Technology & The New Way of Working: Chicken OR egg?
Which came first? Was it the drive for a flexible work schedule, a global economy, and two income families that pushed us in the direction of telecommunicating? Or was it the availability of technology that enabled us to alter where, how, and when we work? In today’s age we have an abundance of technology that allows us to work and communicate with people across the globe, making our homes a virtual office. Technology’s Extension of the Office If we were asked what environment we prefer to work in, I am sure most of us would say at home, on our couch, wearing sweatpants. Up until recently, this was just a pipe dream. However, since the New Economy in the late 90’s and the boom of the Internet and technology, this dream has come true for many of us. Multiple access points, tools, aps, new forms of telecommuting and monitoring mean that today’s employees and entrepreneurs can work from virtually at any time. Cloud based storage such as Google Drive or remote computer access systems like GoToMyPC, allow the retrieval of data and documents and eliminate the need of being tied to the office or to one’s device. Online communication systems such as Skype and Viber, enable employees to hold meetings from remote locations minimizing the need for business travel and large in person conferences. The functionality of smartphones, laptops, and tablets combined with the connectivity from WIFI, and personal hot spots, provide the utmost flexibility and have created a new way of working. The possibilities are virtually limitless and support the face of today’s changing business --- dual income families who need more flexibility, global workforces who need to accommodate multiple time zones and the ‘new normal’ of instant access and responsiveness. Technology has created new opportunities and new demands. Or have new demands created new technology? The Drive to Innovate The transformation to a digital work place create the need for new solutions such as software that allows collaboration and data on the go, security measures to protect data and privacy. This trend is expected to continue to meet the growing demand and changing workforce. As society defines a globalized flexible work strategy, advancements in technology will continue and technology will be used to innovative in new ways. One such example is Google Glasses; this virtual reality headset has multiple applications ranging from video gaming to virtual chat. The possibilities are bound only by our own imaginations. Business applications include allowing multiple engineers or architects to collaborate on a single project virtually, to realtors providing a virtual tour of a home in San Francisco to someone in Belgium from their living room in Sydney. Technology and its applications are shaped by the demands of the virtual workforce. The Circle of Innovation The point of technology is to make lives easier, simpler, and more efficient. As technology advances we advance and as it adapts we adapt, as it becomes more efficient we become more efficient…... Or is it the other way around? There is a circular driving force between technology, people and business. Technology will never cease to grow, what really matters is which direction it takes. That is determined by the needs of the market. So which do you think came first, the chicken or the egg? http://www.netregistry.com.au/blog/can-technology-support-flexible-worker/ https://www.shrm.org/research/surveyfindings/articles/documents/09-0464_workplace_flexibility_survey_report_inside_finalonline.pdf Comments are closed.
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