Communication: Positive Effects of New Technology in the Workplace

The most recent century has seen rapid change occur more frequently than ever before, especially in 'style of living', due to technological developments. These developments obviously have the aim of making lives better, simultaneously bringing better producing environments to the workplace. Many companies use modern technologies to develop their productive capacity. This means that technological advance improves the quality and quantity of products, affecting staff communication within organisations. This essay will demonstrate that the introduction of new technologies makes communication within organisations, easy and effective.

It has been argued that new technologies such as blogging, instant messaging, Pod casting and streaming media have negative effects rather than develop productive environments. According to Crainer and Dearlove (2004, p. 24), dealing with e-mail requires approximately one hour and forty-seven minutes a day by the average U.S. employee. "It is funny that in an age when e-mail has become such a dominant form of communication, people are writing more than they ever have", Jeff Skoll, eBay president said. He also describes many managers using at least two hours per day answering e-mail at work (Crainer & Dearlove 2004, p. 24). Resulting henceforth is that "the use of electronic communication makes it hard to build a strong culture and develop solid working relationships, and create a mutually supportive atmosphere of trust and cooperation", having replaced traditional communication methods, such as face-to-face meetings and conversations (Davidson & Griffin 2006, p. 602).

Irrespective, these results are a by-product wherewith technology brings more effective and desirable outcomes. Many companies require further developed technologies to improve their workplace. Technology has the potential to mend less-desirable outcomes, continually increasing productivity.

Employees, namely new employees, prefer to use new technologies that reflect their traditional communication methods, in the workplace. According to Parsons and Groh (2006, p. 57), employees' learning styles have become short, simple and personalised in easy and quick environments of education for the workplace. Through their changed styles, most new technologies focus development on quick response, now a common feature of new technologies. The younger generations have been titled the new employees, coming with the move from the "passive" or "pushing" communications to the "active" or "pulling" communications (Goman 2006, p. 8). Moreover, through the new communication methods, employees in a negative emotional state (a bad mood) may turn away from the work at-hand to socially communicate with staff (Eastin et al 2007, p. 436).

Technological developments in the workplace, offers beneficially so, easier communication methods. Even though there are less-desirable effects, for example writing shortcuts of words from please to pls, it is clearly defined that when technologies combine with fundamental tools, such as writing skills, new technologies become more effective, persuasive and powerful as communication methods. An illustration of this is a well-written e-mail, because it is "has numerous other positive attributes, including its ability to be sorted, archived, indexed, and so on" (Crainer & Dearlove 2004, pp. 23 & 26). As such, technology provides the best way to reach, educate, and motivate employees, whether it come through development or more widely introducing current technologies (Parsons & Groh 2006, p. 60).

New technologies can help interaction between employers and employees. As mentioned already, a quick-response is a vital element in producing better quality and quantity products. Parsons and Groh (2006, p. 60) also state that new technologies allow for gathering immediate feedback, connecting with the organisations, and learning about employee desires through interactive tools like blogging, instant messaging, podcasting and streaming media. In addition, it is now the general trend that the employer-employee arrangement is closely connected to the current workforce climate, the overall economy, and generally the events of the generation's formative years (Goman 2006, p. 8).

To conclude, using new technologies to communicate with staff in the workplace is now a natural trend and must be further implemented. Although there are negative effects at the introduction of new technologies, employees prefer new technologies, because they provide and expand friendly communication methods which they are already accustomed to use. In addition, through its strength and effectiveness, employees can work more comfortable and easily. More effective producing systems does technological advance bring to employers. New technologies and technological advance provide positive effects in communication for employees, likewise its affect on employers.


References
Crainer, S. & Dearlove, D. 2004, 'Making Yourself Understood', Across the Board, May/June 2004, pp. 23-27.

Davidson, P. & Griffin, R.W. 2006, 'Managing Interpersonal Relations and Communication', Management, John Wiley & Sons Australia, Milton, pp. 590-608.

Eastin, M.S., Glynn, C.J. & Griffiths, R.P. 2007, 'Psychology of Communication Technology Use in the Workplace', Cyber Psychology & Behavior, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 436-443.

Goman, C.K. 2006, 'Communication for a New Age', Strategic Communication Management, August/September 2006, pp. 8-9.

Parsons, A. & Groh, K. 2006, 'The New Road to Effective Communications', Compensation and Benefits Review, July/August 2006, pp. 57-64.