University of the Cumberlands Critical thinking on Use of Technology Discussion

All original threads should be at least 250 words. This parameter helps to promote writing that is thorough, yet concise enough to permit other students to read all the postings. The thoughts and opinions expressed in your thread need to be substantiated by research and literature (from the textbook or outside sources). All references should be in correct APA style. While this is a formal discussion environment, you are allowed to use the first person perspective in all your posts since you will be expressing your personal opinions. All original threads should: Bring clarity to the issues being discussed. Raise new and novel (yet relevant) points. Relate issues to personal experience. Rationally defend your stated position.

Technology: A Situation Factor that Affects My Performance

Technology is ubiquitous in the workplace, yet despite its numerous benefits, does not come without its drawbacks. This activity is important because it will help you to identify the positive and negative impact of technology on employee performance and well-being.The goal of this exercise is to give you the opportunity to recommend realistic and effective solutions for managing the drawbacks of technology in the workplace.Read the case about the impact of technology on employee performance. Then, using the 3-step problem-solving approach, answer the questions that follow.Technology is both helpful and detrimental to employee performance and well-being. To set the stage, consider that roughly two-thirds of all full-time workers own smartphones,¹ and some reports show that nearly 50 percent of Internet users regularly perform job tasks outside work.

²What are the benefits of technology? More companies are using smartphones to save time and money. For example, at Rudolph & Sletten, a contractor located in Redwood City, California, workers use blueprint software on their iPads. “The digitized documents partly replace hundreds of pages of construction blueprints that need to be updated so often that student interns handle the monotonous work.” The company estimates that using digitized blueprints can save from $15,000 to $20,000 on a large building contract. This also leads to fewer construction errors because workers are using up-to-date information. Coca-Cola Enterprises similarly uses mobile-centric devices to streamline the workday of its restaurant service technicians. The company estimates that the technology saves about 30 minutes a day per employee.

³So what’s the downside of technology? More employees are working more hours because they use their smartphones and e-mail after hours. This helps explain a Glassdoor report that 61 percent of employees reported working while on vacation.⁴ If you’re wondering why so many do this, the same report offered some insights:

• • 40 percent are concerned about the pile of work that will accumulate in their absence.
  • 35 percent feel only they can do their jobs.
  • 25 percent are concerned of being replaced while away and thus losing their jobs.⁵

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Do you get paid for this “overtime”? Another part of this problem created by technology is the payment of overtime. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees should be compensated for work wherever it happens and when it exceeds their defined workweek (40 hours). This can create a problem if employees respond to or send e-mails after hours. For example, T-Mobile settled a lawsuit brought against them because salespeople in its stores were expected to work 10 to 15 hours “off the clock” responding to e-mails and texts from customers (they were required to give out their phone numbers and e-mail addresses). Many similar suits have been filed, such as by Chicago police officers and satellite dish installers, both of whom were expected if not required to do uncompensated work remotely.

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• ⁶Apply the 3-Step Problem-Solving Approach
• Step 1: Define the problem described in this example.
• Step 2: Identify two potential causes (be sure to link the causes to the problem you identified).
• Step 3: Make a recommendation aimed at each cause that you feel will improve or remove the problem (Be sure your recommendations link to the causes).

• Footnotes
• 1. A. Smith, “U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015,” Pew Research Center, April 1, 2015, http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-smartphone-use-in-2015/.2. L. Weber, “Can You Sue the Boss for Making You Answer Late-Night Emails?” The Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/can-you-sue-the-boss-for-making-you-answer-late-night-email-1432144188.3. S. Ovide, “Meet the New Mobile Workers,” The Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2013, B4.4. M. Thomas, “Vacation Policy in Corporate America Is Broken,” Harvard Business Review, June 26, 2015, https://hbr.org/2015/06/vacation-policy-in-corporate-america-is-broken.5. M. Thomas, “Vacation Policy in Corporate America Is Broken,” Harvard Business Review, June 26, 2015, https://hbr.org/2015/06/vacation-policy-in-corporate-america-is-broken.6. L. Weber, “Can You Sue the Boss for Making You Answer Late-Night Emails?” The Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/can-you-sue-the-boss-for-making-you-answer-late-night-email-1432144188.