Observation 4. Digital natives are timely, but not time-managed.

The digital native will move beyond what previous generations called a “work life balance” to a new sort of work life integration. For the digital native, work and social activities are ever-present, in the form of mobile devices or laptops. Digital natives switch back and forth between work and leisure in short bursts.

Takeaway: Companies that praise collaboration, learning and socialization will look more attractive than those that focus solely on structured timeliness and productivity.

Observation 5. Digital natives believe in interactions, not transactions.

One essential and surprising quality they share is a lack of interest in traditional business transactions—based on exchanges of money for goods and services. They are more interested in social interactions.

Socialize your business: An interactive, rather than transaction-based system, values social currency. This generation wants to do business with itself. It will choose to do business with companies that share its ideals and objectives.

Older generations must do more than take up digital tools and emerging technologies if they are to attract and hold young employees and their business. They must take to heart the mindset, behavior, and expectations of the digital native generation and build management models based on the new culture.