Technology has a significant impact on the way we live, work and play. Evolving technologies substantially change the way work is done and enable a wide range of processes that were not possible before. People need to understand the impact of technology in the workplace, especially on the organization and the supervisory role. This paper will discuss how the increased use of technology has affected workplace stress.
Workplace Stress.
Automation is having a profound impact on our lives and the way we work. "A working definition of automation is 'a method of extending the capacity of machines to perform certain tasks independently or nearly independently of human control'- (Muskie, 2000). Much of today's automation refers to processing data by a computer. Office automation, a process we are all familiar with, is a common example of using automation and technology to replace manual operations with computerized methods. .
Other examples of automation, technologies and impact include:.
Jet Engines (more people traveling to more places) .
Microwave Ovens (quick and easy meal preparation).
Workplace Stress 2 .
Television (easy availability of news and entertainment) .
Fax Machines (instantaneous document transfer) .
Cellular Phones (instant accessibility by phone) .
Computers, Internet and home PCs (access to information, enables work at home) (Muskie, 2000).
It is clear that technology has made and will continue to make major changes in the way we live and work. All industries have been changed by technology. In fact, significant changes are occurring in organizations in response to the speed at which technology is changing the work environment. Such changes may include:.
Faster communication within organizations and between organizations .
Increased emphasis on information sharing: access to information tends to be open and somewhat more wide spread .
Accountability for results, not efforts. Reliance on teams (vs.
