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The role of technology in the evolving workplace

Today’s workforce is more productive than ever before. Workplace productivity and communication have been dramatically accelerated due to the widespread adoption of new technologies. Using information technology has made workers more productive than ever before.

The gig economy

Another effect of digital tools is the ease with which it is possible to work continuously as a freelance writer in what is recognized as the “gig economy.Many apps using the “Uber-for-X” business model across a wide range of industries providing flexible working times to get easy. Gigging, job hopping, or taking on multiple freelance projects is trendy now. On track to employ over 40% of the working-age population by 2020. It affects both employees and employers.” (Vallas et al., pg 274).

Small business owners are also affected by the shifts in the gig economy. Using a third-party payroll framework like Gusto, you can now hire a contractor on a job-by-job basis with the click of a button. Some aspects of running a small business are made easier by technology, but others are made more difficult, such as ensuring accountability or increasing the reliability of your employees. Companies can save money and time in the gig economy by utilizing freelancers. For the first time, companies aren’t offering long-term employment and all of the benefits that come with it.

Better service to the clients

Businesses can better industry to their clients and provide quicker and more individualized customer support thanks to new digital tools in the workplace. Many ways to upgrade the user experience exist today, from using analysis to find where to put targeted ads to involvement in a group listening to discover your customers’ pain points to supplying instant help through online chatbots or automatic vehicle emails. Long-term customer loyalty and higher sales are both possible outcomes of this strategy.

Collaboration is now easier than ever.

Using online communication tools, we can work together more closely even if we work from a distance. Even if you and your coworkers aren’t in the same place, you can still collaborate: Google Drive and other cloud-based file-sharing tools allow teams to collaborate on the same documents from any location using videoconferencing technology.

Working with project management software like Basecamp and customer relationship management software like Salesforce, companies can keep track of the progress their teams are making on specific projects (Parker et al., pg 46). An even simple AI messaging tool could be used to digitize follow-ups or even entire customer support interactions.

Remote working

Changing the workplace is the most significant impact of technology. Telecommuting is an alternative available for people who want to work for the same company but do not have to be physically present at the workplace; telecommuting is available for them. (Kostet al.,pg105). With the help of technology and online tools, working from home has become easier than ever before. The same technological advancements have altered how job seekers search for work and how employers locate qualified candidates.

Searching for a job does not have to be restricted to your immediate neighborhood. Remote jobs currently accepting freelance writers from anywhere can be found by searching the internet and using many job search engines. Although many companies prefer to limit the number of faraway contract workers to full-time employees, qualified candidates can be hired worldwide if they so desire.

Allowing employees to work from their parents’ houses and have their own devices can significantly reduce operating costs for businesses. With very few employees in the company, organizations take up less space, equipment, and utilities. Because of BYOD policies, there is no need to spend money on new equipment each time you hire someone.

Inefficiencies and Productivity Consequences

Even though technology has made many aspects of our lives more efficient, it has also hurt the workplace (Yin et al., pg 12). New procedures necessitate a period of acclimatization. Misunderstandings are exacerbated when screens separate workers. It’s a waste of time to check your email constantly. Automated voicemails can irritate customers. Some people prefer the tried-and-true method of gathering everybody in a common space and discussing it. With a pen and paper, jot down ideas. Any alterations should be made on paper, printed out, and marked up by hand. To sum it up: technology has made offices faster and more interconnected than ever before.

Productivity may be rising, but wages are not keeping pace. The company is anticipated to remain profitable at its present rate. While their work improves thanks to new technology, workers may feel as if they are falling behind. They may believe that technology is transforming the world around them, but they remain the same.

It raises concerns about the future of work and the existence of jobs for employees who may be obsolete by technological advancements. Some job roles are already being eliminated. It is possible to reduce entire departments to a solitary person responsible for a single piece of software. There is the potential for whole career paths to become obsolete.

Email is now a frequent communication skill because of the widespread use of computers in the workplace. Misunderstandings abound as a result of this. Many employees cannot convey their thoughts and ideas in writing effectively. However, even the most proficient writers have difficulty getting a message’s tone in electronic communications. As a result, messages meant to be impartial or even complement can be misunderstood without inflection and body language. To make matters worse, many employees have become so reliant on an email that they have failed to establish meaningful personal connections with coworkers through face-to-face meetings or phone calls.

The adverse effects of technological change can be mitigated in the workplace. Some may take precedence over changes to stress, sleep deprivation, or depression triggers.

If you’re a forward-thinking company, you might see the advantages of going online as a rationale to slow down rather than speed up. Technology can even be used to motivate good behaviors and discourage unhealthy ones. Instead of being asked to handle that many work-related demands, employees may receive notices trying to tell people to take a break in the future.

There are many challenges for modern businesses regarding security in the Age of Mobility. Increasingly, companies are using a variety of platforms and devices simultaneously to run their operations. Cybersecurity risks can arise when people access all of this interconnected data. Data from other apps may be accessible if a hacker manages to gain access to one user’s account for a particular piece of software. Put in place administrative controls to limit access to confidential data to only those who need it so that your employees can protect their accounts with secure passwords and two-factor authentication.

Works cited

Vallas, Steven, and Juliet B. Schor. “What do platforms do? Understanding the gig economy.” Annual Review of Sociology 46 (2020): 273-294.

Kost, Dominique, Christian Fieseler, and Sut I. Wong. “Boundaryless careers in the gig economy: An oxymoron?.” Human Resource Management Journal 30.1 (2020): 100-113.

Parker, Sharon K., and Gudela Grote. “Automation, algorithms, and beyond: Why work design matters more than ever in a digital world.” Applied Psychology (2020).

Yin, Pengzhen, et al. “Coping with mobile technology overload in the workplace.” Internet Research (2018).