.S.A., New York University professor Dalton Conley even coined a term for it: "weisure."

NPR's tech contributor Omar Gallaga has been looking at a new generation of mobile Wi-Fi adaptors that let us log in 14._______/ _______/ _________.

KEY

1. breakdown 

2. tweeting

3. scrambling 
Scramble:  to push, fight or compete with others in order to get or to reach something. Sp. pelearse para. E.g. scramble for something The audience scrambled for the exits. Scramble to do something Shoppers were scrambling to get the best bargains.

4. tech-savvy
Savvy: /ˈsævi/ practical knowledge or understanding of something. E.g. political savvy.

5. learning curve
Learning curve: the rate at which you learn a new subject or a new skill; the process of learning from the mistakes you make. Sp. curva de aprendizaje. E.g. We have all been through a steep learning curve to master the new procedures. We expect a learning curve as we develop the project.

6. built into
Build something into something: to make something a permanent part of a system, plan, etc. Sp. incorporar. E.g. A certain amount of flexibility is built into the system.

7. clash of cultures
Clash: the difference that exists between two things that are opposed to each other. Conflict. E.g. a clash of interests/ opinions/ cultures. A personality clash with the boss.

8. flipped open
Flip: to turn over into a different position with a sudden quick movement; to make something do this. E.g. The plane flipped and crashed. (Figurative) She felt her heart flip (= with excitement, etc.). Flip something (+ adjective) He flipped the lid open and looked inside the case.

9. rolling their eyes
Roll: to turn over and over or round and round while remaining in the same place; to make something do this. E.g. (+ adverb/preposition) a dog rolling in the mud. Her eyes rolled. Roll something (+ adverb/ preposition) She rolled her eyes upwards (= to show surprise, disapproval, annoyance, boredom after someone has done or said something). He was rolling a pencil between his fingers. 

10. surveyed

11. office etiquette
Etiquette: /ˈetɪket/ the formal rules of correct or polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession. Sp. protocolo. E.g. advice on etiquette. Medical/ legal/ professional etiquette.

12  touch base
Touch base (with somebody): (informal) to make contact with somebody again.

13 blurring the lines
Blur: if the shape or outline of something blurs, or if something blurs it, it becomes less clear and sharp. Sp. desdibujar, hacer borroso. E.g. The mist blurred the edges of the buildings.

14. on the go
Be on the go: (also be on the move) (informal) to be very active and busy. Sp. En marcha, moviéndose de un lado a otro. E.g. I've been on the go all day. Having four children keeps her on the go. 

Transcript 

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

There has been a communications breakdown in offices across the country, and it has to do with too much communication. A new generation of employees in their 20s is tweeting, texting and chatting via Gmail and Facebook all at work.

As NPR's Joshua Brockman reports, this has many older managers scratching their heads and scrambling to define what tech is appropriate in the workplace.

(Soundbite of beeping)

Mr. ERIC PRO (Electrical Engineer, Aquas Inc.): It's a bunch of crazy noise.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BROCKMAN: Was that a text message you received?

Mr. PRO: Yeah.

(Soundbite of beeping)

Mr. PRO: I was actually getting in trouble from my girlfriend, so…

(Soundbite of laughter)

BROCKMAN: That's Eric Pro, a 19-year-old electrical engineer. He's taking a few seconds out from his work day to send a text. While Pro may be worried about how things stand with his girlfriend, recent studies show real tensions are rising between Gen Y, or 20-something employees; Gen X, or 30-something workers; and their older, less tech-savvy, baby boomer bosses.

Ms. CARMEN LARSEN (President, Aquas): I'm old-school, but I am willing to learn.

BROCKMAN: That's 56-year-old Carmen Larsen. She's Pro's boss and the president of Aquas Incorporated, an engineering and IT company based in Bethesda, Maryland. Larsen says she typically reaches for a phone before a keyboard. But her daughters, who work with her, help with the learning curve.

Ms. EMMA EVANS: People go out of the office to take a cigarette break for 10 minutes, people take coffee breaks and people take Facebook breaks.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BROCKMAN: Emma Evans is Larsen's 19-year-old daughter.

Ms. EVANS: It's kind of become built into our way of life.

BROCKMAN: In fact, 62 percent of Gen Y workers say they use social networking at work. That's according to LexisNexis, an online information service. The results of its Technology Gap Survey show different generations of users have vastly different attitudes about appropriate technology usage at the office. And this is creating a clash of cultures — especially during meetings.

Mr. MICHAEL WALSH (CEO, LexisNexis): You can have Gen Y-ers who are busy looking at their BlackBerrys. They've got their laptops flipped open, they're engaging in social networking right during the course of a meeting, and you have a boomer rolling their eyes, not understanding it.

BROCKMAN: Michael Walsh is a top executive with LexisNexis.

Mr. WALSH: Two-thirds of boomers that were surveyed indicated that they felt that use of devices, technology — such as email, social networking, the Internet, et cetera — contributed to a decline in office etiquette.

BROCKMAN: According to a survey by consulting giant Deloitte, more than half of employees say their social networking is none of their employer's business. Sharon Allen, chairman of Deloitte's board, says employers shouldn't put too many rules and restrictions into place.

Ms. SHARON ALLEN (Chairman, Deloitte Board): We do believe, as well, that the ability to touch base with friends and family during the course of the day allows them to have a better mix of work and life.

BROCKMAN: Like it or not, technology is blurring the lines between work and leisure. NYU professor Dalton Conley even coined a term for it - weisure.

Joshua Brockman, NPR News.

SIEGEL: And while we're on the subject of weisure, our regular tech contributor Omar Gallaga has been looking at a new generation of mobile Wi-Fi adaptors that let you log in on the go. You can read more on the All Tech blog - that's at npr.org/alltech.

Listen to the story on the NPR website