Technology And Labor

Workers who think that technology will abolish the exact jobs they now have probably are correct. Technology does not destroy jobs at all times, but it does create different jobs that workers often are not prepared to fill. Technology produces employee insecurity, stress, anxiety, and possible layoffs, which management needs to handle most carefully in inroducing technology.

Instead of laying-off employees who have outdated skills though they have satisfactory work perfomance, companies must provide and create retraining programs for these employees. Even when management is able to offer comlete job and wage security, still make sacrifices of their time and energy for retraining.

Many union leaders have recognized that technology is essential for long-run emlouee gains and have voiced their support. Approaches differ among unions because technology affects their members differently ang because unions have different philosophies.

Social Effect Of Technology

A major tool intended for improving white-collar productivity and communications is information technology. This includes the use of software, computers, and telecommucications for a wide variety of applications. Information technology can reduce human labor in automated processes, bring vast amounts of detailed information to bear on decisions, transfer data with great speeds among networked users, and facilitate the tracking of product flows. It has been used to create electronic mail systems, expedite brainstorming sessions, and allow employees around the world to hold electonic conferences or work as a team on design projects. All these applications require its human user to adapt in new ways to not work face- to -face others to sit at a keyboard and screen for long periods. and to use their minds rather than direct contact with their minds rather than direct contact with their hands.

Customer orders can be filled faster, budget analyses can be perfomed more accurately, complex manufacturing processes can be controlled with less variations and orders to suppliers can be transmitted rapidly.