MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010229 2010 University of MinnesotaAssimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceAssimilAting generAtion Y it new Hires into UsAAs workforce: tHe role of An enterprise 2.0 sYstem1,2Dorothy LeidnerBaylor University (U.S.)Hope KochBaylor University (U.S.)Ester GonzalezBaylor University (U.S.)MISQUarterlyExecutiveExecutive Summary2This article describes how an internal system using Web 2.0 tools has been used at USAA tohelpassimilatenewhiresintotheITdepartment.Inadditiontodescribingboththe workandsocialusesofthisEnterprise2.0systeminadistributedmentorshipprogram, weidentifytheindividualandorganizationalbeneftsofusingthistypeofsystem.These include increasing the feeling of cultural belonging, making the environment of entry-level IT workers exciting, and creating high morale among a new Generation Y3 workforce. Our researchalsoidentifedsomefuturechallengesfacingUSAAasitsEnterprise2.0system andnewhireprogramcontinuetoevolve.Thearticleconcludesbyprovidingguidelines for other organizations considering the internal use of Enterprise 2.0 tools as part of their new employee assimilation programs. GENERATION Y EXPECTS TO USE SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOLS AT WORKGenerationYindividualsareavidusersofWeb2.0toolsaspartoftheireveryday lives.4SocialnetworkingsitessuchasFacebook,LinkedIn,andMySpaceare particularlypopularamongthisgeneration.Infact,datacollectedinmid-2009by aPewInternetProjectsurveyindicatesthat72%ofGeneration YInternetusersare onsocialnetworkingsites,withGenerationXersandBabyBoomersadoptingthese tools in increasing numbers.5Asthepopularityofonlinesocialnetworkingrises,increasingnumbersof organizationsareincorporatingsocialtechnologiesinsidetheenterprise,hereinafter referredtoasEnterprise2.0.6Infact,surveydatacollectedinearly2010indicates employeesocialnetworkingtoolshaveincreasedmorethan40%from2009 levels.7DespiteincreasingadoptionandinterestinEnterprise2.0systems(i.e., socialintranets),executivesseemanypotentialpitfallswiththesesystemsandfew organizations fnd their implementation easy or natural. ToshedlightonthechallengesinvolvedinimplementingEnterprise2.0systems, westudiedtheNexussystematUSAA,alargeU.S.-basedprovideroffnancial productsandservicestothemilitaryandtheirfamilies.USAAhasimplementedthis Enterprise2.0systemtofacilitatethesocialization,commitment,andorganizational 1Gerald Kane, Ann Majchrzak, and Blake Ives are the accepting Senior Editors for this article.2WewouldliketothankUSAAforitssupportandhelpwiththisresearch.SpecialthanksgotoDan Herrington,AssistantVicePresidentofBusinessContinuityandExecutiveSponsorforITsUniversity RecruitingProgram;BrianParks,ITDirectorforITProjectExecution;andthe2Gand3GNexusCoreTeam members.3Defned as those born between 1981 and 2000.4For more information about the characteristics, work styles and technology use of Generation Y, Generation X,andtheBabyBoomers,seeSalkowitz,R.GenerationBlend:ManagingacrosstheTechnologyAgeGap, Microsoft Executive Leadership Series, John Wiley and Sons, 2008.5SeeLenhart, A.SocialMedia&Young Adults,PewInternetProject, April20,2010,availableathttp://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2010/Feb/Department-of-Commerce.aspx.6McAfee, A. Enterprise 2.0, Harvard Business Press, Boston, MA, 2009.7SeeWard,T.TheRiseofIntranet2.0:TheSocialIntranet,January21,2010,availableathttp://www.cmswire.com/cms/enterprise-20/the-rise-of-intranet-20-the-social-intranet-007290.php.MISQE isSponsored by230MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceassimilationofnewGenerationYhiresintoitsIT organization.Asdescribedinmoredetailinthe Appendix,betweenMarch2007andMay2010,we collecteddataviainterviewswith33individualsand fromothersources.(Thisdaterangeprecededand succeeded the implementation of Nexus.) Our analysis of the data and review of relevant literature then led to a data coding scheme that captured the impacts on the assimilation of new hires. USAA BACKGROUNDAsof2009,USAAsrevenuewasnearly$17.6 billion,anditsassetstotalednearly$79.9billion. Withamissionstating,Weknowwhatitmeansto serve,thebulkofUSAAsnearly22,000employees consistofcustomer-facingemployeessuchas customerservicerepresentatives,fnancialplanners, claimsservicemangers,insuranceadjusters,and appraisers.Theremainderofitsworkforceconsists ofcorporatesupportfunctionssuchasaccounting, fnance,HR,andIT.Whilemanyinsuranceadjusters work remotely, most of its corporate workforce is in a central corporate headquarters located in San Antonio, Texas.USAAhasfvesmalleroffcesthreeinthe U.S. and two in Europe. In 2009, USAA entered a growth and expansion phase byconductingalarge-scalemarketingcampaign. Although it is known for having a conservative culture andbureaucraticstructure,USAAhashistorically tended toward innovative uses of IT for its customers. Severalrecentinnovationsaimedatmakingbanking asconvenientaspossibleforitscustomersinclude allowingcustomerstoelectronicallydepositchecks scannedviatheircomputers,providinganiPhone bankingapplication,andincorporatingsocialmedia sites like Facebook into its daily business practices.8USAAS IT DEPARTMENTS NEW HIRE PROGRAMWithnearly2,500employees,USAAhasoneof thelargestITworkforcesinthesouthwestU.S. Becauseofitspay,employeebenefts,advancement opportunities,cultureandfexibility,USAAhas beenvotedoneofthebestplacestoworkinITfor 8USAAhaslaunchedexternalsocialmediasitestobuild relationshipswithcustomers,anditextensivelymonitorssocialmedia sites to assess its reputation and solve customer service issues.10consecutiveyears,andin2010,Computerworld ranked it as the No. 1 place to work in IT.9 Inagivenyear,about250(i.e.,10%)ofUSAAs ITworkforceconsistsofpeopleinitsITnewhire program. Aftercompletingthreeyearsofserviceand betweentwotothreejobrotationassignments,IT recruitstransitionfromthenewhireprogramtofully qualifed employees. The typical career path for a new hire to the IT department is to move to higher levels of theentry-levelpositions(softwareengineer,database administrator,networkengineer,ITarchitect),then tochoosebetweenmoretechnicalorbusiness-oriented roles and to progress to project leader, project manager,director,assistantvicepresident,vice president, and, eventually, CIO. USAA has historically struggled to integrate new hires intoitsITworkforceandgaintheircommitment.IT executivesrecognizedthat,fromtheperspectiveof newhires,therewereseveralconstraintsimpeding integration.Onewasthetediousnatureoftheir highlytechnicaljobs. Anotherwasthestrictcontrols onInternetusage,includingapolicythatbarred employees from Internet browsing, accessing personal e-mail,sendingcommunicationsoutsideofUSAA, and using third-party social networking sites. Thefrstconstraintwashighlightedincommentsby new hires, who said that the technical aspects of their jobsprimarilyprogrammingandworkingwithdata storagewerenottooenjoyable.Theydescribedthe technologiestheyworkedonasoldandboring comparedtotheirexperiencesintheirdegree programsascomputerscienceandmanagement informationsystemsmajors.WhileUSAAwasnot abletochangethetechnicalaspectsoftheworkor maketheminherentlymoreenjoyable,itrecognized thatremovingsomeofthestrictmanagerialpolicies (thesecondconstraint)couldimproveemployees, and in particular new hires, morale. One new hire put it like this:10 Ithinkalotofemployeesthoughtitwas unfairthatsocialmediawasamajorpartof ourmemberservicesstrategyFacebook, theInternet,andsocialnetworkingarehuge mediumsforus,yetwewerentallowedto access the Internet at work.9King, J. No. 1 Place to Work in IT: USAA, Computerworld, June 21, 2010, available at http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/349624/No._1_Place_To_Work_in_IT_USAA?taxonomyId=10&pageNumber=2.10Quotes in the text that are not attributed to specifc individuals are taken from the feld notes. 2010 University of Minnesota MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010231Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceIn response, USAA modifed its policies in June 2009 and began allowing access to external websites for all employeesattheirpersonaldiscretion. Amonthafter thepolicychange,anITmanagerexplainedthatnew hireshadembracedthenewpoliciesandenjoyedthe fexibility at work:Managementhasrecognizedthatifthey want to keep the workforce, they need to give themsometimeduringthedaytotakecare ofpersonalbusinessfromtheircomputers.It helpsusbalanceourlives,itmakesusmore productive, and it helps USAA.Whilethischangehadapositiveeffectonnewhires, theyembracedthechangeindifferentways.Four months after starting in USAAs IT new hire program in January 2010, a new hire, who had interned during the summer of 2007, refected on the effect this policy change had had on new hires: They are much more positive. There is a huge difference in the attitude. The ability to access Facebook at work was a huge selling point at thenewemployeeorientation.Thenewhires were[saying],thatissocool,wecanuse Facebook at work, we cant believe USAA lets usdothis.Thischangehelpsemployeesfeel athome.Itletsthemstaysociallyconnected with their family, friends, and other employees while at work. OurresearchshowedthatmostnewhiresandIT managers share the view expressed in the above quote. However,asthequotesbelowshow,newhireswho joinedUSAAbeforethepolicychangeweremore cautiousabouttheirInternetusethantheoneswho started after the policy change: I do not access personal e-mail accounts or socialnetworksforfearofsomeonelooking over my shoulder. (New hire who commenced in May 2006)Imostlydothis[accesstheInternet]onmy iPhonepartlybecauseIdontwantUSAA trackingmeandsoIdontfeelbad[about] usingcompanyresourcestodoFacebook.I guessIamusingcompanytime,butitismy break.Idontreallyusecompanycomputers to go onto Facebook, but plenty of peopledo goonFacebookusingcompanycomputers. Icheckmypersonale-mailonmyphone probablyfveto10timesaday,andIdo Facebookthreetimesaday.Itgivesmea break. I like following the news and politics. (NewHirewhocommencedinJanuary2010 and had been an IT Intern in May 2007) TobetterassimilatethenewhiresintotheIT organization,USAAchargedanITdirectorinJune 2008 with revamping its new hire program. According tothisdirector,whenhetookovertheprogram, Itwassloppyanddisconnected,afterthetraining wascomplete,newhireslostconnectionwithone another. Among the biggest challenges to integrating newhireswasthatmosthadrecentlygraduated fromcollegeandhadmovedgreatdistancestostart theirprofessionalcareerswithUSAA.Theythus hadlimitedprofessionalexperienceandnosocial connectionsinthecommunity.A2010newhire commented, We moved here, and we had no friends. AnotherbigchallengewasassociatedwithITmiddle managers, who were expected to serve as mentors for new hires but were too busy to pay much attention to them.Furthermore,differencesinjobresponsibilities andageimpededmiddlemanagersabilitytoprovide technicalandsocialmentoringfornewhires. RecognizingthatItsimplycoststoomuchtobring newhiresinandtrainthem,onlytohavethemleave shortlythereafter,theITdirectorchargedwith revampingthenewhireprogramdecidedtoleverage thepowerofsocialnetworkingtoimprovethe program. To achieve this, he empowered the new hires to create Nexus, an Enterprise 2.0 system.NEXUSUSAAS ENTERPRISE 2.0 SYSTEM FOR IT NEW HIRESNexusembodiesatechnicalsystemandasocial system.ThetechnicalsystemisbasedonSharePoint (aWeb2.0technology),whichconsistsofavariety offeaturesthatarebothsocial-andwork-relatedand supportsvirtualandin-personsocialnetworking. Whilethelegalramifcationsassociatedwithhaving closedgroupsinorganizationsrequiresthatNexus isopentoanyUSAAemployee,Nexusscontentis gearedtowardintegratingitsmorethan250ITnew hiresintotheorganization.NewhiresareNexuss primaryusers.Inadditiontomanagingitscontent, theyaretheprimaryparticipantsinNexusssocial activities. WhileexecutivesoverseeNexus,itismanagedbya coreteam,comprisingsixelectedITnewhireswho havecompletedtheirfrstyearofemploymentwith USAA.Ratherthanusingstrictpoliciestomanage Nexus,managementgavethecoreteamconsiderable 232MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs Workforcediscretion, hoping it would create a system that would be appealing to fellow new hires. The resulting system blurs the boundaries between work life and social life. Whilethesystemencouragesnewhirestosocialize virtuallyandin-personbothduringandafterthe workday,theyoftendiscussworkduringtheirsocial activities.Indiscussingthecoreteamsdiscretion, Nexussfoundercommented,Youhavetobereally open-minded to what they propose. Thecoreteamsmainresponsibilityistohelp socializenewITemployeesintoUSAAandtohelp themleadevents.AnITvicepresidentcommented, This generation is needy. Nexus takes [responsibility for] socializing the new hires off the manager. Work-related UsesNexusswork-relatedusescenteroncareer developmentandleadershipskilldevelopment.Key featuresincludeaguestspeakerseries,techzones, discussionboards,housecalls,andeventplanning (seeTable1).NewhiresuseNexustosuggestguest speakers,promoteguestspeakerevents,access presentations, and discuss ideas that emerged from the presentations. AnITvicepresidentandNexuss2009 and2010coreteamsconcurthattheguestspeaker seriesisthemostsuccessfuleventNexusfacilitates. Theseeventsexposenewhirestonewpeople,new topics, and new ways of thinking. Past guest speakers have included USAAs CIO and a former astronaut.Thetechzoneanddiscussionboardsprovideforums toshareideas.Inthetechzone,newhiresdiscuss industry trends that may be relevant to USAA, such as newtechgadgetsoutonthemarket.Forexample, inJune2009,newhireswerediscussingapplications USAA could develop for the latest iPhone. Discussion boardsarebroaderthanthetechzone.Theyallow employeestopostideasandprovidefeedback.New hiresarefreetopostanythingfromwhatdoyou thinkaboutthisnewapplicationtogreatwork onthatproject.RecognizingthatITnewhires haverecentlybeeninfull-timeeducationandare technologysavvy,managementfrequentlyusesthe discussion boards to gain their insights. Thehousecallsfeatureallowsnewhirestoarrange visitstootherUSAAdivisionsordepartmentsfor ageneraloverviewofthesiteorhands-ontraining specifc to a position. OneofthemostcommonusesofNexusistoplan eventsfornewhires.Theseeventsvaryinnature. Whilethesystemallowsanyusertosuggestan event,eventsareapprovedbypopularvotes,which aretalliedbasedoncommentspostedinthesystem. WhileNexusandthecoreteamserveasimportant resourcestoassistwitheventplanning,anevent hasanexecutivesponsorandisledbyitsinitiator. Nexusfacilitatescoordination,communication,and networkingbetweentheeventplanner,thecoreteam, the executive sponsor, and the new hires invited to the event. EventsplannedandorganizedthroughNexushave included executive luncheons, volunteer projects (e.g., workingwithWoundedWarriorstohelpseverely injuredU.S.servicemembers),program-coding competitions,andan AmericanIdol-likecompetition. ManagementoverseesthebudgetforNexusevents andrequiresthateacheventfallsintooneoffour areas:networking,careerdevelopment,workforce initiatives, and continuing education (see Table 2).Allofthesework-relatedusesofNexusgiveits membersopportunities(e.g.,networkingwithtop management,projectmanagement,publicspeaking, andleadinglargegroups)thattheywouldnot otherwise have had. Social-related UsesThesocial-relatedusesofNexusincludeasports page, pulse, user profles, maps and entertainment, and relocation information (see Table 3). Table 1: Work Uses of NexusWork Features DescriptionGuest speaker series Forum for providing information about upcoming guest speakers, sharing their presentations, and discussing their presentationsTech zone Forum for discussing new technology products or trendsDiscussion boards Forum for posting and sharing ideasHouse calls Forum for arranging on-site visits or training within other USAA departments or divisionsEvent planning Forum for organizing new hire events 2010 University of Minnesota MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010233Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceThesportspageoriginatedasaping-pongpage buthasexpandedtoincludealltypesofsports.It providesanareaforscorekeepingandfornewhires tochallengeoneanothertomatchesbothduringand after the workday.Nexus users use pulse to send instant messages to and blogwitheachother.Postedcommentsonthepage varywidely.AJune2009reviewofthesiteshowed commentslikeCantwaitforIDOLandCobol rocks.Pulseispurelysocial.Newhiresusepulse tokeepupwithnewfriendsatUSAAorprovide encouragementsuchasGreatfoodatthemeet-up event. Theproflepagesprovideanareafornewhiresto createahomepage,whichmayincludebothpersonal andprofessionalinformation.Newhiresusethese pagesinavarietyofways.Intheirfrstdayswith USAA,theyusethesepagestofndpeoplewho graduatedfromtheiralmamater.Later,theyuse theproflepagestotargetvolunteersandevent participants.Proflepageskeepnewhiresuptodate with recent changes each time they login. The maps and entertainment pages provide a directory andreviewsofrestaurantsandplacesofinterestby geographic location. These pages are dynamic; Nexus allows new hires to add new restaurants and comment on restaurants. Frequent comments fag up restaurants thatofferUSAAemployeediscounts.Newhires comment that they feel more comfortable using these pages than Yellow Pages because they know the online recommendations come from people like them. Newhiresusetherelocationpagetofacilitatetheir transitiontotheSanAntonioarea.Activitiesinclude browsingapartmentlistings,fndingroommates, requestinginformation,andpostinginformation. Thesefeaturesprovidethemeansfornewhiresto familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. Impact of NexusOurninemanageriallevelinterviewees(threeIT executives, one IT director, two middle managers, and three HR professionals) concur that the introduction of Nexus has resulted in better recruiting, higher morale, and better employee engagement. In June 2009, an IT vice president told us:AlthoughitisdiffculttotellthatNexusis thereasonforthedeclineinturnover,since theimplementationofNexus,therehasbeen greateremployeecommitmentvisiblewithin the organization. We are continuing to support Nexusbecauseofitseffectonemployee engagement and morale. Table 2: Nexus Events Must Fall into One of Four AreasArea Description ExampleNetworking Facilitates getting to know and form relationships with other USAA employees. Enables open communication.Nexus SharePoint siteCareer development Provides leadership opportunities and new learning Learn Spanish study groupsWorkforce initiatives Community improvement effortsGirls Scouts Science FairContinuing education Promotes higher education and makes new hires aware of beneft availabilityUniversity Career FairTable 3: Social Uses of NexusSocial Features DescriptionSports page Provides a place to keep score of sports matches and challenge coworkers to matchesPulse Enables instant messaging and bloggingUser profles A users homepage. Provides information such as universities attended, hometown, skills, positions, hobbies, interests, and photos. Has a search capability. Maps and entertainmentProvides directories and reviews of restaurants and other entertainment facilities by geographic areaRelocationFacilitates relocation by allowing new hires to request and post information. Features include apartment listings by geographic area and a roommate locator.234MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceThe Nexus founder observed in April 2010:We have noticed now that they [the new hires] connect better to USAA and our mission, they areusingtheirtimebetter.Theyareworking moreovertime.Faceit,itisdiffculttoget these college-age kids to work overtime. Since wehave[had]Nexus,wevenoticedthatthe new hires billable time has increased. Before Nexus, most of our new hires would get ME (meetsexpectations)ontheirperformance reviews. Now they are getting higher rankings. Thisisanecdotalandmygutfeel, butIthink it comes back to their attitude. They are more connected to the people and the organization, so they are doing a better job. WhileUSAAdoesnotknowwithcertaintywhether thebetterrecruiting,highermorale,andbetter employeeengagementcanbeattributedsolelyto Nexus,ITmanagementcreditsthenewhiresuse ofthesystemforsomeofthesepositiveeffects. However,neitherUSAAnorresearchersfully understandwhytheimplementationofanEnterprise 2.0systemshouldhavesuchamarkedinfuenceon employeebehaviorandemotionalwell-being.Inthe nextsection,weseektoexplainthereasonsforthe apparentsuccessofanEnterprise2.0systemlike Nexus.EXPLAINING THE SUCCESS OF NEXUS WedrewontheBroadenandBuildtheory11of positiveemotionsasweinterpretedthedatathatwe hadcollectedfortheUSAAcasestudy.Thistheory positsthatpositiveemotions,invokedbysome externalstimuli,resultinthecreationofpersonal resources,includingphysical,intellectual,social,and psychological resources, that are then available as part of an individuals repertoire of responses to situational stimuli.12 Over time, positive emotions can accumulate and compound, thus making individuals more socially integrated, knowledgeable, effective, and resilient.Usingthistheoreticallens,ourinterviewdatafrom USAAsuggestedthatthereweretwoprimarydrivers behindthesuccessofNexus:theemotionalresponse ofthenewhirestothesystemandthedevelopment ofpersonalresourcesresultingfromthesystems 11Fredrickson,B.L.TheBroaden-and-BuildTheoryofPositive Emotions, The Royal Society, 2004, pp. 1367-1377, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1693418/pdf/15347528.pdf.12SeeFredrickson,B.L.WhatGoodArePositiveEmotions?, Review of General Psychology (2:3), 1998, pp. 300-319.use.Further,theemotionalresponseandthepersonal resourcesstemmingfromNexususeevolved overtimeasthenewhiresprogressedfrombeing consumersofsystemcontentandeventsintheirfrst year with USAA to being producers of system content andeventsintheirsecondyear.Below,wedescribe thisevolution,whichwegraphicallydepictinFigure 1.The Emotional Response of IT New HiresYear1.Variousemotionswereevokedasfrst-year newhiresdescribedtheirNexususe.Interviewees describedthemselvesashappy,enjoyingwork, fttingin,feelingcomfortable,andfeeling excitedasaresultoftheiruseofthesystem.They described attending meet-up events with co-workers bothduringandafterworkinghoursandclaimedto enjoy hanging out with friends that they have formed throughNexusduringthesemeet-upevents.The frst-year new hires described Nexus as the best tool for getting involved and forming relationships.Asillustratedbythefollowingquote,frst-yearnew hires described the colleagues whom they had met via Nexus as friends or family: TherewasarecentGalluppollthatsays people are happier at work when they have a best friend at work. They asked us as part of the poll if we had a best friend at work, and almost everyone said yes. Nexus helps us with this. It buildsacommunityandmakesushappier.If we have friends at work, we are more likely to stayherelonger.Wehavestrongfriendships, which lead to strong work performance. Thisquoteillustratesthattherelationshipsthatresult fromNexusinculcateasenseofbelonginganda nice,helpful,comfortablefeeling. Anothernewhire likenedtheinternalrelationshipstofamily,stating eventhoughitislarge,theorganizationfeelslikea family. Themetaphorsoffriendsandfamilysuggest that new hires are developing an emotional attachment to their work colleagues and to the organization. Even though blurring the boundaries between work life and social life can often cause stress, the new hires believe thatthisboundaryblurringinNexushelpsthem managestressbyincorporatingsocialactivitiesand relationships into the work environment. Indeed,itistellingthatthenewhiresdescribed workasfunandplayful.Theyexpressedtheir eagernesstounwindandhavebreaksfromwork duringtheworkday.TheNexuscoreteameven 2010 University of Minnesota MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010235Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs Workforceemphasizedthatsomeaspectsofthesystem,suchas pulse,aredesignedtobesomethingfuntodowhile working. New hires talked of using Nexus to take a break when they are tired and incapable of staying focused on work. They viewed accessing and posting information on Nexus as a refresher and an energy boost.Thisisnottosuggestidlenessonthepartof thenewhiresbutratherrelieffromthetediumof someoftheworktheyexperienceasentry-levelIT employees. New hires described much of their typical workdayasboring,routine,andtechnical. Theyenjoyedtherespiteprovidedbyactivitieslike designinggraphicsfortheNexussite,challenging peopletheyhavenevermettoasportingevent(e.g., ping-pong),ororganizinganexcitingsocialevent(a bar-b-que or feld day). While some of these activities arepurelysocialandoccurduringworkhours, theyhelpemployeesformrelationships,builda community,enjoywork,and,ultimately,inthe mindsoftheemployees,getthingsdonefasterand better. Year2.Asfrst-yearnewhiresexperiencethe positiveemotionsthatfowfromtheiruseofNexus, theycontinuetoinvesttimeinthesystem,and bytheirsecondyear,theyarepoisedtobecome creatorsofNexuscontent.Second-yearnewhires expressedemotionssuchasprestige,pride,and satisfaction.Theyfeltprestigiouswhenco-workers usedthediscussionboardtocongratulatethemon aneventtheyhadled.Theywereproudoftheir contributionstothesystem,andtheyweresatisfed with their efforts to help year-one new hires. Asecond-yearnewhirerecountedhowshehad workedformonthsonanAmericanIdol-likeevent thatwasheldduringtheworkdayinJune2009.This eventsimulatedthenationaltelevisionprogram,with newhiresperformingasong,anduppermanagement serving as the judges. At the end of the event, awards werepresentedbasedonthejudgescommentsand public votes, which were taken via text messages from the150ITnewhiresinattendance. Weobservedthis eventduringoneofourcompanyvisitsandwatched manypositiveemotionssurface.Aswewatched executivesandfellownewhirescongratulatethe organizeronthesuccessoftheevent,wesawhow leadinganeventincreasesanewhiresprestige.In aninterviewwithher,sheexpressedsatisfactionand excitement that the executives knew she organized the event,corroboratingthesentimentsofothersecond-yearnewhires,whosaidthatleadingalargeevent helpsthemmakeanameforthemselvesinfrontof the executives. In short, new hires have responded favorably to Nexus and report a range of positive emotions resulting from using it. Table4summarizestheNexususagepatternamong newhiresduringtheirfrsttwoyearswithUSAA. MoststartasconsumersofNexusand,intime, become creators, as explained by one new hire: Figure 1: The Evolution of Nexus Use from Consumer to CreatorYear 2: Nexus Creator RoleYear 3: Exit New Hire ProgramEnter NewHire Programelicits encouragesengendersNexus Use( social emphasis)elicits encouragesengendersNexus Use(work emphasis)PositiveEmotionsprestige pridesatisfactionYear 1: Nexus Consumer Rolephysical socialpsychologicalPersonalResourcesPositiveEmotionsjoy excitementhappiness comfortPersonalResourcesintellectual236MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceWhen I frst joined, I spent time using profle pagestofndoutwhopeoplewereandhow they ft in the rankings. Then, as Ive been here longer, I got more into volunteering for events postedonNexus.Now,Ileaddiscussionson Nexus and use it to fnd volunteers. So, at frst, it was an investigative tool, now it is a tool to get others involved. The Nexus founder made the same point:New hires, during their frst year, use Nexus heavilyforsocialactivities.Itisnearly 100%social.Theyhaveevenwarnedusnot topushtoomuchprofessionaldevelopment through Nexus during the new hires frst year because it will turn them off. They are building experiences and building relationships. When theygettothenextlevel,itisprofessional. Now, theyve built a rapport with the company. Theyareinterestedindevelopment.They wantclasses,mentoring;theybecomethe leadersofNexus.Theyareinterestedinhow the community runs, and they want to help the community run.While it may be tempting to downplay this emotional responsewhyshouldtheynotbehappyabout asystemthatallowsthemadistractionfroman otherwisetediousworkdayandnotbeproudabout asystemthatempowersthemtoleadeventsatsuch anearlyphaseoftheirorganizationalmembershipitisimportanttoconsiderhowthesepositive emotionsmayhavedirectandindirectwork-related consequences.Development of Personal Resources from Positive EmotionsYear1.OurinterviewssuggestthatNexususers developed several personal resources as a result of the positive emotions experienced from using the system. Duringthefrstyear,whennewhiresuseofNexus isprimarilysocial,theresourcesdevelopedinclude socialresources(e.g.,stronginternalrelationships), physicalresources(physicalwell-beingandenergy), and psychological resources (a sense of cultural ft). Newhireswhoarehappyaremorelikelytobe involvedinactivitiesthatimprovephysicalwell-beingandcreategreatersocialbonds.Onenew hiredescribedtheopportunitiesNexusprovidesfor building physical resources:Theyhavebowling,baseballtournaments, and PT practices. A Nexus leader hosts foosball every day for the entry-level programmers. Theseactivitiesoccurbefore,during,andafterwork hours,andincludephysicalsports(e.g.,volleyball), onlinegames(e.g.,Counter-Strike),andsports thatmixtechnologywithphysicalactivity(e.g., Geocaching).Nexussprofleandsportspages facilitate participation opportunities. The profle pages includeahobbycategory,whichhelpsnewhires fndpeopleinterestedinplayingsports.Thesports pagesupportsgamescheduling,scorekeeping,and abilityassessment.Newhiresusedthenetworking featurestoupdateresultsfromsportchallengesand tostayconnectedwitheachother.Nexususerswho participatedinsportsactivitiesbeforeorduringwork reportedfeelingrefreshedintheafternoon,withthe energy(aphysicalresource)toconcentratemore intensely on their work tasks. Similarly,individualswhoattendedmeet-upevents reportedthedevelopmentoffriendships(asocial resource),whichcanbehelpfulinsolvingwork problems.Forexample,anewhireresponsiblefor runningsystemtestsdescribedaperiodwhenshe hadbeenworkingverylonghoursonaprojectthat requiredtheuseofaserverthatwasdown.Asocial contactmadethroughNexuswhohadtheright technicalexpertisehelpedherwiththeneededfx. ThusshewasabletocircumventUSAAsredtape anduseNexussinstantmessagingfeaturetoaccess Table 4: Comparing Year 1 and Year 2 Uses of NexusTime Role New IT Hires Primary Uses/GoalsPositive Emotional Responses Reported by Users Year 1 Consumers Use the directory to learn who people are. Participate in and volunteer for events. Get to know people.Excitement, joy, happiness, and sense of comfort Year 2 Creators Lead events, create system content, spend time getting people to engage in Nexus, take advantage of professional development opportunities.Pride, sense of prestige, and satisfaction 2010 University of Minnesota MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010237Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs Workforcehercontactandacquirehishelpintroubleshooting theserver.Shestated,Iamthankfulforthesupport group Ive picked up through Nexus. Although Nexus wasnotusedtodirectlysolvetheproblem,itssocial featureshadassistedincreatingasocialresource thathelpedtosolvetheprobleminatimelyfashion. Moreover,otherfriendsnotdirectlyinvolvedin solvingtheproblemprovidedasenseofsupport during a stressful time. Whilepsychologicalresourcesaremorediffcult todiscern,wesawsomeevidencethatNexususers wereabletodevelopthistypeofresource.Research hasshownthatemployeeswhoaresatisfedatwork aremoreproductive,performbetter,arelesslikelyto leave,andaremorecommittedtotheorganization.13 Taskvariety,autonomy,workload,learning opportunities,andjobcomplexityhavebeenshown tobeimportantpredictorsofjobsatisfaction.Work tasksthatareconsideredtobeboringorroutinecan lead to job dissatisfaction. The following quote from a member of Nexuss core team shows that while Nexus doesnotmakeworktasksthemselvesmorevariedor fexible,orlessroutine,itdoesmaketheworklifeof new hires less rigid because it provides greater variety and fexibility: IlikeworkingonNexusbecausemyjobis kindofboring.Idoprogramming.Iwould rather do web design and graphics, so Nexus lets me do that. ThisquoteisindicativeofUSAAsnewIThires displayinghighsatisfactionwiththeirworklives. This satisfaction is a psychological resource that helps them to perceive being at work as fun. Even though the work itself is not described as fun, being at work is satisfying and gratifying for these new hires.Year2.Thesocial,physical,andpsychological personalresourcesdevelopedduringnewhires frstyearreinforcedtheirNexususageandledto themusingthesystemintheirsecondyearmorefor work-relatedtasksandbecomingcreatorsrather thanmereconsumersofNexuscontent.Theprimary personalresourcedevelopedbyyear-twonewhires 13For a textbook discussion of workplace issues, see Levy, P. L. ed., Industrial/OrganizationalPsychology:UnderstandingtheWorkplace, HoughtonMiffinCompany,2003.Foranarticlethataddressesthe psychologicalaspectsofwithdrawal,seeMowday,R.T.,Koberg,C. S.,andMcArther, A. W.ThePsychologyofthe WithdrawalProcess: ACross-ValidationalTestofMobleysIntermediateLinkagesModel ofTurnoverinTwoSamples,AcademyofManagementJournal (27:1),1984,pp.79-94.Foranarticlethatexploresworkplaceissues inclusiveofjobsatisfactionandturnover,seePorter,L. W.,Steers,R. M., and Mowday, R. T. Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, andTurnoveramongPsychiatricTechnicians,JournalofApplied Psychology (59:5), 1974, pp. 603-609.wasintellectual(e.g.,learning,problemsolving,and leadership skills). Nexusoffersseveralopportunitiesforincreasing intellectualresources,includinghousecallvisits, meetings,andevents.Housecallsinvolvevisiting otherdepartmentsordivisionstolearnaboutother functionsandjobpositions.Nexusseventplanning featuresallowsnewhirestodevelopplanningskills andbusinessknowledge.Onenewhireexplained howhelearnedthefnancialsideofthebusinessata planning meeting arranged on Nexus: One guy at the Nexus planning meeting was more on the fnancial side. He was the contact betweenthebusinesssideandthetechnical side.Hewasworkingonacompletely differentproject,butheknewalotaboutthe fnancial systemIwasworking on.Iwasjust tryingtolearntheapplication,thevariables, themessages,thelogs.Heknewhowthe applicationworkedforthefnancialteam.At the meeting, I was able to ask him a bunch of questionstohelpmeunderstandthesystem and what I was supposed to be doing. New hires minds and thought processes can be further developedbyattendingandhostingNexusevents. Byleadinganevent,Nexususerscandeveloptheir managementskillsandincreasetheirorganizational visibility,whichmayleadtoadditionalopportunities. Forexample,afterhostingasuccessfulCasinoNight fundraisingevent,USAAsmanagementaskedthe eventorganizerstomanagethecompanysupcoming United Way campaign.Insummary,theuseofNexus,andthepositive emotionsandresourcesgeneratedfromitsuse,is havingamarkedimpactonUSAAsITdepartment. Referring again to Figure 1, which depicts the pattern ofNexususeovertime,useofNexusgenerates positiveemotions,whichformthefoundationfor thedevelopmentofpersonalresources,whichthen encouragefurtheruseofNexus.Whileemotions themselvesareephemeralandattachedtoaspecifc event,thepersonalresourcescreatedthroughthe emotions are considered to be durable and long lasting beyondtheemotionthatinitiallycreatedthem.The personalresourcesthatnewhiresdevelopthrough theiruseofNexusreinforcethepositiveemotions theyfeel,generatinghighcommitmenttotheIT departmentandtheorganization.Furthermore,the personalresourcesarealsousefulinovercoming negativesituations.Asnewchallengesarise,new hires should be better capable of managing the issues, instead of feeling overwhelmed and stressed.238MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceFUTURE CHALLENGESDespite the many benefts accruing from Nexus, three challengesremainforUSAAasitcontinuestobuild onthesuccessofthesystemtohelpintegrateITnew hires into the workplace.Challenge 1: Finding the Right Balance Between Work and Social UsesWhileblurringsocialandworkboundarieshas benefts, fnding the right balance remains a challenge forUSAA.SeniorexecutivesresponsetoNexuswas morecircumspectthanthatofnewhires;executives didnotentirelyembracethesocializingaspectof Nexus.BecausemanyoftheNexus-sponsoredevents takeplaceduringtheworkday,executivesexpressed concernthattheNexusgroupneedsmorediscretion onwhattheydoduringworkhours.Oneexecutive, whileimpressedwiththeturnoutfortheAmerican Idol-likeevent,bemoanedthefactthattheeventis takingthreehoursoutoftheworkday.Hewasleft wonderingabouthowaretheyspendingtheirtime andourmoney?Executiveswouldliketoseenew hiresusingNexustodiscussmorework-related topicsratherthanforsettingupthenextbar-b-quemeet-upevent.TheyrecognizethatNexusisan Enterprise 2.0 system but had envisioned it being used morefordiscussionsonworkprojectsandupdates. AnITexecutivestatedinJune2009thatNexusis currently used for purely social aspects; I wish it was a little more work-related. Becauseithasbeendiffculttoseethebeneftsof Nexusintermsofknowledgesharingandproject teamwork,executivesremainambiguousabout theultimatevalueofthesystem.Ontheonehand, theyareoptimisticaboutthepotentialofNexusto beusedtosharetechnicalknowledgeandwork ondevelopments,but,ontheotherhand,theyare worried that the new hires view Nexus primarily as a tooltomakefriends. Yet,inspiteofthisapparently ambiguousemotionalreaction,USAAexecutives continue to support Nexus. In part, they fear that they must recognize the needs of this new generation to socialize at work, and, in part, they remain convinced that at least some of the increase in morale, increase in engagement,anddeclineinturnoverobservedinthe ITdepartmentisattributabletoNexus.However,in thefuture,seniorITmanagersmightneedtodevelop guidelines about the balance between social and work uses of Nexus. Challenge 2: De-Isolating IT Middle ManagersIncontrasttothefeelgoodperspectiveofnew hires,ITmiddlemanagersexpressedmorenegative emotions about Nexus. They reported feeling left out ofthefunandfelttheywerebeingdeniedthesame exposure to senior management that the Nexus system affordednewhires.Forexample,onefeatureof NexustheCEOluncheonallowsfornewhiresto meet the CEO. One IT middle manager protested that he had never had lunch with the CEO. Other middle managersalsoexpressedenvyattheexposureNexus affordednewhires,aswellastheinequities.Middle managerswerenotgiventhefexibilitytoengagein socialactivitiesduringwork,andsomeresentedthis privilegebeinggiventonewhires.Forexample,one IT middle manager said:Weareexperiencingaproblemwithmore tenuredemployeesfeelingjealousand discontentbecausetheyareneitherableto participateinthesespecialeventsnorgain exposure to top management. Thetensionscenteraroundthespecialopportunities that new hires are granted and how they can integrate their social life into their work life. For example, since eachNexuseventrequiresanexecutivesponsor,new hiresworkfrequentlywithUSAAsassistantvice presidents and get to know them. Since promotions at USAAarebasedondemonstratedcapability(merit) andagreed/approvedthroughcollaborativediscussion amongthemanagementteam,somelonger-serving employees feel new hires have an advantage.Moreover,newhiresusedNexustobondwithone anotherbutnottoreachouttoITmiddlemanagers. Thishascreatedsomecontinuingtensionsbetween middlemanagementandthenewhires,asNexuss founder explained:Wehavehadsometroublewithmid-managementandNexus,especiallyearlyon. They would go to our CIO and complain. The feedbackthattheCIOgavethemeverytime was:Thisisaself-organizingcommunity.If you have an idea for a community, pitch it. ThusanotherfuturechallengeforseniorIT managementistoworkouthowtode-isolateIT middle managers. 2010 University of Minnesota MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010239Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceChallenge 3: Leveraging Enterprise 2.0 Benefts Beyond the IT New Hire ProgramDuringtheirthirdyearwithUSAA,newhires transitiontofullyqualifedemployees,andtheir Nexusinvolvementdecreasessharply.Severalfactors contributetothisdecrease,includingincreased workload, new assignments, and Nexus being branded fornewhires.Todate,USAAhasnotcreatedan Enterprise 2.0 system for longer-serving employees or for employees as they enter management ranks. An IT employee with four years service at USAA lamented:Imisstherelationshipswiththenewhires. Youcanbounceideasoffofthem.Saythey have expertise in DB: if I have a problem or a question, I can just say, Yeah I know that guy andaskthem.Now,Idonthavethatinitial relationship with them.ThusathirdchallengefacingUSAAinthefutureis whetherandhowtoleverageEnterprise2.0benefts beyond the IT new hire program. GUIDELINES FOR USING ENTERPRISE 2.0 TOOLS TO ASSIMILATE NEW HIRES BasedonUSAAsexperiencewithNexus,weoffer fourguidelinesforITdepartmentsinterestedinusing Enterprise2.0systemstoencouragethesocialization, commitment,andassimilationofnewITemployees. Theguidelinesfocusonhowtomanageandgenerate benefts from this type of tool.Guideline 1: Allow New Hires to Self-manage their Assimilation into the OrganizationMentoringnewITemployeesisatime-consuming taskforanylargeITdepartment.Middlemanagers areoftenexpectedtoserveasmentors,yetthey mayneitherdesiretherolenorhavetimeforit.One meansofrelievingmiddlemanagersofsomeof thementoringburdenwhilealsohelpingcreatea welcomingenvironmentfornewhiresistoallowthe new hires to manage their own integration. Enterprise 2.0 tools can help distribute mentorship by separating the social aspect of assimilation from the work-related aspectofassimilation.Theycanalsoprovidevarious opportunitiestolearnskills,tolearnwheretogofor help, and to learn about the organizations departments and mission.PriortotheintroductionofNexus,thementoring programatUSAAreliedonabuddysystembetween newhiresandtheirmanagers,whichwasproving ineffectivefromboththenewhiresandthemiddle managersperspectives.Ratherthantryingtoforce middlemanagerstodevotemoretimetonewhires, USAAempoweredthenewhirestoexpandthe mentoringprogramandtakeresponsibilityforthe socializationandassimilationofnewITemployees. ThenewhiresrespondedbydevelopingNexus, whichhelpedthemcreateandsustainacommunity through both virtual and in-person connections. These connections,alongwithopportunitiestoassume leadershiprolesattheearlystagesintheircareers, increasedthenewhirescommitmenttooneanother and to the organization as a whole. ITprojectchampionsareoftenassociatedwithsenior management.InthecaseofNexus,however,the realchampionswereatthelowesthierarchicallevel, spurredbytherecognitionofmiddlemanagement (principally Nexuss founder who was in charge of the new hire program) that, if given some leeway, the Gen YITnewhireswillfndproductiveandcreativeuses of technology.Guideline 2: Legitimize Use of Enterprise 2.0 Systems During the WorkdayFor an Enterprise 2.0 system to be an effective tool for integratingnewhires,itisimportantthatseniorand middlemanagementassurenewhiresthattheycan spend time during the workday engaging in Enterprise 2.0activities.Newhireswillhesitatetospendtime usinganEnterprise2.0systemandparticipatingin work-sponsoredsocialactivitiesiftheyfearthatthey willbenegativelyviewedbytheirsuperiors.They willalsobeunsureabouthowmuchtimespentusing anEnterprise2.0systemisconsideredacceptable. Managementshouldthereforeprovidenewhires withguidelinesontheappropriateamountoftimeto spendengagedinEnterprise2.0activitiesandshould encourage them to participate in both social and work-relatedactivities.WhileUSAAhasnotyetsuggested timeguidelinestothenewhires,itismakinga concertedefforttoencouragethemtoparticipatein Enterprise 2.0 activities. Managementcouldgoastepfurtherandprovidea simpleonlinemonthlyreportshowingeachnewhire how much time they spent on Enterprise 2.0 activities. Inthisway,newhireswouldbeabletomonitor theirownactivity.Inaddition,suchusagelogscould helpthoseresponsibleforthenewhireprogram 240MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs Workforceassessthesystemsmostusefulfeaturesandassuage managementconcernsaboutthesystemtakingtoo much time away from work tasks.Guideline 3: Seek Senior Sponsors for Work-related EventsSeniorandmiddlemanagementcanhelpensurethe successofanEnterprise2.0systembysponsoring work-relatedeventsthatareorganizedthroughthe system. Sponsoring highly visible work-related events provides three main advantages: 1.It helps ensure that the Enterprise 2.0 system becomes as much a work tool as a social tool 2.It helps new hires meet middle and senior managers and vice versa3.It brings new hires together to work on a common task.In the case of USAA, Nexus users have sought senior sponsors for work-related events. For example, instead ofanAmericanIdol-likesingingcompetitionfor fun,inspring2010,agroupofNexususershosted acodingcompetitionwherenewhiresparticipated inacontesttowriteprogrammingcodethatwould improve the experiences of USAAs customers. In this case, the winners, who devoted much of their personal timedevelopingamobilebankingapplication, wereawardedwithnewjobrotationsinmobile development. ThisexampleillustrateshowEnterprise 2.0systemscanbeusedtohelpmanagement understand what new hires are capable of, resulting in betterworkassignmentsforjobs.Italsoshowshow Enterprise2.0systemsblurthedistinctionbetween work and social activities.Guideline 4: Blur the Social/Work Boundaries to Maximize the Potential Benefts from Social NetworkingToachievemaximumbeneftfromEnterprise2.0 systemsfornewhireintegration,managersneed toallowtheboundariesbetweenworkandsocial activities to be blurred. This boundary blurring may be counter-intuitivetomiddleandseniormanagers,who aremorelikelytohaverisentheranksinabusiness environmentthatvaluedrolecompartmentalization andtheseparationofworkandsocialactivities. USAAsITdepartmentdiscoveredthatnewhires respondpositivelytoblurredwork/socialboundaries. Theblurringcreatedpositiveemotionsandledto thedevelopmentofvaluablework-relatedpersonal resources.Participatinginsocialactivitiesduringthe workdayreducedthetediumofeverydayworktasks by making the breaks from those tasks exciting. These socialdiversionsincreasedthenewhiresenergy levelsandtheirabilitytofocusontasks,andalso creatednetworkstosolvework-relatedproblemsand provide support. MaybeGenerationYisalreadyaccustomedtoliving inamulti-taskingworld,wherecompartmentalizing differentaspectsoflifeintodistinctroleswith boundariesisasincomprehensibleasworkingonjust one task at a time. USAAs IT departments fexibility indealingwiththesocialneedsofGeneration Ynew hiresandtheirwillingnesstobridgethework/social boundaryresultedinaninter-minglingofworkand play,whereworkfeltlesslikeworkandplayhad beneftsforwork.Ratherthancreatingstress,the blurringofwork/socialboundariescancontributeto energized, productive, and committed employees.CONCLUDING COMMENTSTheUSAAcasedemonstratesthatanEnterprise2.0 systemcanaidintheassimilationofnewGeneration YITemployees.TheNexussystematUSAA facilitatedbothworkandsocialactivities,which resultedinindividualandorganizationalbenefts. This type of internal proprietary use of Enterprise 2.0 toolshelpstodistributementorshipacrossthenew hiresandprovidesacentralhubforplanningsocial activitieswithothernewhiresandforacquiring importantwork-relatedknowledge.Thesefndings provideencouragementtootherorganizations considering whether to implement this type of support forGenerationYhires.Basedontheexperiences ofUSAA,wehavealsoprovidedguidelinesfor addressingthepotentialchallengesofimplementing andusingEnterprise2.0toolsintraditionalnewhire programs and organizational settings in general.APPENDIX: RESEARCH METHODOLOGYThisarticleisbasedonalongitudinalcasestudy conductedfromMarch2007throughMay2010. Thisdaterangeprecededtheimplementationof USAAsEnterprise2.0system,Nexus,becausethe secondauthoralreadyhadanon-goingrelationship withUSAAanditscollegerecruitingprogram.We conductedatotalof61interviews,averaging30 minuteseach,with33individualsinUSAAsIT department: 2010 University of Minnesota MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010241Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs WorkforceOne vice presidentTwo assistant vice presidentsTwo staffng advisorsOne program managerOne IT directorTwo IT managers Twenty new IT hiresFour IT internsWe also collected data through: Attending nine meetings Attending three presentations Attending seven job fairs Conducting three focus groups Spending time off with employees (i.e., lunches)Observing an event that had been organized through Nexus Reviewing supporting material such as recruiting material and press releases.Weanalyzedthedatacollectedusingopenand axialcoding.14Weinitiallyreadtheinterviewand feldresearchnotestoidentifytheoriesthatcould beusefulforinterpretingthedata.Afterexploring theories on organizational commitment, organizational climate,andorganizationalcaring,wedetermined thatboundarytheory15andthetheoryofpositive emotions16providedthemostinsightfultheoretical lenses.Usingthesetheories,wecodedthedata 14Foranexplanationofthesedataanalysistechniques,seeStrauss, A.andCorbin,J.BasicsofQualitativeResearch:Techniquesand ProceduresforDevelopingGroundedTheory,Seconded.,Sage Publications, Inc., 1998.15Boundarytheorypositsthatthereareadvantagesand disadvantagestointegratingand/orsegmentingboundariesbetween worklifeandsociallife.SeeAshforth,B.E.,Kreiner,G.E.,and Fugate,M.AllinaDaysWork:BoundariesandMicroRole Transitions,AcademyofManagementReview(25:3),2000,pp.472-491.16See Fredrickson, B. L., op. cit., 1998, pp. 300-319.relatingtoEnterprise2.0systemuseaccordingto emotionalresponsesandpersonalresources.The subcategoriesthatwerecreatedinlaterroundsof coding are shown in the table above.Aftercodingthedata,wedevelopedtablesand modelstoexplaintherelationshipsbetweenthe codingcategoriesusingtwomatrices.Eachmatrix hadourunitofanalysis(i.e.,thepersoninterviewed and their organizational level) as rows and the coding categoriesascolumns.Asavaliditycheck,inJuly 2010,wepresentedourfndingstoUSAAsITnew hires,ITmanagers,andexecutives,andincorporated their feedback.ABOUT THE AUTHORSDorothy E. LeidnerDorothyLeidner(Dorothy_Leidner@baylor.edu)is theFergusonProfessorofInformationSystemsat BaylorUniversity.SheholdsaPh.D.inInformation SystemsfromtheUniversityofTexasatAustin, where she also received her M.B.A. and B.A. (in Plan II).Herresearchhasbeenpublishedinjournalssuch asMISQuarterly,InformationSystemsResearch, OrganizationScience,andJournalofManagement InformationSystems.Herworkisfrequentlycited, garneringmorethan9,500citationsaccordingto scholar.google.Leidnerhasservedasco-Editor-in-ChiefofDataBase,asassociateeditorandsenior editorforMISQuarterly,andassenioreditorfor JournalofStrategicInformationSystems.She currentlyservesassenioreditorforMISQuarterly Executive. Hope KochHope Koch (Hope_Koch@baylor.edu) is an Associate ProfessorintheISprogramatBaylorUniversity, wheresheleadstheprogramscareerdevelopment efforts.Kochhasreceivednumerousawardsfor herprogram-buildingefforts,includingthe2008 ConocoPhillipsFacultyDevelopmentFellowshipand the2009SouthwesternBusinessDeansAssociation Innovative Achievement Award. Her research helps IT Coding Categories and SubcategoriesEnterprise 2.0 System Uses Work-related usesSocial-related usesEmotions of New Users Positive: excitement, joy, happiness, comfort, pride, prestige, and satisfaction Negative: concern, jealousy, stress, and unhappinessTypes of Personal Resources Intellectual, physical, psychological, and social242MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 9 No. 4 / Dec 2010 2010 University of MinnesotaLeidner et al. / Assimilating Generation Y IT New Hires into USAAs Workforcedepartmentsrecruitandretaincollegehiresandhelps organizationsleveragethevalueofnewtechnologies likesocialnetworking.Inadditiontopublishing inleadingacademicjournalslikeMISQuarterly andJournalofStrategicInformationSystems,she frequently shares her research with industry. Ester GonzalezEsterGonzalez(Ester_Gonzalez@baylor.edu)isa Ph.D.studentintheISprogramatBaylorUniversity. She also received her M.B.A. from Baylor University. Beforeenteringthedoctoralprogram,Gonzalez taughtatSouthwestTexasJuniorCollege,whereshe servedoncurriculumandprojectcommittees.Her dissertationresearchfocusesontheuseofsocial networking technologies in organizations.