Technology has become an everyday component of people’s lives. We use it for work, personal computing, socializing, and entertainment. As a society, we have come to rely heavily on technology to conduct our everyday lives. It affects how we communicate, how we shop, our transportation, even social events such as weddings and party planning. Most importantly, technology gave birth to what has become a primary learning medium for our current and emerging workforces, the internet, and online learning. Whether it be learning about our current events or learning how to change a faucet in our homes, many adults now use the various online mediums as a primary source for informational learning.
My reaction to technology began in 1996 when the world wide web or internet was a brand-new thing. I worked in advertising, and just a handful of people (myself not included) in the company understood this new phenomenon, but only on a limited basis.
Twenty-four years later, I continue to be amazed at how technology, specifically the internet, touches millions of people’s lives numerous times daily in one way or another. Advances in technology have affected, and largely improved, workplaces by providing streamlined processes to operations that were previously manually conducted (Cascio and Montealegre). We have gone from massive amounts of paper to cloud storage, from libraries and bookstores housing millions of books to E-books. Organizations use and rely on technology to implement new systems, conduct meetings, and provide training, amongst other things (Cascio and Montealegre).
Companies that do not adapt to these changes will be left behind and vulnerable to competitors that do (Cascio and Montealegre). Further, the largest group in today’s workforce, millennials, grew up using technology (Freifeld). They are known as the “digital native” generation, and they expect a workplace that is technologically savvy and advanced (Freifeld). The “easier/better” way to do things is a mindset that exists in today’s work environment. Because this group prefers to spend a small percentage of its training time (12%) in in-class training, human resources development leaders must consider a variety of training methods, many of which are born from technology. Some examples of this training include microlearning, or chunking, video gaming, and videos (Freifeld).
We must keep in mind, however, that for all of the benefits we have and can continue to experience by embracing technological advances, two critical factors cannot be left to chance. The first is to understand that technology is a double-edged sword; for every advancement made, we become more reliant on technology to run our businesses, and with that, we become more vulnerable when it fails us. For example, over the last two decades, we have been victim to an unprecedented number of data breaches where personal information has been compromised and used for criminal purposes. In 2005 there were 136 data breaches reported as compared to 2014 with 2,100 data breaches in which more than 700 million records were exposed (De Groot). This past week’s debacle surrounding the results of the Iowa Caucus is another example of what an over-reliance on “unchecked” or “disruptive” technology can do.
The second factor is that we cannot lose sight that technology should enhance the human experience, not replace it. Empathy, judgment, and creativity are but a few of the skills that no technology is currently capable of replicating. Yet, one can argue that they are the most critical elements of a positive relationship with employees and customers. The human resources function is about the management of an organization’s human capital. That capital manifests itself in people; people with emotions and problems that many times, technology cannot fix (Yancey-Siegel). To lose sight of that is a potentially serious misstep that no technology in the world can resolve.
Professionally, I have also had to adjust to technological changes in the workplace. My company has automated many processes, including several specifically related to Human Resources, my functional area of responsibility. While we still have a ways to go, I believe we are going in the right direction. Having adapted to many of the technological changes I have experienced over the years, I recognize that I do not maximize the use of technology in my work or my personal life. For example, both my vehicle and my phone provide quite a few technology-based features that would simplify many things for me; however, I do not invest the time to explore these features, and thus they go unused. I expect that over time, this too must change.
References
Cascio, W. F., & Montealegre, R. (2016, March). How Technology is Changing Work and Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net
De Groot, J. (2019, October 24). The History of Data Breaches. Retrieved from https://digitalguardian.com/blog/history-data-breaches
Freifeld, L. (2018, January 04). A Guide to Millennial Learning. Retrieved from https://trainingmag.com/guide-millennial-learning/
Yancey-Siegel, W. (2017, June 23). 6 Skills That Won’t Be Replaced by Artificial Intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/6-skills-wont-replaced-artificial-intelligence/
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