Computer Monitoring
Computer Monitoring is most often intended to
improve efficiency and
effectiveness in the workplace, but with good
intentions comes the opportunity
for abuse by employers and employees alike.
An example of both can be found in
an article taken from The Futurist.
Kristen Bell De Tienne's composition "
Big Brother or Friendly Giant:
Computer Monitoring in the 21st Century" is
an exceptional observation as to
what the future may hold for those people
choosing to enter the technological
field such as industry, commerce, medicine
and science. As Computer
Monitoring increases there comes a concern for the
types of effects it may
have in the workplace. According to DeTienne, "By
the end of the decade, as
many as 30 million people may constantly be monitored
in their jobs" (462).
As computer systems become more sophisticated this
number will drastically
increase. As we enter this new age of technology we must
remember that with
more power comes more responsibility by employers and
employees alike.
Micheal J. Smith, a professor at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison
explains that knowledge can be used as a weapon or as a tool
(DeTienne
462). For instance monitoring abuse can be found in the in the
situation of
airline agents. The agents discovered that by keeping customers
on hold while
finishing their work they could gain an extra 5-minute break
(De Tienne 462). In
the future these evasions of work will be stopped and for
this reason
"employee's who are accustomed to evading the monitoring system
may no
longer be able to tolerate it" (De Tienne 463). These types of
employees
may find they can no longer survive the added pressure of not being
able to
evade the system (DeTienne 463). While monitoring can add pressure to
some
employees it can also be a relief to others. It is a relief to the
employee
because it provides information readily at hand. With the use of
prompts, acting
as reminders to workers of information needed is passed on
efficiently allowing
employees to do a better job. However, if prompts are
used to tell an employee
how much time has been wasted or how bad an employee
is doing their job, it
could cause the opposite effect (DeTienne 463).
Monitoring can have a positive
effect on workers by letting the employee
access their own information. In a
study by Christopher Early information
about job performence given by a computer
is accepted better than a
performance rating given by a boss. This can only have
positive results for
both employers and employees (De Tienne 463). While at this
time monitoring
is based on the output of an employee's performance. In the
future there will
be more freedom for employees to use their own ideas,
therefore making
monitoring more effective (DeTienne 464). While monitoring will
be used
mostly as a tool. One example of monitoring as a weapon is seen when a
woman
took an extra minute in the bathroom was threatened with loosing her
job.
With this added stress she suffered a nervous breakdown. The Company
insisted
that they were not "spying" but were only trying to improve
their
business (DeTienne 465). If monitoring is not used correctly businesses
will
suffer with increases in operating costs because of "increased
turnover,
absenteeism, medical costs, and worker's compensation" (DeTiene
465)
Employers who use positive reinforcement with monitoring will
guarantee better
motivation. Employers therefore receive the benefits of
better business (DeTienne
465). Although, most employers will use
monitoring in a positive way,
legislation may be needed to protect employees
from those who abuse the
monitoring system. The protection of employees
should be the most important
issue now and in the future. Legislation has the
potential to help employees
with issues of better treatment and the right to
privacy (De Tienne 465). In the
New Century companies that succeed,
according to John Scully who is chairman of
Apple Computers, will be the
ones who learn from the past and from the "me
boss and you employee"
mentality. Instead of possessing this mentality
employers should strive to
make employees feel better about themselves and their
jobs (DeTienne 466). A
good Blacksmith can take a hammer and forge a weapon into
a tool that can
benefit the whole village. Employers are the Blacksmiths
employees are the
hammers, monitoring is the tool. It takes both to make a tool
to benefit the
future.
Bibliography
DeTienne, Kristen Bell. "Big Brother or
Friendly Coach: Computer Monitoring
in the 21st Century" Writing and Reading
Across the Curriculum. Ed Laurence
Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen New York.
Addison Wesley Longhorn, Inc. 1997
461-466