Technology
has had a massive impact on jobs across the globe. Jobs are being created rapidly and jobs are becoming
obsolete just as quickly. Many
organizations are able to outsource jobs to other countries where employment opportunities
are limited. At the same time,
people with the proper knowledge and talent, especially those of which are in
high demand, are able to work from almost anywhere around the globe. A computer and an Internet connection
are all that is needed to connect the employer to his or her job. Gartner (2010) explained that the
traditional workplace is becoming more virtual, and the lines separating
professional and personal lives will disappear. Individuals can collaborate with others from all over the
globe, and are becoming more reachable due to Smart Phones and other
technology.
Leadership
is still a critical component of successful organizations, even though job
descriptions may need to be altered to adapt to changing technologies. Individuals in leadership positions
must be aware of how information is being transferred among those in the
organization. As Husband (2013)
stated, leaders should “be prepared to listen deeply, be
responsible, be accountable and be transparent”. In today’s world, dialogue has become a two-way street, as
consumers are able to utilize technological resources to review organizations
and the services they provide (Friedman, 2007). Leaders are forced to understand the new transparency of
their organization. Today it is
even more important to provide the best service to customers because consumers
have many more options to choose from.
Friedman (2007) noted the importance of creating a meaningful customer
experience by dealing more “consistently, openly, and honestly with your
suppliers and investors, and more decently with your employees” (p. 468).
Friedman explained that this conduct will create a relationship built around
loyalty and trust, and will lead to positive collaboration between customers
and the organization.
Leaders
must understand the importance of collaboration today. Collaboration with customers allows the organization
to offer the best services possible while at the same time keeping up with the
demands created due to changing technology (Friedman, 2007). Leaders should foster these
relationships and continue to develop methods of interacting with this important
group of people. Social networks, YouTube,
and other venues allow customers to voice their opinion, good or bad, about an
organization. A leader’s role is
to determine the best use of these technology forums in the growth and
development of an organization.
The
traditional office is growing and changing with technology. Leaders now have employees working at
home and across the ocean. It is
becoming more difficult to directly monitor employees and their productivity,
so other methods will be utilized. Ironically, technology helps to monitor the progress of
employees while maintaining a connection among all of the individuals working
for the company. As stated
earlier, loyalty and trust must be built to foster positive collaboration.
The
nature of my job is changing everyday.
When I first started teaching, I brought grading home, but never even
considered checking my email during my personal time. I was better able to leave some of my work at school. Now, I teach both online and
traditional classroom courses at a university. Many of my online students work full-time jobs, may have
families, and spend their evenings and weekend completing assignments. Unfortunately, their productive time
tends to be my time off at home. I
have adjusted well to answering emails and conducting discussions with students
during the evening and on weekends, but it has taken some adjusting on my
part. I am learning to set
boundaries, but understand the importance of rapid response in online
courses. If anybody out there has
any suggestions on how to balance personal time with online course
responsibilities, I would love to have your feedback! I feel like I have set up a good routine, but would greatly
appreciate any other suggestions.
Friedman, T. L. (2007). The World is Flat. New York: Picador.
Gartner,
Inc. (2010, August 4). Gartner says the world of work will witness 10 changes during
the next 10 years. Retrieved from: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1416513
Husband,
J. (2013, February 18). What is Wirearchy? [Beb log comment]. Retrieved from: http://wirearchy.com/what-is-wirearchy/
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI agree that technology has had a massive impact on jobs around the globe. As you so accurately stated, some jobs are being created while others are being rendered obsolete due to emerging technologies and dynamic organizational landscapes. The ability to network and collaborate locally and globally has significantly altered personal and professional interactions and hierarchical lines are being blurred at a rapid rate.
I also agree with your assessment that leadership is still a critical component of successful organizations. That is not to say that leaders are omniscient and omnipotent, but their ability to set a strategic vision and explain it in such a way that others want to comply and assist in achieving organizational objectives is still elemental for organizations who aspire to be competitive in their market space. Leaders, as Husband (2013) remarked, must be transparent, open, and honest in their communications. They must promote collaborative communications and social learning to understand internal and external organizational complexities and remain cognizant that rapid technological enhancements can be used for powerful and positive collaborative efforts.
Although many of us seem to like many of the technological enhancements in varied aspects of our lives (or at least understand the perversity of technological change in our personal and professional lives), they have all but erased the boundary between the personal and professional. In your case, it seems that it has become even harder to get the necessary down time. Hopefully, you love what you do :). I am not sure if we will be able to clearly delineate the lines as telecommuting, social media platforms, and smartphones are all connected to different aspects of our personal and professional lives. I do think, however, that we are obligated to try (if it proves bothersome). At the very least, I hope we are knowledge about the shift and can embrace it when it happens because it is definitely coming...and in some cases, already here.
~ Disciple of Experience
References
Husband, J. (2013). What is Wirearchy? Retrieved May 21, 2013, from www.wirearchy.com.
I do love my job;) I am always looking for ways to help my students and to be there for them. Unfortunately, I am not very good at laying out boundaries. For the most part, I will answer emails at any time of the day (except while sleeping!). I know other instructors that place limits after a certain time of day or on weekends. I struggle placing these limits because many of my students work during the day and have other obligations. At the same time, I have two young children that need my undivided attention when I am at home. I would appreciate any suggestions!
DeleteAshley:
ReplyDeleteYour statement about how important it is to provide the best customer service because consumers have so many options really hit home for me. Just a few days ago, I learned that I had an extremely disgruntled student from one of my service programs. I did not find out about the student’s dissatisfaction through the traditional course evaluations, rather it was through social media. One of the staff in employment services regularly communicates with students to find out if they have gained employment and or if they are going to continue to purse education at our four-year partners. This student addressed those questions, but she also mentioned that she had a horrible experience at our institution and would never recommend us. This information was emailed to me and I was able to Skype with the faculty to identify the issue and a solution, a lead faculty communicated with the student and cleared up the misunderstanding and reached an agreement on the issue. The student is gladly returning in the fall to complete her degree. We now have procedures in place so future students will not have the same problem. The web-based tools helped us to identify, respond, and resolve the matter quickly, rather than finding out about the problem six months after the fact through paper based evaluations.
As a leader, the lessons from that experience have encouraged me to see how technology can further assist my faculty and departments to become more proactive with constant feedback loops rather than reactive. I appreciate when Husband (2013) speaks about how wirearchy is about the power and effectiveness of people working together through connection and collaboration. The value of wirearchy is evident. Specifically, as you wrote that the nature of work is changing everyday and how does that impact leaders and their interaction employees. It is true that leaders will have to contemplate how we will act in an interconnected world and workplace (Husband, 2013).
Works Cited
Husband, J. (2013, February 18). What is Wirearchy? Retrieved May 20, 2013, from Wirearchy: http://wirearchy.com/what-is-wirearchy/
Thank you for sharing your personal story! I am a consumer that must read the online reviews before I purchase many items. Even if I plan to buy an item in a physical store, I research that item by reading its reviews at online retailers. I am also able to compare prices to determine where I should purchase the product. Transparency will continue to affect organizations of all forms!
DeleteYour question is hard to answer. On one hand we, as leaders and instructors, need to be available to our customers/stakeholders but we also need to be able "unplug" and enjoy our persona time. I always tell the parents and students who are part of the high school program I lead that they will get an email response within 24 hours during the workweek and maybe on the weekend. Weekends are no guarantee because we have family and personal responsibilities. That has seemed to work. I make it a practice to unplug from my job on Sundays and perhaps check for emails before bed in case there is an emergency waiting for me on Monday morning. If I don't have some self discipline, I would be connected to work all of the time and I don't think its healthy for me and I am not role modeling for my staff.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your suggestions! I too have a 24 hour guideline in my syllabus, but almost never get close to that time limit. I always feels so liberated when I leave my phone at home to go on a long walk or run. The negative is that I have to check my phone as soon as I get back. I need to learn to "unplug" more frequently.
DeleteAgain, thank you for your suggestions!
Learning to set boundaries? I think you have hit the nail on the head. This is not just for teachers, but anyone working in this new world of constant connection to the office.
ReplyDeleteI am a teacher as well and my smart phone allows me to get emails where ever I am... so my students have great access, but I need to also keep time for myself. I have not yet taught a full online course, but I did get to be a TA for our Finance class in the EdD program.
If we are to survive these great improvements in technology, we need to set boundaries by giving the students realistic times for us to be responding. This means "office hours" which are posted. Of course these need to be negotiated to times that work for both us (as teachers) and the students.
I try to make a contract with myself that if I work outside of my planned hours, I have to get some other free time in the future. So I will only work on my lunch hour if I get to finish early on the weekend and do something I enjoy. Since the planned hours are often up to me, it is up to me to be sure I am not working extra hours. If I feel I am working too much, I actually keep track for a while to see if it is more than I had planned in total. I want to have this flexibility be a tool that makes my life easier, not more stressful!
Nice post ... and a "problem" we can all identify with. Since I am teaching your class (and responding on Sunday), probably not a good role model.
ReplyDeleteYet...
I "unplug" from VCU on weekends so that I can connect with my Creighton students. I set this course up using blogs as a discussion medium, which allows for more reflections but also allows me to step in and out as my personal life allows.
So, I spent some time reviewing some of the 34 blogs in my two sections Friday night, some Saturday morning, some last night, some this morning...and around these reviews and commenting, I spent time with my wife, Skyped with my grandkids, and took a four-hour ride around the Chesapeake Bay shoreline today.
In other words, I distribute the work but also distribute my down time.
It works for me...but maybe not for everyone.
Thank you for the comments! I am teaching a summer course right now, which ends up being an intense, 6-week session for students. I try to stay as connected as possible, but am finding that I need to give myself time as well. I actually left my phone in my car today while we spent time with family that came in from out of state. I find it difficult not to pick up my phone immediately after I find it. I have been trying not to work on Sundays this summer, and I actually feel much more rested.
ReplyDeleteYour point that leaders are now being forced to understand the new transparency of their organization is valid. This really holds true to higher education institutions. One example of this new transparency is in the area of applying for Federal Financial Aid. Higher education institutions can no longer hide information pertaining to graduation and retention rates. These rates must be reported. In addition, once a student makes application for Federal financial aid the retention and graduation rates of the schools selected are shown. For parents this is important, particularly when it comes to assisting their child with selecting a college to attend. As a result of this senior leadership of colleges and universities are now seeking ways to ensure that the two are in line or exceed the national average.
ReplyDeleteAshley,
ReplyDeleteI too teach online and very often my students are from all parts of the US and the world. So it is essential that I use my personal time to respond to their discussions and assignments in a timely manner. I feel that teaching online is more demanding then face-to-face teaching. I have to be very precise in my feedback and directions with my online students because I can't give them face-to-face feedback.
I think that online education is going to be the flattener of the education world. As educators, we have to learn to be flexible and we have to learn to communicate in a non-verbal way.
I learn quickly where my students are from and the time frame that works best for them. Then, I setup a schedule of times that I work online so that I can keep up with the online classroom. This is a method that works the best for me.
My face-t-face students are just as demanding as my online students. I have found that even in the traditional classroom setting, my students want feedback quickly. Gone are the days where it would take a week to grade a four page essay. With over 100 students and 100 essays to grade, I have to provide grades and feedback quickly. I have learned to not be so through in my feedback and I use rubrics to help move my grading along. I also require all of my students to submit their work via technology through Turnitin.com. This way, I can view their papers online and I can set-up tags that I can click and place in heir papers. I like being able to pull up students’ paper for review. It also provides a good portfolio of work for the students.
Thank you for your feedback! I too have noticed more demand from my classroom students. The Internet has made feedback immediate, so they expect that in all aspects of their lives. I had a student turn in a large project and ask me a couple of hours later if I had time to grade them. I feel that pressure placed on me to grade quickly helps me to achieve that outcome much more efficiently. As you said, rubrics have been extraordinarily helpful. I have not utilized Turnitin as much as I should. Thank you for the advice!
ReplyDeleteAshley