Human Safety at Work

The Changing Nature of Work

The Impact on Employment

The Work Environment

Employee Monitoring

Health Issues

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 1

 The Changing Nature of Work

Impact of Computers on Work:

Some jobs have been eliminated.
Other jobs have been created.
Repetitious or boring jobs are now done with computers.
There is more time for creativity.
Some workers “telecommute.”
Employers can better monitor their workers.
Health issues have been associated with computer usage.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 2

 The Impact on Employment
Job Destruction and Creation

Computers and Unemployment:

• Automation leads to loss of jobs.
• Computerization eliminates some jobs.
• Computer efficiency means fewer jobs.
Computers and Employment:
• The need for computer designers, builders, and programmers creates jobs.
• Growing computer networks creates jobs for administrators.
• The need for training, sales and technical support creates jobs.
• In general, computers make many products affordable to more people .
Thus, more jobs are created to make those products.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 3

 The Impact on Employment

Job Destruction and Creation (cont’d)

Technology, Economic Factors, and Employment:

• Technology is often blamed for massive unemployment.

• The Great Depression was not caused by technology taking away jobs.

• Instead, complicated economic and political factors contribute to job

destruction.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 4

 The Impact on Employment
Job Destruction and Creation (cont’d)
How Have Computer Technology and Other Technologies
Affected:
• Hourly wages?
• Fringe benefits?
• Spending on leisurely activities?
• The number of working hours?
• The percentage of taxes we owe?
• Our productivity?
• Employer productivity?

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 5

 The Impact on Employment
Job Destruction and Creation (cont’d)
Semiconductor Technology Jobs:
• In 1998, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported that chip makers
employed 242,000 workers directly in the U.S. and 1.3 million workers indirectly.
• The chip industry, which did not exist before the microprocessor was invented in
the 1970s, ranked fourth among U.S. industries by annual revenue.
• According to the Department of Commerce, in 1996, there were 506,000 computer
scientists and engineers, 427,000 computer systems analysts, and 568,000 computer
programmers. The Department expected these figures to grow to 1,026,000,
912,000, and 697,000, respectively, by 2006.
• In 1998, 7.4 million people worked in information technology jobs in the United
States.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 6

 But are we earning less?
1970 1997
Average new home size (sq. ft.) 1500 2150
New homes with central heat and air 34% 81%
conditioning
Households with 2 or more vehicles 29.3% 61.9%
Households with color TV 39.9% 97.9%
Households with LCDs 0 89%
Households with microwave oven Less than 89.5%
1%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing 6.9% 2.3%
Median household net worth $27,938 59,398
Shipments of recreational vehicles 30,300 281,000
Average household ownership of sporting $769 $1895
equipment
Americans taking cruises Chapter 8: Computers and Work
A Gift of Fire, 2ed 0.5 mill. 7 4.7 mill.
 The Impact on Employment

Job Destruction and Creation (cont’d)

A Global Workforce
• Some jobs moved from wealthy countries to less wealthy ones.
• Pay rates are lower in less wealthy countries.
• The Internet and Web reduce the need for transportation of people (e.g.
teleconferencing) and paper (e.g. e-mail and attachments).
• The Internet and Web make it easier for information technology (e.g.
software updates) and some service jobs (e.g. technical support) to be
far from customers or employers.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 8

 The Work Environment

Teleworking
Benefits:
• Flexible schedule and work options.
• Reduced overhead.
• Reduction in transportation and parking resources.
Problems:
• Less productive or overworked employees.
• Lack of belonging (social isolation).
• Potential distractions are counter-productive.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 9

 The Work Environment

Teleworking
– Facts:
• By 2000, 24 million Americans telecommuted regularly or occasionally,
up from about four million in 1990.
• Europe had approximately 10 million telecommuters in 2000.
• Working at home in the late 20th century seemed new and unusual, but,
before the Industrial Revolution, most people worked at, or close to,
home.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 10

 The Work Environment

Changing Business Structures

Trends That May Impact the Size and Structure of Business:
• Smaller businesses.
• More independent consultants and contractors.
• More self-employment.
• Small businesses operating globally.
• Multi-national corporations and mergers.
• Decline in number of employees per firm.
• Empowered workers.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 11

 Employee Monitoring

Background
Categories of Employee Monitoring:
• Data entry, phone work, and retail.
• Location.
• E-mail, Web surfing, and voice mail.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 12

 Employee Monitoring

Data entry, Phone Work, and Retail

Types of Monitoring:
• Keystroke: to determine if quotas are met or employee is on task.
• Phone: to determine customer satisfaction and proper use of phone resources.
• Transactions: to reduce theft.
• In retail environments, the purpose of employee monitoring is to reduce theft.
Theft by retail-store store employees amounts to more than losses from
shoplifting ($12.85 billion versus $10.15 billion in 2000).

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 13

 Employee Monitoring

E-mail, Web Surfing, and Voice Mail

Some Reasons Employees Are Monitored:
• Find needed business information when employee is not available.
• Protect proprietary information.
• Prevent or investigate possible criminal activities.
• Prevent personal use of employer’s facilities.
• Check for violations of company policy.
• Investigate complaints of harassment.
• Check for illegal software.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 14

 Health Issues

Manufacture and Use of Computers

Possible Health Problems:
• Radiation exposure from terminals.
• Toxic wastes from discarded computer parts.
• Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) from frequent use of keyboards and other
automated gadgets.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 15

 Health Issues

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

Some Possible Causes:
• Extended use of computer terminal and/or mouse.
• Extended use of automated system (e.g. bar-code scanner).
• Improper user technique or posture.
• Poor ergonomic work area.
Some Solutions:
• Ergonomically-designed keyboard and mouse.
• Ergonomically-designed work area.
• Retraining proper technique (including rest breaks).

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 16

 Health Issues

Repetitive Strain Injury (cont’d)

The Role of Management
• Be proactive.
• Give weight to employee complaints.
• Money spent to prevent injury is less than money needed for treatment.
• Study and modify work tools and procedures to reduce or prevent RSI.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 17

 Health Issues

Repetitive Strain Injury (cont’d)

Legal Issues

• Linking keyboard usage to RSI is not clear.

• Conclusive scientific studies have not been done.
• Should input device makers be held liable for injuries?

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 8: Computers and Work 18