Caribbean Studies School Based Assessment

Technology and its Impact on the Workplace in

the Caribbean: The Changing Nature of Jobs

Name: Rekha Burnett

School: Harrison College

Centre No.: 030014

Candidate No.: 030014

Date: 16/04/2010
 Table of Contents
Page

Introduction 2

Purpose of Research 3

Literature Review 4

Data Collection Sources 6

Presentation of Findings 7

Interpretation of Findings 11

Discussion 13

Conclusion/Limitations of the Research/Recommendations 15

Bibliography 16

Appendices 17

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 Introduction
Background

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2003), the technological advances achieved in the past
few decades have brought about a revolution in the business world, affecting nearly all aspects of
a working life. The adoption of technology in the workplace affects both the employer and the
employee.

Problem Statement

Technology and its effects on jobs in the Barbadian workplace.

Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to examine the impact of technology in the Caribbean and explain that there are
several links or factors between technology and the nature of jobs in terms of productivity, skill
requirements and communication. Indeed, businesses have been quick to adopt many of these
technologies, and tout significant improvements in business performance. However, technology
can cause the physical office to lose importance thus will result in the inevitably suffer loss of
face-to-face interpersonal skills and deterioration of relationships in the workplace. In addition it
is viewed that technological advances have led to the substitution of human for technology
coordination, that is, technology replaces human labour and employment.

Educational Value

This project examines some of the advantages and disadvantages of utilising technology in the
workplace in a Barbadian society to see how it impacts the working environment. In this way it
is hoped that lessons will be learnt from the thorough review of the relevant literature and this
might help to inform and provide individuals of all ages and professions of the ever growing
trends of technology.

Research Questions
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 1. What are the benefits and drawbacks of technology in the workplace?

2. How technology is utilised in the workplace?

3. How does technology influence the nature of jobs?

Aims and Objectives

To investigate the advantages and disadvantages of technology

To determine how technology is utilised in the workplace

To identify the influences technology has on the nature of jobs

Purpose of the Research

This study seeks to investigate how technology can affect the nature of jobs in the Caribbean in
the office environment.

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 Literature Review
Researchers at Stanford University's Computer Science Education (CSE) (1998) state that
revolution in the business world has occurred slowly but surely over the past few decades, even
as far back as the invention of telegraphy in the 1850s. The invention of the telephone, fax
machine, and more recent developments in wireless communications and video-conferencing
have offered businesses more flexibility and efficiency, and those willing to embrace these new
technologies found they were more likely to survive and prosper. The result is today's heavily
technical workplace, where proficiency with complex phone systems, fax machines, and often
networked computers are basic essentials. However, these much-praised advancements impose
dramatic changes in what is expected from workers and where and how they go about their jobs.
Additionally international literature suggests that technology affects various aspects in
the nature of jobs in the workplace. For example, Ipsos Public Affairs (2006) interviewed by
telephone several respondents who were 18 years or over and established that the aspects such as
productivity and management and employee relationships, which are interlinked, are influenced
by technology.
From the introduction of the computer social networking has become very popular and
has changed the way in which people communicate for example Facebook, MySpace and
Twitter. This love of social networking has created a growing concern about the impact these
websites have in the workplace. A recent survey done by Nucleus Research (2009) reveals that
businesses that allow their workers to access these websites in the workplace lose an average of
1.5 percent in total employee productivity. The survey of 237 employees also showed that 77
percent of workers use these websites during work hours.
Furthermore another researcher says that computerization of the workplace replaces
labour with machines, thereby reducing the unit cost of production while increasing both
productivity and efficiency (Ellwood, 1998). For instance instead of hiring twenty workers to
accomplish one task, an employer can simply buy one machine to do the same task faster and
more efficiently; less resources are invested while much more output is generated.

However, the use of technology can severely limit the amount of interaction among
employees. Team meetings, worker cooperation, and informal conversations over the coffee
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machine or in the lounge are often replaced by email and voicemail messages, conference calls,
and shared access to data over computer networks. Although video conferencing seems to
provide more personal communication, it also threatens to complete the illusion of the virtual
office space, leaving few opportunities for workers to leave their working space to interact with
each other. Mark Dowdy (1998), a marketing executive for IBM, agrees that "issues of
communication are heightened when people don't spend as much time together, and teamwork
must be re-established periodically because you no longer have the comradeship at the office.”
As new technologies become standard in the workplace, jobs are of higher skill
because of the technical skills and abilities needed to use these technologies. The U.S.
Department of Labour (2004) states that as a result, many workers have to learn higher skills,
such as using computers because it becomes very important to remain competitive. However,
one also notices that technology can have the opposite affect as well, the de-skilling of jobs.
According to Roberts (2004) employees not having high-skills do not have the chances of
advancement. Before a worker in a low-level job had a fair opportunity to change position to a
higher level, but they don't have the opportunities now. The experience and knowledge are not
valuable anymore because workers having high-skills which are required by employers can start
out on the high level jobs.

Data Collection
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 This study involved questionnaires and interviews with 30 participants in total: 15 being
male and 15 being female between the ages of 18 to over 45 years. Participants were selected
through purposive sampling to ensure that there are representative of the study at hand. Several
businesses were chosen because they represented working technological business environments
which was relevant to the study. The research method was through questionnaires which
consisted of up to 15 questions, both open and closed ended. This method was chosen because
the object of this research is to collect respondents' experiences and perceptions of technology
and its effects in the Barbadian workplace.
In addition, the interview with its setting being less rigid, helped contribute to a
more relaxed atmosphere for the respondents and allowed them to spend more time with the
questionnaire/interview. As well as it allowed for the interviewer to build a rapport with the
respondent, which meant the respondents were active in the interview. This further helped
because there was the opportunity to explain questions and probe for more details and to ask
spontaneous questions. This research method provided a good control over the sampling
audience.
Some limitations were incurred through the data collection process. The respondents
were less willing to bring up topics because they did not feel comfortable sharing with a stranger;
however, with the ethics standard of confidentiality used for the interview/questionnaire, this
made them feel a bit more open.

Presentation of Findings

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 The data was collected from 22nd of March to 26th of March and the response rates were
of 100 percent from the questionnaires. The sample consisted of 30 respondents representative of
the workforce, 15 male and 15 female which indicated that equal amounts of males and females
were represented in the sample group.
100 percent of the respondents indicated that they used technology in their line of
work such as computers and telephones. A knowledge of Information Technology (IT) was
required by 73% of the respondents as a job qualification while 27 % indicated that it was not
needed. Figure 1 below shows that overall 83% of the sample group agreed that technology
made their jobs easier and 100% indicated that it made their work quicker and efficient.

Figure 1 Bar chart illustrating some advantages of technology in in the workplace

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 Figure 2 Bar chart illustrating the main distracting features of technology

Figure 2 above shows that overall most young respondents in the sample group were
distracted by some of the various additional features that technology provides. The age groups of
18-24, 25-34 and to some extent 35-44 accounted for 67% while the older generation showed
that they were much less distracted by them.
Moreover, 100% of the respondents revealed that they have their own telephone line
whether it was the business telephone and or personal mobile phone. From this, it was then
deduced that all the respondents made personal calls ranging from about 2 and or more calls per
day.

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 From the responses, all of the participants who used technology at work such as
computers and telephones indicated that they all had access to the internet. Approximately 27%
use the internet in their normal work routine and the majority, 73%, indicated that they did not
use the internet in their line of work. In relation to this, 16 (53%) of the respondents disclosed
that they are allowed access to social networks such as Facebook where 10 of them indicated
they used these websites during work hours but however, 6 respondents revealed they opted not
to use these websites at work. The remaining 14 (47%) respondents represented those who were
not allowed to access social networks at work.

Figure 3 Chart showing accessibility of public websites

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 In relation to management and employee relationships, 13 respondents disclosed that staff
meetings do take place on a monthly basis while 33% indicated that staff meetings took place
only on a sudden basis. In addition, 83% of the total sample chose that management
communicated via emails and 67% chose paper documents.

Table 1 The different mediums of communicating from management to employees and

their correlating percentages of occurring

Staff Paper
Medium Meetings Emails Documents
Monthly Sudden
basis basis
No. Of
Respondents 13 10 25 20
Total
Percentage 44% 33% 83% 67%

Figure 4 Pie chart illustrating total percentages(%) of sample group

Figure 4 above in terms of the nature of jobs shows the total percentage of the total sample
group for each identified factor they believed technology has influenced. It can be seen that
majority of the respondents expressed that they believed that technology has decreased face to
face contact.

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 Interpretation of Findings
The data collected shows that these technological business environments exhibited that
technology has effects on Barbadian workplaces.

Findings on advantages and drawbacks

It was established from the entire sample group that technology such as computers and
telephones was essential for their daily work with a significantly greater percentage needing
Information Technology as a job qualification. In light of this, Figure 1 indicated that
technology made the respondents’ jobs easier, quicker and much more efficient. From the view
of management with how technology is utilized, it can be seen as an advantage because as
illustrated in Figure 3 , 14 respondents indicated that they were not allowed access to websites
such as Facebook and games sites. All of them stated that monitoring techniques and
restrictive barriers, for example software by the name of WebSense, were put in place by
management to prohibit the use of these websites thereby reducing the distractions which result
in employees being less productive.
On the other hand the major distracting features of technology (drawbacks) were the
access to social networks, online TV, game websites and listening to music where the older
generation represented the minority of being distracted (Figure 2). Furthermore 100% of the
sample group had access to their own telephone line as well as a mobile phone in which they all
stated that two and /or more personal calls were made daily. These create the overall
disadvantage to the business where employees become less productive because of these
distractions. In relation to how technology is utilized, the implementing of the
barriers/monitoring techniques leads to the disadvantage of creating tension and distrust in the
management-employee relationship mainly from the employee point of view. In addition, Table
1 shows that a large percent of the total sample revealed that management communicated via
emails and this in turn is linked to Figure 4 which indicates the influences technology has on the
nature of jobs. These include the reducing of face to face contact and man power, eliminating of
jobs and deterioration of management-employee relations.

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Findings on the utilization of technology

Conducting this research concluded that technology is heavily used in business. All of
the respondents indicated that technology, mainly computers, is used daily in the workforce. This
encompasses additional features such as the internet which in turn enables access to a very wide
range of websites. Every respondent stated that they had access to the internet and as a result
Figure 3 demonstrates that the greater number of respondents had access to the wide range of
websites and used them during work hours. These distractions cause less productivity in the
business. On the other hand for those who indicated they had no access to websites, management
used technology and its varying additional features to put technological monitoring techniques
and barriers to prohibit their use during work hours. In addition as seen in Table 1 a significantly
larger percent of the total sample group indicated that management used emails to communicate
with their employees. In these two (2) areas, it creates distrust and deterioration of the
relationships within businesses.

Findings on the influences technology has on the nature of jobs

The latter above leads to the influences technology has on the nature of jobs. It was
deduced that 73% of the sample group required Information Technology as a job qualification
which indicates that in these technological business environments higher skilled workers are of
great demand. In addition, Figure 4 illustrates clearly that the percentages were of 50% and over
which meant that these technological influences have a significant impact on the nature of jobs.

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 Discussion of Findings
From conducting this study, it has clearly resulted in revealing the various effects
technology has on the nature of jobs in the Barbadian workplace. They include advantages and
drawbacks of technology in the workplace, how it is utilized and the influences it has on the
nature of jobs which are interrelated as the Ipsos Public Affairs (2006) study suggested. It can be
said that practically the entire sample group agreed that technology has made their jobs quicker,
easier and efficient. As new technologies become standard in the workplace, the study revealed
that many positions are tending towards a higher skilled and more adaptive worker which is
agreement with the U.S. Department of Labour (2004). In services, data analysis for example,
most workers clearly need to be technologically savvy and even those in secretarial jobs might
be required to use complicated accounting programs, email, and other communication devices.
In accordance with Ellwood (1998) and Roberts (2004) one can also notice that
technology have the effect of eliminating/ de-skilling of jobs. From the study, a significant total
amount of 70% believed indicated this as one of the major contributing factors that influenced
the nature of jobs. Furthermore it can be agreed with Mark Dowdy (1998) that use of modern
technology in the work place has seriously reduced the interaction among co-workers and
management mainly by reducing face to face contact. The study indicated they frequently handle
business over the phone or by other electronic means such as emails which result in the
deterioration of relationships. The introduction of technology in the workplace poses difficult
challenges for supervisors, and often the manager-employee relations suffer. Although some
managers are comfortable with granting their workers the freedoms associated with many of
these technologies, the temptation to implement automated supervision techniques often arises.
These monitoring techniques, however, can often lead to tension, distrust, and resentment in the
manager-employee relationship.

Although a worker's access to a phone or computer may theoretically increase his or her
productivity, it also introduces new temptations for distraction and wasted time. With their
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phones, employees can reach almost anyone and in addition an internet connection brings sports,
computer games and just about anything else the user is interested in right to their desktop, often
without their boss even realizing their employee is not being productive as was suggested by
Nucleus (2009).

Conclusion
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 With the advent of new technology, the workplace is changing every decade, every year,
everyday, right before our very eyes. Computers and other technology have greatly changed the
way we interact, function and administrate in the work (office) environment. In our everyday
lives, the effects and consequences of these changes are clearly evident. The findings of this
study indicate that businesses benefit by becoming more efficient and flexible. In general, the
relationships between individuals of any level of a business tend to suffer with the introduction
of new technological methods. For instance it creates distractions and wastes time thereby
resulting in less productivity and the employing of computerized monitoring techniques by
management causes the relationship with employees to suffer. Moreover it modifies job
qualifications while before jobs required almost no previous knowledge or experience in relation
to technology. The small sample size and type of business activity limits this study and thus the
results cannot be generally applied to all types of businesses that employ technology such as
manufacturing industries and electric plants. However the findings of this study can be used to
build on for further research on a larger scale so that more detailed and accurate conclusions can
be obtained. A possible solution to recommend is for other researchers to pursue studies that
involve all types of business activity to further determine how technology is utilized in the
workplace. This is because this one finding can result in more thorough and in depth information
which can broaden the overall effects technology has on jobs in the workplace.

Bibliography
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Ipsos Public Affairs, (2006). Workplace Trends 2006: Impact of Technology. Retrieved February
27th 2010, from http://www.ipsos-na.com/

Dowdy, M. (1998). Impact of Technology: In the Office. Retrieved March 4th 2010, from
http://cse.stanford.edu/

Ellwood (1998). Technology and Its Impact in the Workplace. Retrieved March 5th 2010, from
http://cse.stanford.edu/class/cs201/Projects/effect-on-interpersonal-skills/Work1.htm.

Nucleus Research, (2009, July 19). Facebook At Work: Helpful or a Hazard? Nation Newspaper:
Easy Magazine, p.7.

U.S. Department of Labour, (2004). Implication of Workplace Change. Retrieved April 2nd 2010,
from http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/herman/reports/futurework/report/pdf/ch7.pdf.

Roberts E. (2004) Technology in the Workplace: Computers, Ethics, and Social Responsibility,
Stanford University Library website. Retrieved April 2nd 2010, from
http://cse.stanford.edu/class/cs201/Projects/effect-on-interpersonal-skills/Work1.htm.

Appendix
The following questionnaire is part of the study on Technology and its Impact on the
Workplace, a requirement for CAPE Caribbean Studies. The information will be kept
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confidential and your name is not required. Your cooperation in completing the
following questionnaire would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

1) Gender

[ ] Female [ ] Male

2) What is your age group?

[ ] 18-24 [ ] 25-34 [ ] 35-44 [ ] Over 45

3) Do you use technology such as computers, printers, fax machine in your line
of work?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

4) Did your job require a qualification in an area of Information Technology?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

5) The use of technology has made your job (more than one option can be
selected)

[ ] easier

[ ] quicker

[ ] efficient

6) Do you have access to the internet?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

7) Is usage of the Internet a part of your normal work routine?

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 [ ] Yes [ ] No

8) Are you allowed access to social networks like Facebook, MySpace from your
work computer?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

9) If Yes, how often do you access these websites at work?

______________________________________________________________________________

b) If No, why not?

______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

10) Which of the following usually distracts you? (more than one option
can be selected)

[ ] social networks like Facebook

[ ] game websites

[ ] online TV

[ ] listening to music (online radios etc)

11) Do you have your own telephone line and/ or a mobile phone?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

12) How often do you make personal calls on a daily basis?

______________________________________________________________________________

13) How does management communicate information to employees?

(more than one option can be selected)

[ ] staff meetings

[ ] e-mails

[ ] paper documents

14) If staff meetings were chosen, how often do they take place?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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15) In your opinion what impact is technology having on jobs? ( more than
one option can be selected)

[ ] reducing man power in work culture

[ ] eliminating jobs (deskilling of jobs)

[ ] reducing face to face contact

[ ] deteriorating relationships between management and employees

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