Technology allows employers to cross the line from monitoring the work to monitoring the worker –Cindia Cameron, National Association of Working Women. Here I would like to discuss about how technologies control us. Nowadays, technology has controlled our daily life. We indirectly become the 'victim' of the human creation. It is true that computer is one of a basic need today, but computers seems to be a nightmare to the workers as computers are commonly used in monitoring workers at factories and clerical offices. Bosses monitoring the worker, prodding them to work faster and discouraging conversation and breaks. All of the workers actions has been monitored, like reduce the amount of time spend on each calls, record the phone conversation. This is too ridiculous to treat the workers who work for their profit to the company like that. The employer treats the workers like robots machines not people- expected them to work more than they can do as a human being.
Work monitoring using the technology becomes more ridiculous as the employer interrupts the workers personal lives. The employer easily can read an employer's e-mail and can see where each of the workers is, even when they go to the bathroom. This has diminishes the worker's dignity and liberty and destroys confidence. Is this the real function of why the technology is invented? In some points, employer seems to misuses the function of technology. Here we can see that, technology acts beyond what they suppose to do- help human in doing work. This happened because of a small groups of people who really want to gain profit without thinking about the welfare of the workers.
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Workplace monitoring has increased with the introduction and widespread implementation of computer technology. Computers allow employers the wherewithal to track every action of their employees, which often results in monitoring that exceeds need. Tracking the location of nurses in a hospital is extreme and unnecessary. Tracking soldiers on the field of battle is not – detailed information regarding the positioning of allied forces is necessary to both the coordination of attacks and the elimination of fratricide. Monitoring, even at the extreme of position noting, is allowable by situation. However, it is absolutely imperative that employees be notified prior to monitoring and that the monitoring extends only to work related matters. Should these guidelines be met, I see no reason for workers to fear observation. Monitoring implemented under these conditions will not interrupt a worker's personal life, as no personal activities should be undertaken while in a working environment. It is only natural for an employer to wish to ensure the productivity and focus of his workers. Monitoring as I have defined it will only impinge upon a worker's liberty in that it prevents use of time on personal matters or leisure, both of which can readily be regarded as a breach of employer-employee trust. The employer pays the worker to work, and as long as the employee fulfills his obligation, reasonable monitoring should not be resented.
Technology does partly control our lives. It is all around us. From first hand experience, I am on my Macbook for the majority of the day. Constantly checking e-mail, facebook, and typing Word documents like these. Currently technology is controlling me because in order to fulfill the requirement of a grade, I must log in to Blog. Like those in who work for businesses, I also work but as a student. I agree that we are victims of technology but I do not see this as a problem. I believe it is an effect of progress in society that we are forced to recon with. Although employees are on the job being monitored by their bosses and being controlled “like robots” rather than humans, it is a circumstance that the worker must face to earn their salary. Leisure time is not the job description. Technology is not harming workers through monitoring but ensuring the company that the worker is earning what work he/she is putting in. If the employee is hired to fulfill the obligation of work, then the employer should have the right to enforce this obligation. Therefore, technology isn’t misused to harm the idea of freedom in the workplace, nor does it diminish the confidence of the worker. Technology is only helping to encourage the efficiency and security of production.
Although I understand the idea behind monitoring employees at the workplace, I belive that it IS misused. I agree with the blog that it does, to a certain extent, destroy the confidence of the worker. As stated in the Baase article, some companies make records of their employees performance public so that everyone in the office is able to see them. This not only causes stress, it causes the depletion of the employee's confidnece. Instead of promoting harder work, the people who are lower on the spectrum are just discouraged. When the employees are discouraged, this does not help them, nor does it help the company. Monitoring to this extent is not necessary. I also agree that technology is sometimes misused. Just because we have the capability to do something, doesnt necessarily mean that it needs to be done. Monitoring employees' computer screens as to see every stroke that they type, for example, seems like excessive monitoring. Although the employees' should be dedicated to fulfilling their role at the company, they should also have a certain degree of privacy guaranteed to them.
Computer and other technological improvements have turned monitoring into full-fledged supervising. Monitoring, in terms of regulating business activities, is great so long as the good of both the employee and the customer are kept in check. But with phone tapping, e-mail documention, video recording, etc., “monitoring” has turned into full-fledged scrutinizing.
For example, by scrutinizing (or in politically correct terms, “monitoring”) an employee’s phone interaction with a customer, a supervisor asks, “How could the phone call be made shorter to accommodate more customers with fewer employees?” But in this instance, only the betterment of the company is being considered. What about the customer? Would a shorter interaction result in the same quality of customer service? Chances are, if a company is monitoring employees and looking to cut costs in order to increase profits, they are only considering the scenario from a single point of view. It is important to realize that quality of work by the employee is also a direct correlation to profits.
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