Problem$-$Solving Application$$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 activity 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.

Since the Blackberry Quark in $2003,$ the iPhone $2007,$ and the first Android in $2008,$ smartphones have become extensions of our hands, which means they go with us and are used everywhere$\mathrm{.}1$ Approximately $31$ percent of adults with smartphones report being online nearly constantly as do $39$ percent of those $1829$ years old$\mathrm{.}2$ Many employers allow employees to bring$-$their$-$own$-$devices $($BYOD$)$ and access work e$-$mail and other resources via their personal phones. Walmart, for instance, adopted such a policy and now allows employees to check inventory, prices, review sales data, and sign in and out for their shifts from their own devices. This is a reversal of previous policies that banned the use of personal devices at work$\mathrm{.}3$

Benefits. Walmart obviously expects to save money and boost performance and they, like other employers, are promoting the benefits to employees. Employers claim smartphone use at work and connectivity, more generally, provides employees greater flexibility in terms of where they work, how, and when$\mathrm{.}4$ Flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting, have ballooned in the past decade and as a result, are now benefits highly valued by employees. On the surface this scenario appears to be a win$-$win, but the benefits are not without costs.

Costs. Besides privacy and security concerns, which are very real, always being connected has real costs. The statistics are overwhelming and troubling. For instance, more than half of Americans don$$t take all of their allotted vacation time. This happens for many reasons, but the most common are concerns $(1)$ work will pile up while away, $(2)$ only they can do their jobs, and $(3)$ they could be replaced while away$\mathrm{.}5$

Employees who don$$t unplug are far more likely to report lower commitment $($Chapter $2),$ lower engagement $($Chapter $2),$ feel less valued $($multiple chapters$),$ and experience higher levels of stress $($Chapter $16),$ anxiety $($Chapters $3$ and $16)$ and work$-$life conflicts $($Chapter $10).$ Moreover, laws govern what constitutes work, overtime, and compensation, and our always connected society puts more and more companies at legal risk$\mathrm{.}6$

Causes. Organizational cultures are part of the cause $($Chapter $13).$ Company values, policies, and practices are more or less supportive of unplugging. Besides the culture, your direct supervisor$$s expec$$tations and behavior $($role modeling$)$ determine to a large degree the extent to which employees suffer the pitfalls of always being plugged$-$in$.$ One study found only $14$ percent of managers unplug when they take time off and just $7$ percent of senior level managers unplug during time off. This does not bode well for most of us$.$ More troubling still is that it seems the mere expectation you$$ll check e$-$mail after hours causes anxiety, stress, and decreased well$-$being, even If you don$$t actually check it$!$ This suggests you don$$t even have to actually work after hours to experience negative effects$\mathrm{.}7$

Apply the $3-$Step Problem$-$Solving Approach

Step $1$: Define the problem$($s$)$ described in this example. Remember, problems are gaps between what exists and what is desired. Consider outcomes that are undesirable and for whom.

Step $2$: Identify potential causes to the problem$($s$)$ defined In Step $1.$ 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 identified in Step $2.$

Footnotes

$1.$ M$.$ P$.$ Lynch$,$Leave My iPhone Alone: Why Our Smartphones are Extensions of Ourselves,$$ The Guardian, February $19,2016,$ https:$//$www$.$theguardian.com$/$technology$/2016/$feb$/19/$iphone$-$apple$-$privacy$-$smartphones$-$extension$-$of$-$ourselves.

$2.$ A$.$ Perrin, $$About a Quarter of U$.$S$.$ Adults Say They Are $$Almost Constantly$$ Online,$$ Pew Research Center, March $14,2018,$ https:$//$www$.$pewresearch.org$/$fact$-$tank$/2018/03/14/$about$-$a$-$quarter$-$of$-$americans$-$report$-$going$-$online$-$almost$-$constantly$/.$

$3.$ A$.$ Smith, $$Walmart Adopts Bring$-$Your$-$Own$-$Device Policy,$$ SHRM$.$org, October $26,2018,$ https:$//$www$.$shrm$.$org$/$resource$$sandtools$/$legal$-$and$-$compliance$/$employment$-$law$/$pages$/$walmart$-$bring$-$your$-$own$-$device$-$policy.aspx.

$4.$ R$.$ Haridy, $$The Right to Disconnect: The New Laws Banning After$-$ Hours Work Emails,$$ Newatlas.com, Aug