Boomers rejoice! Turns out you have little to fear from that tech-dependent Millennial moseying down the street with his eyes on his phone. According to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Bath, UK and Texas A&M University, simultaneous texting and walking affects a walker’s gait and pace but does not make them any more likely to run into anything (or, more importantly, anyone).
The study revealed that to compensate for the decrease in attention paid to walking and thus avoid accidents, texters adopted a more cautious, markedly slower walking pattern. Millennials, also known as Gen Y, may be late to their meetings because they’re walking slower while they text, but at least they (probably) won’t bump into you along the way.
That’s good news for everyone because cell phones have become essentially ubiquitous; according to Pew, 90% of American adults have a cell phone.
So how do you keep Millennial employees engaged even with their need to remain constantly connected via their mobile device? Read our special report on Unlocking Millennial Employees’ Talent for insights, strategies and quick tips.
For full information about the research study on texting while walking and its findings, click here.
Have you ever run into something or someone because you were texting? Or maybe someone has run into you? Let us know on Twitter: @WhatTheGen and @JasonDorsey
