Work Design and Technology
To increase employees’ job satisfaction and productivity technology is used by organizations to redesign jobs and work schedules. Technology changes the organization’s work style and employees’ performance analysis process. Technology is not just an instrument which transfers input to output. This term is used as such a machinery and instrument which is sophisticated in natures and develop output through computers and other electronic instruments. This technology looms the industrial sectors and now cloth can be produced much quicker and faster than before.
Electronic instruments developed for money transfer and finance management, open dynamic progress in banking and finance sectors. Workplace style and work lives of employees are being affected by technology. Continuous improvement is demonstrated in any organization to enhance productivity and efficiency simultaneously. This continuous improvement requires modification in all organizational processes. The term re-engineering comes from developing a better electronic version. In any organization, re-engineering fundamentally demands altering the ways we do things.
Its primary rule is to commence from a plan sheet to rethink to alter current management system. This redesign means to spruce up the process by removing antiquated elements from any work design.
Management responsibility is to understand the key elements and core processes that insert worth to organizations’ distinctive competencies. Since early 1990s, process re-engineering has been popular and all major companies of European countries and of America have introduced some changes in support of work redesigning. The employees, who continue their jobs after redesign process in organization, found that they are not doing the same job. Work redesign process can include more employees’ services excellence, interaction with customers, coordination with suppliers and colleagues, more responsibilities, creativity, follow-up and incentives.
It is mostly tough on employees and takes 3 to 5 years to complete the whole process re-engineering. During this time period, workers get anxious while taking more responsibilities, challenges, new work style and because of risks involved. Implications for process re-engineering is designed and selected on individual and group basis. Employees’ motivation and reinforcement, cyber loafing and ethics related steps are taken on individual basis. Along with decision making, communication & coordination and organizational politics are taken on different look; for group level implications.
By introducing new technology in workplace, job rules and interpersonal relationships are also being changed. For analyzing work tasks its characteristics need to be understand first. These task attributes, collectively affect different jobs and determine employees’ performance, motivations and relationships. Tasks attributes mainly include expertise variety, task identity and its significance, independence provided and feedback. By keeping in mind these tasks characteristics employees’ development need strength can be evaluated for specific job; on the basis of core job dimensions, critical psychological state and personal and work outcomes.
Technology is also facilitated in establishing an ideal work design to enhance overall performance. Organizations are looking towards offering alternative work schedules options for employees. Employees need flexibility in a changing work place and work schedules options as in organizations they act as a strategic tool.