It will not be news to employers that over the past few years online technology and culture have evolved in

remarkable and, perhaps, unexpected ways. Nor will it be news that these advances have brought with them new questions and concerns regarding the role of the Web in employment matters. To date, however, the focus has generally been limited to issues such as work-blogging, inappropriate employee online conduct, and employers using Google and social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook to inform recruiting and hiring decisions.

To be sure, these are important issues that merit continued discussion and action. For the most part, however,

these issues are mere effects of a broader cultural transformation that promises to usher in a new era of

creativity, collaboration, productivity, and information in the workplace. Although existing research and commentary on the topic are somewhat sparse, a number of commentators suggest that the next – and, to some extent, the current – generation of young workers will seek those employment opportunities that encourage and facilitate a work environment that enables them to use the online tools, skills, and communities to which they have grown accustomed.[1] Accordingly, employers that recognize the potential benefits of embracing not only new Web technologies, but also the culture that accompanies them, will be poised to reap those benefits.