Have computers given us more time to spend on our hobbies or have they stolen our peace of mind and increased our discomforts and difficulties in the workplace? Computers and information systems, Internet, public networks, and modern communications are key elements of a widespread and evolving phenomenon that can be called “Digital Evolution”. This dominating phenomenon is permeating to every aspect of our lives and will continue to change society and by extension the workplace. From the beginning of this evolution, we were told that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was invented to simplify our work-life and decrease the complexity of our daily tasks.
Although ITCs have increased the speed of processes and automated many challenging and complex procedures, at the same time they have caused a variety of problems that never existed before. In some places such as IT companies, where IT technologies are playing a critical role, human and computer interaction can be very stressful. In this human-to-computer interaction, it is the computer that will not rest, will not feel, and will not succumb to stress. The anxiety and tension caused by ITC is not what we were promised and advertised by the media. Ads in newspapers and magazines, commercials on TV, and giant posters on billboards all brag about how perfect technology is and often conceal the disadvantages that ITC and ITC alone can bring along.
In contrast to public media, scientific researchers are more conscious about advantages and disadvantages of innovative and modern technologies. If the major goal of ICT is to assist people with their difficulties and consequently decrease their stress level, this goal has not yet been accomplished. In fact, ICT is causing far more anxiety and tension than helping us pave our way to an easy and stress-free life.
According to the 2000 General Social Survey (GSS) of Statistics Canada, nearly 60% of Canadian workers have used computer in their workplace. Moreover, a comparison between GSS 2000 and GSS 1993 shows a 100% growth in the usage of computers and modern technologies at the workplace. In spite of the fact that ITC requires operational skills, its fast growth has caused a tremendous demand for people and organizations to increase their computer and IT skills. In most places, people are expected to know how to operate computers, printers, advanced phones and digital devices. Emails, internet-based communications, and online meetings and presentations are now part of our daily tasks. In an atmosphere that companies and organizations are tightly competing for technological advantages by adopting new ICTs, workers frequently find themselves being surrounded by new technologies and devices that require technical knowledge and skills. In such a demanding environment, “Survival of the fittest” can be read as “Survival of the most-skilled”. In view of the fact that acquiring computer and IT skills is a challenge, it has become a nightmare for a vast number of workers. In fact, a significant amount of workplace stress is associated with the need to learn new ITC skills.
In addition to all the anxiety generated by ITCs, technical failures are not any of help to our hectic lives.Companies and organizations are relying on new technologies so much so that computers and digital systems are taking the control of information flow and business directions. In such environment, computers are the corner stone of communication and procedures. This means that if a technical problem occurs, a huge part of an automated process will fail and this failure causes many consequences such as loss of data, delay or failure in projects, passing deadlines, etc. Each one of the mentioned issues can be held responsible for an immense amount of stress in the work place.
As an IT manager for an IT-based company, I have seen a huge difference between practical and theoretical point of views in IT industry. In theory, we always consider the bright part in which computers and digital devices behave logically and productively. Well, that is not the case when it comes to reality. Implementation of modern technologies can be more complex than what we often see in our estimates and designs, and therefore their consequences can go beyond our predictions. Computers and information technologies are changing our today’s life style and shaping our future. If we were to compare our lives with those of our parents, we would realize that we are experiencing a much harder life and a busier age than they did so without relying on all these sophisticated technologies.
Although ITCs have increased the speed of processes and automated many challenging and complex procedures, at the same time they have caused a variety of problems that never existed before. In some places such as IT companies, where IT technologies are playing a critical role, human and computer interaction can be very stressful. In this human-to-computer interaction, it is the computer that will not rest, will not feel, and will not succumb to stress. The anxiety and tension caused by ITC is not what we were promised and advertised by the media. Ads in newspapers and magazines, commercials on TV, and giant posters on billboards all brag about how perfect technology is and often conceal the disadvantages that ITC and ITC alone can bring along.
In contrast to public media, scientific researchers are more conscious about advantages and disadvantages of innovative and modern technologies. If the major goal of ICT is to assist people with their difficulties and consequently decrease their stress level, this goal has not yet been accomplished. In fact, ICT is causing far more anxiety and tension than helping us pave our way to an easy and stress-free life.
According to the 2000 General Social Survey (GSS) of Statistics Canada, nearly 60% of Canadian workers have used computer in their workplace. Moreover, a comparison between GSS 2000 and GSS 1993 shows a 100% growth in the usage of computers and modern technologies at the workplace. In spite of the fact that ITC requires operational skills, its fast growth has caused a tremendous demand for people and organizations to increase their computer and IT skills. In most places, people are expected to know how to operate computers, printers, advanced phones and digital devices. Emails, internet-based communications, and online meetings and presentations are now part of our daily tasks. In an atmosphere that companies and organizations are tightly competing for technological advantages by adopting new ICTs, workers frequently find themselves being surrounded by new technologies and devices that require technical knowledge and skills. In such a demanding environment, “Survival of the fittest” can be read as “Survival of the most-skilled”. In view of the fact that acquiring computer and IT skills is a challenge, it has become a nightmare for a vast number of workers. In fact, a significant amount of workplace stress is associated with the need to learn new ITC skills.
In addition to all the anxiety generated by ITCs, technical failures are not any of help to our hectic lives.Companies and organizations are relying on new technologies so much so that computers and digital systems are taking the control of information flow and business directions. In such environment, computers are the corner stone of communication and procedures. This means that if a technical problem occurs, a huge part of an automated process will fail and this failure causes many consequences such as loss of data, delay or failure in projects, passing deadlines, etc. Each one of the mentioned issues can be held responsible for an immense amount of stress in the work place.
As an IT manager for an IT-based company, I have seen a huge difference between practical and theoretical point of views in IT industry. In theory, we always consider the bright part in which computers and digital devices behave logically and productively. Well, that is not the case when it comes to reality. Implementation of modern technologies can be more complex than what we often see in our estimates and designs, and therefore their consequences can go beyond our predictions. Computers and information technologies are changing our today’s life style and shaping our future. If we were to compare our lives with those of our parents, we would realize that we are experiencing a much harder life and a busier age than they did so without relying on all these sophisticated technologies.