INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY ON EMPLOYMENT
INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY ON EMPLOYMENT
Advancement in technology in the recent past is having serious issues in the world. In particular technology is replacing people in many jobs. During the first industrial revolution between the 18th and 19th century, steam power took over manual jobs in the industrial, during the second industrial revolution saw machines powered with fossil fuels and cola replace humans in the work places. However, economic growth created more jobs for those displaced. Today, the third phase of industrial revolution is causing massive unemployment rates due advancement in technology.
How shall technology affect the future of employment? First automation of production is going to reduce the number of employees (John Danaher, 2014). In this case, production operations would require a few people to operate the whole process. For example, the car manufacturing companies have since saw the automation of production with robots handling what previous was done by humans. In addition, there is a possibility that even the inspection that to some extent is done by humans shall be automated such that there shall be no humans required.
In the healthcare, more and more sophisticated machines are been created that are replacing workers (Tejvan R Pettinger, n.d). Consider for example, the meaningful use policy that is seeking to revolutionize the healthcare provisions in USA. It is evidently clear that one doctor, using the meaningful use shall be able to serve very many patients within a short period; the end result would be a reduced demand for more doctors. In addition, those working in the record keeping department of the healthcare facilities shall be rendered redundant and, therefore, lose their jobs. In general, the middle level managers, and there assistant will be rendered jobless due the efficiency brought about by technology.
Apart from taking the jobs previously done manual, the technological advancements ease the way things are done. For example, small and intermediate companies may cease to exist since technology offers speed and efficiency. Once these companies shrink to take advantage of technology, the workers would definitely be laid off. It is estimates that about 47% of jobs may be lost due to computerized in the next few decades.
A graph highlighting the probability of jobs being computerized within the next 1 or 2 decades (0 = none; 1 = certain) (Image: Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne) Courtesy of http://www.gizmag.com/half-of-us-jobs-computerized/29142/pictures#1
Nevertheless, it is not all bad in the future with the advancement in technology. There are three main ways through which companies may avert the challenges of technological impact on the employment. First, the advancement will comes with an increase in demand for more goods. It is evident that the world population is increasing very fast. The people are expanding the markets for the goods. Therefore, even though technology shall increase efficiency, the efficiency shall be matched by the higher demand for goods and services and hence, no people shall be rendered jobless. For example, the meaningful use will have a large population to serve than before. The efficiency that it would have brought is, therefore, matched by the increased demand. Instead of cutting down the employees, a company can create more departments to produce more gods and services for the ballooning population.
Secondly, companies can diversify into other fields including production of the new technological advancements leading to creation of new jobs (Jeremy Rifkin, 1995). The demand for production of the technologies is expected to increase rapidly in the next few decades. In this respect, as more sophisticated machines are requires, the machines require people to produce them. The same applies in the repair and maintenance of the machines. It is imperative that the machines would need constant monitoring throughout and a quick response teams since failure of automated production might lead to huge loses.
Thirdly, as human risks increases, risk handlers would find employment in the industries and companies. The government will have to ensure that there are enough trainers of the risk handlers would also benefits from the technology changes. Also, software creation is expected to grow in leaps in the near future. In general, the technology is expected to create completely new fields that are not present today. The new jobs may match the number of people displaced or even be more since human consumption trends change with time as new gods and services are introduced.
References
Jeremy Rifkin, 1995). The End of Work - The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era. Tarcher/Putnam, New York. Retreivef on November 24, 2014 from http://www.consulttci.com/Book_reviews/endwork.html
Tejvan R Pettinger. Technological unemployment. Retrived on November 24, 2014 from http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/glossary/technological-unemployment/
John Danaher (2014). Are we heading for technological unemployment? An argument. Retrieved on November 24, 2014 from http://ieet.org/index.php/IEETa/more/danaher20140814
47% of US jobs under threat from computerization according to Oxford study. Retrieved on November 24, 2014 from
http://www.gizmag.com/half-of-us-jobs-computerized/29142/pictures#
