SelectMinds, a professional business survey organization, posted results of a recent poll of young professionals want in the work place. Connected the internet, e-mail, and portable communications devices of all kinds, but frequently isolated from meaningful dialog about the issues of life and family, it should be no surprise that they are looking for social connections at work.

Quoting from Perfomance Newsletter:
"Today's Gen Y workers demand a high level of connectivity and collaboration with employees at all levels of the organization—but especially with young, like-minded professionals,” says Anne Berkowitch, CEO of SelectMinds, a social networking software company. "Gen Y workers want more than an office and a paycheck—they want to be part of a collaborative network."

What young workers want:
* Networking opportunities.
   Nearly half of Gen Yers surveyed rate the availability of support or networking with like-minded employees to be a very important factor in their job choice. Of all the age groups surveyed, they were most likely to seek professional networks for career development.

* Connection:
   This is often lacking. Just over 80 percent of Gen Y workers say they feel disconnected from the information flow, politics and career opportunities in their organization.

* Friends:
   20 percent of Gen Yers say they have switched jobs because of poor relationships with co-workers. That compares to 14 percent of their older colleagues.

   Would they find colleagiality in a Bible study or coffee hour to discuss the spiritual issues of the day? Would they find support in helping to prepare a dinner, visiting a sick friend in the hospital, caring for a church building, or working through the issues of creating or funding a mission outreach? Would they find friendship sinning in a choir or ensemble, or constructing a home across the border in Mexico?

   I think they would. We all would regardless of age.
And in the process of finding themselves, I believe they would find God as well.

John Cushman