Computers in the Workplace

LESSON 2
 The Ethical Use of Computers in the
Workplace for Workers
• Computer ethics in the workplace is a relatively new,
but quickly growing field of study.
• As computers become more prevalent in the
workplace, more organizations publish official codes of
ethics that cover computer use.
• The rapid advances in technology can sometimes leave
ethical considerations behind, as was seen recently
with widespread, sometimes illegal music file sharing
over the internet.
• When faced with a new technological dilemma, ethical
computer workers use historical and general guidelines
to make informed decisions.
 History of Computers in the
Workplace
• Computers have been used in the workforce
since the 1930s.
• The United States Government used computers
to conduct census counts and create strategies
for defense systems.
• The year 1975 ushered in a new era in computer
science and information systems technology
which would impact the workforce in areas of
training and job creation for the next 35 years.
 1975 -1978: Microcomputers
Introduced into the Workplace
• In 1975, the microcomputer was introduced into the small
business sector.
• Because of microcomputer technology, small businesses
were able to compete with large corporate entities by
having the ability to analyze business data.
• These machines, called PCs (personal computers) could
operate separately from main or mid-frame applications.
• The microcomputer automated various functions which
were redundant in the workforce.
• During this era, microcomputers where the first to use
standard workbooks and business software such as word
processing and database management.
 1978 – 1980: Mid-Range Systems

• Mid-range systems are server based systems

which perform distributed processing through
remote terminals.
• Many businesses and organizations purchased
mid-range systems which were networked for
employees to access data on a real time basis.
• Mid-range systems used custom made software
packages based on the needs of the end user and
management.
• Remote terminals were classified as "dumb
terminals" controlled by the mid range server.
 1980 -1986: Personal Computer
Technology
• The migration of the personal computer into the
workforce changed the business world forever.
• The advantages a personal computer had over a mid-
range system terminal were the personal computer
was classified as an "intelligent terminal" with a hard
drive, memory and storage capacity with the ability to
use other applications instead of being restricted to
one application.
• The personal computer boom created a demand in the
job force for computer technician, application
specialist, network technician and microcomputer
support technician.
 1986 -1990: The New Age of
Information
• Many businesses began to realize computers could
increase productivity and eliminate tedious manual
tasks performed by employees.
• The new age of information changed the way in which
management viewed computers.
• Instead of looking at the personal computer as
"burden" in the workplace, most businesses began to
allocate funds for employees to be trained in computer
applications.
• New degree fields emerged (Information Systems
Management) which merged the concept of applying
software applications to business strategies.
 1990 – 1998: Windows Operating
Systems
• Parallel to the explosion of personal computer usage in the
workforce, Microsoft would introduce its version of the
Windows Operating System to the public through Windows
3.1 to the most current version, Windows 10.
• Windows Operating Systems featured plug and play
technology, work group management technology (to share
files between users working on the same project) with the
ability to operate on 32 to 64 bit technology.
• For businesses using server technologies, Microsoft created
Windows-based server applications such as Windows 2008.
• Computer training institutes such as ComputerPrep
(www.computerprep.com) began to develop courses in
microcomputer technology to teach skills for use of
Windows in the workplace.
1998 to Present: Internet Technology

• In the mid 1990s, the information highway ushered in

the Age of Information which had an impact on
business.
• Businesses included the use of the Internet into their
strategic plan in areas of customer support, e-
commerce and Internet marketing.
• Fear was that the Internet would eliminate jobs from
the workforce, but it accomplished the opposite.
• It created new career fields in business and technology
such as web development, Internet marketing
specialist, Internet consultant and information
management specialist.
 Effects
• The computers of the Information Age have taken over
workplaces.
• They've eliminated some jobs and made other jobs easier.
• For example, food workers, factory employees and even
airline pilots push one button to perform a series of actions
that would've taken several actions, and more time,
without computers.
• This “one button” execution may be viewed as unethical,
because it can lead to a workforce with fewer skills.
• Other ethical concerns include the health and safety of
workers who become stressed from constant typing, or
who develop eyestrain from staring at computer screens
for hours at a time.
 Negative Effects of Computers in the
Workplace
• Computers have transformed the workplace and
society as a whole.
• People and organizations have become dependent on
computers to connect them to co-workers, vendors,
customers and information.
• Computers are used to track schedules, streamline
information and provide needed data.
• Although computers have provided workers countless
tools for business and easier access to information
nearby or abroad, there are negative effects.
• These include more than the obviously dreaded system
failures and cyber crimes.
 Communication Breakdowns

• Due to the prevalence of computers in the workplace, email is now

a common mode of professional communication.
• This has caused a plethora of miscommunication issues. Many
employees lack comprehensive writing skills and can therefore
struggle with successfully communicating messages.
• Yet, even the most-skilled writer can still have trouble with
conveying tone in electronic messages.
• Therefore, without the use of inflection and body language,
messages meant as neutral or even complimentary can be
interpreted as rude or critical.
• To add to this, many workers are so dependent on email that they
have not successfully built a positive foundation relationship via
face time or phone calls.
 Increased Stress

• Learning new computer skills and programs can

put stress on workers, especially older or less-
educated workers.
• In addition to this, employees are constantly
connected to co-workers, clients, vendors and
business networks throughout the workday.
• Because interactions can happen instantaneously,
often with a desire for instant responses, this can
cause additional stress in the workplace.
 Distractions

• According to CNET News, office workers are

interrupted approximately every three minutes by
emails, instant messages, phone calls or other
distractions.
• This causes overall lower productivity as it takes eight
minutes for the brain to achieve a creative state.
• Aside from legitimate work-based interruptions,
employers are also competing against technology-
driven distractions such as social media, online games,
news feeds and even pornography.
 Disconnectedness
• A sense of disconnectedness can stem from a various
areas.
• According to Communications Workers of America,
“many jobs have become more fragmented and job
tasks have been narrowed, leaving workers more
disconnected from the final product.”
• This disconnectedness can lead to less workplace
satisfaction and more workplace boredom.
• Also, collaborating and communicating via computers
instead of in person can leave employees feeling
disconnected from their peers and superiors.
 Health Issues

• Aside from the widely discussed vision and

musculoskeletal problems, according to
Communications Workers of America, there is
an increased rate of heart-related disease in
computer-based offices due to the intense
pressure of having work constantly monitored
via computer.
 How Are Computers Used in the
Workplace?
• The widespread use of computers has
revolutionized many aspects of labor and
business.
• In only a few generations, the computer has
gone from being a mysterious tool accessible
to a privileged few to a common tool used by
people at all levels of labor in almost every
industry.
 Information Storage

• Computers store information.

• Over the last thousand years or so, most businesses stored
information in the form of written documents.
• One of the revolutionary aspects of computers is the
quantity of information they are capable of storing.
• A document containing as much information as this article
could take up about 16 kilobytes of data on a computer
hard drive.
• But, most computers used in 2010 contain at least several
gigabytes.
• In other words, you could save more than 16,000 articles
like this on one computer of below-average cost.
 Computation

• Computers operate via the interaction of complex

arithmetic algorithms.
• As the name "computer" indicates, they perform
mathematically.
• Thus, they are well-suited to any task requiring
mathematic operations. Even modest computers of
the decade from 2000 to 2010 perform millions of
computations per second.
• Mathematicians, engineers, scientists, actuaries and
any other professional working with numbers will find
productivity increased exponentially through
computers.
 Communication

• The use of email, Internet, message boards and

social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn
have been instrumental in keeping workers in
touch both within companies and between
different companies.
• Critics cite the proliferation of electronic chain
letters, jokes and pranks as being detrimental to
productivity.
• But, while workers concentrate on work-related
tasks, the advantages in the speed and reliability
of communication benefits every industry.
 Research

• The Internet as we now know it evolved and grew from

ARPA net, the Advanced Research Project Agency Network.
• As the scientists at research sites across the United States
saw how useful the communication network became, they
and others like them encouraged the development of a
larger system accessible to the general public.
• Now, anyone with an Internet connection can research
virtually any topic imaginable.
• This benefits all industries, but writers, journalists, travel
agents, politicians and lawyers probably get some of the
most use out of it.
 Entertainment
• Bored programmers and other computer workers designed the first
computer games to entertain themselves.
• But, as computers and Internet access became less expensive and
more common, the practice became a much larger and well-funded
industry.
• Now, companies like Blizzard Entertainment and games like World
of Warcraft constitute a huge part of the entertainment industry.
• As of 2009, more than 11 million people around the world played
World of Warcraft.
• Activision's hit, Modern Warfare 2, has surpassed $1 billion in
revenue. Nintendo has produced several platforms and hundreds of
games in the past 20 years.
• While people do not (usually) play these games at work, all of these
products are developed on computers by large staffs of designers,
programmers, artists, musicians, database administrators and even
play-testers.
What Are the Benefits of Surveillance
Cameras?
• Surveillance cameras have redefined security and
protection of homes and businesses.
• The range and options of surveillance cameras
available in the marketplace has encouraged their
deployment in more locations, areas and facilities.
• The latest advances in security cameras and
surveillance systems have elevated levels of security
monitoring, management and enforcement and helped
thwart the activities of even the most sophisticated
and experienced thieves and criminals.
 Prevent Theft and Illegal Activities

• The primary purpose of installing surveillance cameras is to act as

deterrence to robbers, criminals, petty thieves and unscrupulous
elements from indulging in theft, illicit and criminal activities.
• Security cameras are installed in bungalows, townhouses,
apartment buildings, condominiums, schools, university campuses,
offices, stores, malls and other public areas.
• These cameras monitor suspicious activities; stop theft, vandalism
and shoplifting; and alert stationed security officers about real-time
thefts.
• Staff monitoring cameras and centrally manned systems in large
businesses can also inform county and state law enforcement
officials about developing dangerous situations.
Ensure Security Management at Malls

• America's famed and ubiquitous shopping, entertainment

and recreation malls and complexes, which defined
suburban and exurban growth from the 1950s onward, are
generally sprawled over large operational areas.
• It is tough and expensive to maintain armed and private
security personnel to man nooks and corners of malls.
• In recent decades, owners and developers of malls have
installed state-of-the-art surveillance cameras that can be
managed from centrally controlled rooms to monitor
security aspects on a micro level and especially parking lots
and outlying areas.
• Boutique and shop owners at various malls also install
these cameras as a second-level protection measure.
 Shore Up Legal Aspects/Cases

• New-generation surveillance cameras and extended central

command systems can also record audio, sound and voice.
• Sexual harassment, other forms of veiled threats and rough
behavior at the workplace and on college campuses can be
spotted and records maintained on security camera
systems.
• Audio records can be used to buffer legal cases during
sexual harassment cases.
• Employees caught stealing inventory, office items and
other material and denying the same or looking to file
counter-suits can be hauled up in courts with the requisite
video surveillance proof.
 IT and Data Centers Surveillance

• Monitoring security at large IT and data centers has

become mandatory in the Computing Age.
• Every commercial enterprise, large business and federal
government agency, and even small- and medium-size
businesses, now maintain large, back-room IT centers to
facilitate smooth running of business operations.
• Gigabytes and terabytes of mission-critical data reside in
these IT hubs and data centers.
• To monitor the movement of authorized personnel,
workers and other IT staff, and prevent pilfering or theft of
critical storage devices, data and other digital files, high-
tech and comprehensive surveillance camera systems are
installed at these IT facilities and centers.
 Reduced Insurance Premiums and
Taxes
• Security cameras, video surveillance and allied
systems can reduce insurance premiums over a
long period depending on contracts drawn up
with insurance companies and insurance agents.
• Public records of these systems can also protect
insurance companies from fictitious and
fraudulent claims about thefts and robberies.
• Businesses can claim relevant tax deductions on
the purchase of security camera and surveillance
systems.
 Easy Information Access

• Computers have revolutionized the everyday access of

information, whether for business, scientific or
personal use.
• In the space of 15 minutes, you can buy movie tickets,
check the latest sports scores and research different
brands of pickup trucks from your home computer.
• Smartphones, PCs and other computing devices have
standard ways of handling data, allowing a rapid and
free exchange of information.
• Computer software has become easy and intuitive to
use, giving more people access to the information they
want with less effort.
 Automated Machinery

• Computers now control many kinds of machines, vastly

improving the convenience, safety and productivity of their
use.
• For example, computers are crucial to the antilock brakes
that are commonplace in vehicles. Motion sensors fitted to
each wheel continually feed data to a dedicated computer.
• If you brake hard and a wheel stops rotating, the computer
"pumps" the brakes rapidly, restoring proper motion to the
wheel.
• The computer takes action in a few thousandths of a
second, preventing the car from skidding out of control.
 Fast, Accurate Data Processing

• In many areas, computers have taken on small, repetitive

tasks, freeing people's time for more important endeavors.
• Before computers became fixtures in business,
bookkeeping was handled by legions of clerks. Today,
computers process millions of records in seconds,
improving reliability and accuracy while reducing costs.
• Scientists enjoy the same advantage, giving computers the
mathematical chores that were once done with pencil and
paper.
• As a result, research penetrates into the secrets of nature
with greater speed and accuracy than was previously
possible.
 Sedentary Lifestyle

• Computers have made video games, Web surfing

and other forms of leisure possible.
• Although these pursuits led to the development
of whole new industries, they also seduced many
people into excessively sedentary habits.
• Time spent at the computer requires little
physical exertion.
• Because it is common for enthusiasts to play on
their computers for hours at a time, long-term
consequences can include obesity, poor eating
habits, and social isolation.
 Family and Leisure Interruptions

• Laptop computers and other mobile devices

allow many people to work from home or be on
call 24 hours a day, making it harder to keep
work and home life separate.
• Work-related duties can interfere with family
time at a moment's notice.
• The deterioration of boundaries between
personal and professional time can strain
relationships and make it difficult to relax when
you're never completely away from the office.
 Loss of Privacy

• The widespread use of personal computers and mobile

devices has led to an avalanche of personal data in
electronic form, such as contact lists and Facebook
posts.
• Before computers found a place in every home, much
of this information was either disorganized or not
connected.
• The Internet's ease of data gathering combined with
deliberate efforts by businesses to exploit personal
information has led to a widespread sharing of
formerly private data.
•  
 Importance of Computers in a
Workplace
• Computers really are everywhere, from cash registers to
diagnostic tools on auto shop floors.
• Electricians have e-mail. Since mainframe computers first
emerged in the workplace in the 1960s, organizations have
progressively become more reliant on computer-driven
technologies to handle everything from complex data
analysis to daily communications.
• Computers help even the smallest of small businesses to
operate effectively with a minimal amount of resources.
• In an increasingly competitive marketplace, computers
could almost be considered as vital to organizational
survival as food and water is to human survival.
 Knowledge Workers

• Employees who do not produce products or services

do produce information and knowledge. Peter Drucker
classifies these human resources as "knowledge
workers," which can include everyone from
accountants to engineers.
• These workers process information as a matter of
course.
• Computer databases enable knowledge workers across
the organization to use the same information after it is
created just once, and then continually build upon it,
rather than recreating the information over and over
again in different locations and at different times.
 Common Computer Programs and
Applications
• Computer programs and applications in use at
workplaces everyday could be said to be the
tools of the trade for a traditional office worker.
• Examples of these tools include: word processing
for writing everything from simple e-mails to
complex technical manuals; spreadsheets to
record and manipulate data in ledger or tabular
formats; and databases that organize complex
data into information that knowledge workers
can use to make decisions.
 Use-Specific Applications

• Beyond the common applications, more use-specific tools enable

employees to create and maintain websites, presentations and
publications.
• Engineers often use Computer Aided Design, CAD, or more
comprehensive Computer Aided Engineering, or CAE, programs
which enable the development of technical documents and parts
lists in addition to the design itself.
• Enterprise Resource Planning, ERP, and Materials Resource
Planning, MRP, applications enable companies to keep track of
everything from initial sales to the customer's final payment using
the same data.
• The applications follow orders from receipt of the initial purchase
order to production planning, from purchasing to manufacturing,
and from distribution to accounts receivable.
 Collaboration Tools

• Computers also provide knowledge workers with tools to

collaborate with colleagues across town or across the
ocean.
• Tools commonly used include e-mail, instant messaging, file
sharing programs and live meeting platforms, such as
Microsoft Live Meeting and Cisco WebEx.
• File sharing programs such as Microsoft SharePoint provide
for document management and revision control, and
enable employees to build upon each others' information.
• Live meeting platforms make it possible for employees in
different geographic locations to meet in real-time and
actually see information presented on each other's
computer screens.
THANK YOU