Introduction
The dynamics of the society has resulted into several changes in the corporate world. This has necessitated the need of research, creativity and innovations to come up with novel and improved technologies which can be used to make life more comfortable. This has prompted the need for making constant innovations to improve the working conditions of the employees to enable them improve the quality of services. This is necessary for the survival of the organization in the highly competitive corporate sector.
Technological Innovations
In deed, research is an essential exercise for any business organization. It is the best way to come up with new ideas which can be used to boost the general performance of the organization. As Davila, T. et al. reports (2000), ‘the globalization of the communication technology has made it easier for organizations to adopt technology in their operations’. Evidently, it has now become necessary for each organization to hire professionals. However, they may not be able to do an excellent job if they are not provided with a conducive working environment. Meaning, they should be provided with the most modern technologies to assist them in the carrying out of their day to day activities.
The most popular technological advancement which should be used in such organizations is Information Technology (IT). As a result of the shift from the traditional system in which everything was manual, people have now embraced technologies in their operations, thanks to IT. Several computer programs have been invented to be used in the offices to carry out a number of activities. Such programs have been successfully used to automate banking, communication, education, production and management. There are more effective because they make work easier than it was before.
Effects on Employees
As O’Toole and Lawler's report, technological innovations have directly impacted on the performance of employees in many ways. While a number of workers attribute their success to these transformations, some are crying foul of them. This implies that they can be used to perform various tasks which can be a relief and a barrier to specific clique of employees. In this article, I would like to discuss about the effects of computer programming on the highly skilled and semi-skilled workers in a banking set up.
As a matter of fact, bank is a very sensitive sector which recruits both the skilled and semi-skilled employees. Each of these is given different duties to perform. However, all of them should be appreciated since they play an integral part in these institutions. Initially, nearly all the banking operations were manually done. However, with the advancements in IT, everything has changed.
All the activities are currently conducted through the computer system. Meaning, all the data are stored in a specially designed program to enable the tellers, auditors, cashiers and accountants to conduct all their operations in a more coordinate manner than it used to be before. Although it is a noble innovation, this technology has affected employees as discussed herein:
Positive Effects
The following are some of benefits of this innovation to the workers:
First, it helps to save on time. As a very important resource, time management has been posing a great challenge to the employees. Before the introduction of this programming software, banking services were entirely manual. This was so disastrous because it was consuming a lot of time. As a result, a limited quantity of work could be performed during each working day. However, this has changed because workers can now rely on this technology to perform their duties. It has increased the speed of their work than it was before. Hence, the institution can even rely on a small number of employees to finish a large volume of work within a short time.
Besides, this program has improved the quality of services for most employees. The automation of banking services has enabled many professionals to realize career growth. It has refined their services. They can use their skills to produce excellent results aimed at improving their service delivery. According to Webster, Frank, and Robins, Kevin (2006) technology is useful in ‘making their work more comfortable, but has made it easier for them to get promotion into higher hierarchies within the organization’. Through this, they can gain the necessary skills and experiences which can increase their chances of promotion.
Lastly, the adoption of this software has helped to coordinate all the activities of the organization. A bank can use this program to connect all its branches. This is beneficial to the employees since it simplifies the channels of communication. This is essential in the performance of the workers. Communication is a very powerful tool which should be properly used to ensure the success of the organization. Moreover, this technology can enable the employees to eliminate any controversy which may arise as a result of the loss of data. It ensures that information is safely stored at all times.
Negative Effects
The following are some of the negative effects of this technology to the employees:
Besides, this technology has threatened the security of many employees. A part from changing job qualifications, it has greatly affected the promotion of workers. It is not appealing to the employees who may peg their promotion on experience. This is due to the fact that such promotions are no longer reserved for the experienced, but to the high tech. it is those with these skills who have higher chances of promotion. Moreover, this technology may result into a loss of job opportunities. Computers can render people jobless since such programs may require a few operators as compared to the manual system which entirely relied on human resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, technological innovation is a very great thing which should be embraced by all the organizations. A part from satisfying the employees, it can improve the quality of production and image of the organization. However, it should be carefully used not to disadvantage a section of the stakeholders including workers.
Works Cited
Davila, T. et al. "Making Innovation Work: How to Manage It, Measure It, and Profit from It. " Upper Saddle River: Wharton School Publishing, 2000. Print.
Webster, Frank, and Robins, Kevin. Information Technology – A Luddite Analysis. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 2006. Print.
