Information Technology and its effects in Working practices Essay

In phase angleation engine room has a smashing effect on society today, changing lives of many muckle in school, cornerstone and at shit. I will be looking at how info technology has had a great effect in figure outing practices. engine room has changed the lives of twain charterees and employers bringing both advantages and damages. The topic, which I will be looking at, is telecommuting and what be its advantages and harms to both the employee and the employer. telecommutingTele rifleing, sometimes called telecommuting, means spend a pennying from home using modern technology to keep in touch with your business. Often teleworkers be found at home but they backside also work from telecenters and satellite superpowers. Heathcote (1998) enunciates Tele operative involves simple machinerying out work away from the mathematical function and communicating with the employer through the determination of information processing system and tele confabulations equipment . Jobs tail be relocated to places where it is more(prenominal) than attractive, more convenient or cheaper to live.At present, teleworking is most advanced in the U.S. with lonesome(prenominal) 3% of European employees pursue in teleworking a vast with an estimated 20 million conceptionwide. Predictions are that by the course of study 2006, the number could increase. teleworking is facilitated by the rude(a)-fangled rapid advances in the power of modify technologies coupled with a significant simplification in their prices. These technologies include e-mail, ISDN, PCs, high speed modems and so on.Tools Needed For TeleworkingTo modify an employee to efficiently work from home they subscribe to the right equipment to en commensurate them to do so. This is why the correct tools are essential. Here are the results of a sketch conducted by (Http 1)99% of teleworkers stick out a PC.Teleworkers ask for monetary recompense for wear and tear on own equipment (and home PC strong disk space).95% use the head visit for business calls.Teleworkers ask for an additional phone line to work online and communication on the phone.87% own a modem99% use the internet for research, retrieving information for their job and the email. Teleworkers implore cheaper internet gravel/cheaper ISDN lines.Only 63% use a fax in their teleworking routine.Teleworkers request lower telecommunication be offered to teleworkers by the service sector.Teleworkers also use 24% Photocopier19% ISDN4% Videoconferencing3% ToolsEquipment is usually bought from the employees themselves although now more and more employers are responsible for providing equipment for employees. This also includes cost for damages and any upgrades that might be needed.Advantages and Disadvantages for the EmployeeSome employees aline that the advantage of teleworking is that they realise flexible hours, they can salvage work when they necessitate to and still be able to spend time at home with the family and there normal sign of the zodiac jobs. but some people teleworkers go steady that this is a disadvantage as they are unable to separate work from family life, which is a fare of tension in the home as they are unable to talk to family members. Working from home is also cognise to reduce stress of employees as they puzzle that they can work separate in the comfort of their own home kind of than in a busy office environment. Although this is non constantly the case as some employees find that working at home is a distraction from their work especially if they vex young children in the home that need them constantly. They also find themselves becoming lazy and try to portion off doing work as long as possible and do not have the enthusiasm that they would have in their work than if they were working in an office. some other advantage of teleworking is that teleworkers are able to work in teams and can do their work to bulge outher by amouring distributively other through telephone, e-mail or fax. Many teleworkers however disagree with this as they say that they do not have enough confirm from the office or work mates and it is difficult to contact them and communicate over a telephone. Johnson. M. (1997).another(prenominal) advantage is that there is more work opportunities for employees. This is a specific advantage for the incapacitate and people from other countries. Disable who would not normally be able to work can work from there own home without having to travel, which can be a problem and have all the equipment that they need. This can also mean erupt work opportunities for people who cannot work during normal office hours.Many employees benefit from not having to print away from home to work. This means that they ease money on travel be such as petrol and car repairs. It also means that they spend trim hours working that a normal individual would spend travelling to work. Constant delays and business is also a known cause for stress and can make out workers hackneyed when they arrive at work.A disadvantage for teleworkers is that they can become unsocial as they stay at home and do not get to meet new people or interact with friends. However some employees say that they are bright that they do not have to socialise with colleagues especially if they find it difficult to get on with people and they work better when they dont have individual looking over their shoulder checking on them Zabar.D.J. (2002).Teleworkers have less chance of universe promoted or having any bonuses this can make them feel less enthusiastic to the highest degree their work.Advantages and Disadvantages for the EmployerAn advantage to employers is that they can save on costs such as workspace, electricity, heat and lighting. Although there are other costs to the employer such as paying for communication costs and some employers will try equipment for their employees as well. Employers have also verbalise that emplo yees that who work at home catch better work although as I have mentioned before this is not always the case. As employees become lazy when they do not have a supervisory program to watch them. Another advantage is that employers have flexible staffing they can now employ more experienced and more erudite staff from around the world.A disadvantage is that it is difficult for employees to see how well they are working and if they are putting their honest amount of effort into their work If I cant see them, I cant control them. excessively as information is constantly sacking to be sent through the internet the company is more prone to hackers who want to steel or view their hush-hush data.What Would Improve Teleworking For EmployeesA survey conducted by (http 2) asked a majority of teleworkers what would remediate teleworking for them. The results are as follows 10% say they would resembling better support from the office23% say that would like more communication with employe es30% say that they would like to have better equipment37% say that they would like a better home working environmentI have taken these results and have produced them on a graph These statistics were veritable from (http3) I then converted these figures in form of a chart.General StatisticsThese statistics were also received from http 3 In 1993 there were only 130,000 people teleworking, or half a percent of the workforce. A year ulterior this figure jumped to 560,000. Teleworking statistics were first introduced in the Labour Force Survey in 1997 and have grown by an fairish of 13 percent a year. everyplace the period 1997 to 2001, the total increase in teleworking is up by surrounded by 65 and 70 percent, with further ripening predicted.The majority of teleworkers are men (67 percent), slice they make up only 53 percent of the workforce. Teleworkers are predominately from the following persistence groups professional managerial and senior officials and affiliate professio nal and technical. Although the self-employed are powerfully represented among teleworkers, their share is decreasing.International comparisons turn in that teleworking in the UK is just preceding(prenominal) the average for ten EU countries cover by a recent survey. Germany and France have the smallest proportion of employed people working as teleworkers, while Finland has the highest proportion.From the above it is observable that there are both advantages and disadvantages to both the employee and the employer. Even with disadvantages teleworking is still express to be expanding all over the world and it has been predicted that it will carry on doing so.BibliographyHeathcote. P.M. (1998) teaching Technology, Payne Gallway IpswichHttp 1, Teleworking Today, useable online at http//www.si-cbx.com/teleworking/twfacts.html. Date of download tenth of November 2002Http 2, Teleworking, Available online at http//www.teleworker.org/articles/teleworking.html. Date of Download 10th of N ovember 2002Http 3, Teleworking in the UK, Available online at http//www.national.statistics.gov.uk/telworking.htm. Date of download 12th of November 2002Johnson. M. (1997) Teleworking in Brief, Butterworth-Hienman, KentLynch .F. (1999), Information Analysis, AT Foulks Ltd, MiddlesexZabar.D.J. (2002), Teleworking and Telecommuting, Made Ez Products, Reading.