????互聯(lián)網(wǎng)設(shè)備制造商思科系統(tǒng)（Cisco System）發(fā)布報(bào)告指出，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)對(duì)于年輕人的重要性不亞于生命。

????共有2,800名30歲以下的大學(xué)生和公司員工接受了調(diào)查，三分之一的受訪者表示，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)對(duì)于他們的重要性和空氣、水、食物以及住所一樣。按照這個(gè)邏輯，他們寧愿窒息而亡，也不愿看不到Twitter更新、欣賞不到好友發(fā)布在Facebook上的搞笑照片。

????假如（希望如此）你讓他們坐下來(lái)，和他們好好暢談一番，你（和他們）就會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)他們不會(huì)真的因?yàn)闆](méi)有互聯(lián)網(wǎng)而選擇離開(kāi)人世。然而，思科的《互聯(lián)世界技術(shù)報(bào)告》（Cisco's Connected World Technology Report）向企業(yè)招聘人員傳達(dá)了一個(gè)重要信息：最好讓員工能自由使用各種技術(shù)和通訊發(fā)時(shí)，否則公司就會(huì)遇到麻煩。

????思科認(rèn)為其研究表明“網(wǎng)絡(luò)在人們生活中扮演的角色越來(lái)越重要”，這也許能解釋身為全球領(lǐng)先的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)路由器和交換機(jī)制造商思科為什么要開(kāi)展這樣一項(xiàng)研究。思科首席未來(lái)暢想家戴維?埃文斯在一份聲明中表示，調(diào)查結(jié)果強(qiáng)調(diào)了“‘產(chǎn)銷(xiāo)者’的生活方式”。所謂產(chǎn)銷(xiāo)者，是同一工作平臺(tái)上專(zhuān)業(yè)生產(chǎn)者和消費(fèi)者的結(jié)合。（例如淘寶、Facebook這樣由用戶(hù)創(chuàng)造內(nèi)容、同時(shí)進(jìn)行消費(fèi)的網(wǎng)站——譯注）。

????這是思科第二次發(fā)布類(lèi)似的報(bào)告，該公司稱(chēng)以后將每年發(fā)布一次。去年的報(bào)告結(jié)果和今年基本一致，雖然思科當(dāng)時(shí)強(qiáng)調(diào)，在年輕員工眼里，移動(dòng)性和靈活性排在最前面；緊隨其后的是互聯(lián)網(wǎng)和生命。

????在最新的調(diào)查中，三分之一的受訪者稱(chēng)，在考慮雇主時(shí)，他們會(huì)將能否在家辦公、移動(dòng)設(shè)備的選擇和“自由使用社交媒體”作為最重要的三大因素，而薪資待遇則滑落至第四位。

????在年紀(jì)較長(zhǎng)的人看來(lái)，或許這樣的數(shù)據(jù)證明年輕人自以為是、自由散漫；毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，這些確實(shí)能說(shuō)明問(wèn)題。不過(guò)好消息是，有三分之二的受訪者仍然選擇了空氣而非互聯(lián)網(wǎng)。

????更為重要的是，調(diào)查顯示，年輕人工作和個(gè)人生活之間的界限越來(lái)越模糊。他們會(huì)“時(shí)刻在線”，從雇主角度而言（從社會(huì)角度而言則未必）這有益無(wú)害。大部分受訪者（70%）在Facebook上和其老板或同事是好友。他們不但在工作中保持聯(lián)系，還隨時(shí)關(guān)注大家在周末的任何重要聚會(huì)。

????有些公司仍然限制員工接入互聯(lián)網(wǎng)，例如他們會(huì)屏蔽一些“浪費(fèi)時(shí)間的”網(wǎng)站，這些公司要注意了；同樣，只許員工們使用特定技術(shù)的IT經(jīng)理們也要注意了。在其它條件都相同的情況下，如果能以較低薪水招到富有才華的員工，前提是允許他們?cè)L問(wèn)Facebook，或是發(fā)給他們iPhone而不是黑莓（BlackBerry），公司何樂(lè)而不為。喜歡浪費(fèi)時(shí)間的員工無(wú)論怎樣都會(huì)浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。開(kāi)放Facebook和Twitter會(huì)使員工覺(jué)得自己能當(dāng)家作主，而且與公司、與其他人緊密聯(lián)系。反之，屏蔽互聯(lián)網(wǎng)只會(huì)讓他們覺(jué)得自己像小孩一樣被公司死死管住。

????譯者：項(xiàng)航

????A study by Cisco Systems (CSCO), which makes equipment that runs the Internet, concludes that the Internet, to many young people, is as important as life itself.

????A third of the 2,800 college students and workers under 30 polled said the Internet is as valuable to them as air, water, food, and shelter. Followed to its logical conclusion, that means they would sooner die of asphyxiation than go without Twitter updates and friends' wacky photos on Facebook.

????Presumably (hopefully) if you sat those respondents down and talked to them, you (and they) would learn that they wouldn't actually rather die than live without the Internet. But the results of Cisco's Connected World Technology Report nevertheless carry an important message for corporate recruiters: you'd better make technology and communications freely available to your employees, or you might be in trouble.

????Cisco says the study reveals the "increasing role of the network in people's lives," which might offer a hint as to why one of the world's leading manufacturers of Internet routers and switches conducted it in the first place. Dave Evans, Cisco's chief futurist, said in a statement that the results highlight the "lifestyles of 'prosumers' -- the blending of professionals and consumers in the workplace."

????This is the second such study, which the company says will be conducted annually. Last year's results were much the same, though the company emphasized young workers' preferences for mobility and flexibility over their preferences for Internet access over life itself.

????A third of respondents in the new report said that, in choosing an employer, they would put the ability to work from home, choice of mobile device, and "social media freedom" above salary as priorities.

????Some older people might see statistics like these as evidence of a streak of entitlement and a lack of focus on the part of younger people, and no doubt those are factors. But the good news is that two-thirds of them would still choose oxygen over Internet access.

????More to the point, the survey reveals that younger people are less apt to make distinctions between their work and personal lives. They are "always on," which from an employer's perspective (if not necessarily society's) can only be a good thing. Most respondents -- 70% -- are friends with their bosses or coworkers on Facebook. They keep up with work along with keeping up with this weekend's keg parties.

????Employers that are still restricting their workers' Internet access, such as by blocking certain "time-wasting" sites, should take note, as should IT managers that are still restricting which technologies workers should be allowed to use. Everything else being equal, if you can snag talented workers at lower salaries by letting them look at Facebook or by giving them an iPhone (AAPL) rather than a BlackBerry (RIMM), it seems like a no-brainer that you should. Workers prone to wasting time will waste time no matter what. Allowing access to Facebook and Twitter makes workers feel empowered and connected -- including to the workplace. Blocking access makes them feel like children.