Technology and the Workplace – What Does the Future Hold?
Stephen Nesbitt | IT Recruiter | Twitter | Linkedin
The way we work today has never been more different to the traditional idea of an office or other work environment. Technology has made our professional lives much easier over the last few years and has changed everything from the way we work to the type of work we now do and the expectations that we set ourselves.
The main driver behind this change in working attitudes has been the rise of mobile technologies. Mobile Apps and devices have made our personal and professional lives more productive, and easier to manage. This blog post asks how technology will further change our working lives in the near future and takes a look at some of the potential changes set to hit office cubicles and bullpens everywhere.
How Have We Changed?
This Wired article takes a look at a recent survey from Avanade on how companies have adapted, altered or changed their business practices to become more mobile friendly. The key takeaways from that article are fascinating – productivity, quality of work and even sales have increased with the adoption of mobile technologies.
What Can We Expect to See in the Future?
The key to the success and global popularity of tablets, smartphones and other devices is mobility and simplicity. Think of your favorite mobile apps, they are all easy to use and have a clearly defined purpose. With our working lives becoming less structured around the office, future technologies will make it easier to work from anywhere. Mobile devices will become more powerful and more secure and we will rely less on the office for getting work done. An increase in productivity is the end goal for any new workplace technologies.
Klaus Holse Andersen – Vice President, Microsoft Western Europe outlines his view of the new world of work, centering around three core dimensions:
-
People – Technology is becoming more of an everyday aspect of life as new digital tools allow us to communicate and work in different ways.
-
Places – Due to increased connectivity, we now have to ability to work on the go – be it during our commute, in an airport departure lounge or from home. This fluidity has shifted how modern society works.
-
Technology – Building on from that point, Klaus mentions that we are no longer required to work from a designated ‘office’. On top of this, 9 to 5 is going out the window with technology lending to us being able to work anytime, anyplace and anywhere.
Currently at Microsoft they are actively encouraging working from home and less rigid working hours and are seeing a large increase in productivity in return! Read the rest of Klaus’ article here.
How Will Your Life Continue to Change as an Employee?
The idea that work is solely a means to a paycheck is rapidly changing. Now that we have the tools to work remotely and while on the move it is more and more noticeable if you are the employee who simply ‘shows up’. We all live in a consumer driven environment, so much so that the tools currently used for business are increasingly adaptations of consumer and social tools currently available. For example, as Forbes contributing writer Jacob Morgan puts it:
“Technologies such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Foursquare and many others have given rise to more robust and business oriented counterparts such as Jive, Yammer, Chatter, and dozens of others”
As an employee, your goal now is not just to be the best you can be at your job, but to also build your own personal career brand. Through social media and mobile technologies you have a voice to divulge your expertise to others.
This has a knock on effect for college students – be smart, follow a career path you would actually be happy getting up for each morning. Build your personal brand and use the technologies available to your advantage to become the best in your field!
Technology and Me
As a recruiter in the IT staffing industry I can say without doubt that mobile technologies and social media channels have made my job much more efficient. Tools like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn give you the means to contact anyone in the world about their next job opportunity. The fact I can work while on the streetcar or while sitting at home on a Tuesday evening has increased my productivity massively. Smartphones and tablets have slashed the time it takes to go through the process as much work can be done from home in the evening, instead of waiting until the next day to come into the office.
We hope you found this blog post interesting, for more high tech IT staffing insight make sure to connect with our social media channels.
