BUSINESSES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES 11 April

Employers survey, track, or record all or certain aspects of employee’s behavior or performance Workplace Monitoring

Electronic Monitoring  Surveillance cameras  Electronic badges  Computer activity  Web sites visited  Applications run  Capturing key strokes  Communications BehaviorPerformance

Labor is Purchased  Employees provide services to employers  Pay only for services realized  Workers are paid according to their value to the organization  Monitoring can measure efficiency  64% of employees admit to performing “personal” work, preventing is proven to increase efficiency  March Madness…

Performance  Can’t measure everything objectively  People begin to be treated like numbers  Ability to make improvements  But intangible improvements  Market knowledge  Hot issues

Problems Areas  What defines unproductivity?  Woman with medical condition  What is considered work appropriate?  Angry written but not sent

Worksite outside of the traditional office in which people do work associated with traditional office VIRTUAL OFFICES

Kinds of Virtual Offices  Home Office: space designated for work  Mobile Office: vehicle or travel  Hoteling: small shared space that is reserved

Technology  Basic Components  Telephone, Laptop, Internet Connection, Scanner/Fax  Instant Messaging  VoIP  Teleconferencing/Videoconferencing  Telepresence  Software  Virtual Worlds

Impacts  Flexible Schedule  Reduced commuting: time, cost, environment  Fewer closings  Less work/life conflict  Increases workforce  Overwork: no stopping  Technology dependence  Loss of socialization  Loss of separate identity  Security BenefitsDrawbacks