Introducing Surveillance and Monitoring Technologies - Essay Example

Technological Determinism and the Introduction of a New Technology in the Workplace Introducing Surveillance and Monitoring Technologies IntroductionOrganisations across the globe have, over the years, increased their appetite for new technologies. The management of any organisation assesses the need to adopt any particular technology as well as the accruing benefits. Even in the wider society, technology has had an immense impact. For example, people now cannot do without mobile phones, mega cities can hardly operate without railway connections to move populations from end to end thereby reducing road congestion and cars nowadays are hardly built without microchips for safety reasons. Everyday life is now largely affected by the technologies around it and this technology will shape lifestyles way into the future. However, it is one thing to require a certain technology and another to implement it in an organisation. Introduction of new technologies is quite challenging for managers irrespective of the size of an organisation. New technologies require the management to arrange for extensive training, which results in resistance from some quarters. As a manager one will be required to first understand how to manage change since the process is stressful and, most often than not, change creates tension in the workplace (Rogers, 2003). This paper aims at using technological determinism to inform a manager when introducing surveillance technology in the workplace. Considerations Consultations and Attitude Attitude is a critical aspect in the introduction of any kind of technology in the workplace. Employers nowadays are heavily relying on workplace surveillance technologies to assess various issues. Surveillance in this context will include, but not limited to, video monitoring, tracking as well as phone and computer use. Introduction of any technology in the workplace results into some form of transition. It is, therefore, critical for a manager to consult employees through one-on-one interactions or a survey depending on the size of the organisation. Consultations aim at pinpointing problematic areas and concerns which ultimately eases transition to the new technology. In the process of consultations, it is essential for the management to clearly elaborate on the positive differences that the new technology will bring not only to the employees but also the organisation at large (Bijker and Law, 1995). Balancing Expectations It is, nevertheless, vital to consider the human factor before launching of this surveillance technology. The society, and in this case the employees, will always have certain expectations from this new technology. Employees have previously worked without this new technology and hence need assurances touching on privacy and how it will benefit them and the organisation. It is human nature to wish for situations to unfold in one’s favour, and the employees would wish to see how surveillance will benefit them. However, as per technological determinist principles, technology determines people’s way of thinking and acting. The principles also state that the society changes as technology changes and so will the workforce in this organisation. Therefore, as a manager one must appreciate the fact that the new technology will bring about new mannerisms among the employees (Dusek, 2006). The manager needs to balance between organisational goals and employee expectations before engaging in such a far-reaching technological change. Striking this balance in the end will mean the difference between failure and success of the change. Employees must change their lifestyles as a natural course of events especially when their actions are closely monitored; the change can either be positive or negative. The outcome in social change within the organisation will hugely rely on the ground work laid by the management from their realisation of technological determinism. Social Changes Possible Negative Outcomes A manager who wishes to install monitoring technology must understand some fundamental social changes that will accrue so as to know how to mitigate them at the onset. Surveillance in general makes one feel that their privacy is being infringed upon. This will tend to make employees find ways of hiding their true nature in line of duty. Devious ones will go to an extent of trying to sabotage the technology by either rejecting it or tampering with equipments and computer systems used for surveillance. There is also a relatively high risk of the employees feeling distrusted by the organisation. This may potentially create a wall between the management and the employees where genuine information sharing fades with time (Megill, 1994). There is also the risk of making employees lose loyalty which is vital for the success of an organisation. This cloud of perceived mistrust results to friction between the employees and the manager. The introduction of the surveillance technology creates a sense of doubt among the employees on what exactly is expected of them from a behavioural point of view. The clear message, whether communicated or not, is that in case one makes a mistake whether in using computers, phones or as captured by cameras they will be candidates of disciplinary action. This doubt, in most cases, results in employees failing to perform tasks for which they are unsure. The manager must ensure that every employee affected by surveillance understands the objectives and which incidents amount to infraction (Smith and Marx, 1994). Computer monitoring, for example, must be properly explained so that employees fee free using email, social media and other internet services. Possible Positive Outcomes On the other hand, some positive social and behavioural changes among the employees can accrue from a well initiated surveillance technology. At the back of the manager’s mind is the fact that the new technology’s end result is a commercial goal where efficiency and improved productivity should be achieved to cut on cost and boost profits. When employees realise that their work is being closely monitored they will try hard to ensure timeliness, thoroughness and increased professionalism. Employees change their tendencies and become more punctual and responsible for their actions and work. In cases where employees are discovered to be spending most of their time browsing on social media and shopping sites, corrective measures like restricting such sites can be instituted (Smith and Marx, 1994). Filtering of such sites is one measure that the manager can use to restrict access, and this is not new since more than 65 percent of organisations do that nowadays. Employees under surveillance also tend to be more careful and prudent when using organisational resources. This safeguards available assets and reduces wastage thereby cutting heavily on cost. Implementation Process Applicability Implementing any this new technology requires the manager to critically assess these potential outcomes vis-à-vis the organisation’s aim to achieve efficiency, effectiveness and increased profitability. The interests of the organisation need to be married with those of the employees in order to realise the best possible outcome. The technology vendor may create hype on how this new technology will deliver the desired results but it is for the manager to sceptically assess its applicability based on the techniques involved and after interacting with the employees (Grint, 2005). The new technology must not only profit the organisation but meet the expectations and value standards. It is true that technology has been affected by values and lifestyles but it also, in turn, affects them after it is implemented. In earlier times, organisations used the word efficiency to refer to the workings of machines but this value is used invariably in all spheres of the modern-day society. Efficiency is generally expected to results to increased output after maximal utilisation of one’s ability. Technology in itself exudes power and strategic benefits to those organisations that use the best technologies available Scharff and Dusek, 2013). This, in turn, results into the much desired competitive edge. With regard to the lifestyle change, technology such as workplace surveillance results in timely completion of tasks with improved efficiency and effectiveness. However, these desired organisational goals of implementing this technology should mind the values and norms or the employees. Failure to take this into account will render the organisation less appealing to work in resulting in high employee turnover. Needs Analysis The principle of technological determinism portends that employees will change their social structures and values based on the existing technologies. In order for the manager to introduce the new technology and follow this principle, it is critical to analyse a few steps that will achieve the desirable changes from the technological transition. The manager must start by conducting thorough investigations on the problems which the new technology is meant to solve. These problems must exist and appreciated by both the management and the employees. Then the surveillance technology should be the consensus way of solving these problems. To gain acceptance and win the employees’ hearts, their input must be seen to be valued. When announcing the imminent changes, the manager should not fail to highlight the aspects that have directly emanated from the employees’ contributions (MacKenzie and Wajcman, 1985). Such disclosure creates a sense of ownership which eases the adoption of the new technology. Successful implementation will hugely rely on the proper planning by the management. The new technology must not increase disruptions or interfere with workers’ efficiency. Employees should also be involved in the planning process since they better know their tasks and how to accomplish them. Therefore, they are better placed to criticise or praise the incoming technology. This information is invaluable to the management since modifications to the new technology will be made at an early stage thereby facilitating swift and successful implementation. Implementation and Evaluation Implementation is the critical step which determines the success or failure of the technology initiative. As much as experts will be involved in the physical installation, those who will use the technology on a daily basis need to be well educated on its operations. Training is, therefore, a critical component in the implementation process. In the case of the surveillance technology, employees need to know to what extent each component will be used, for example, internet usage and privacy. Employees should be involved at every stage so as to eliminate doubt and notions that the organisation is out to infringe on their privacy. Involving employees in the implementation process also creates room for early adjustments to potential areas of conflict. Such collaborations go a long way in ensuring the success of the new technology (Grint, 2005). The other critical and final step is evaluation where the new technology’s performance is assessed on the basis of its merits and demerits as compared to the expected outcomes. Some users may still find loopholes within the system that, for example, leave them vulnerable to cyber attacks in case of internet monitoring. Evaluation will uncover both real and perceived problems before the technology is fully fledged. This kind of interaction between the specialists, management and employees to better the new technology creates harmony and motivates employees to improve on their performance. Technological determinism is more of a neutral theory in matters pertaining to technology. What is of essence is basically the application of the technology but not the technology itself. It is the same as talking of a worker not blaming the tools which means that technology is amoral. Therefore, an organisation can introduce any kind of new technology to its workforce but if the purpose is not right or just, then it is the management to blame not the technology used. This also leads to the realisation that technology is in itself ethically neutral (Scharff and Dusek, 2013). It is the users who determine its application whether for good or bad and ethical or unethical practices. A manager should be careful in the introduction of this surveillance technology since it touches on people’s privacy. The initiative and intentions may be noble but it is highly vulnerable to abuse by those in charge of operating the system. The employees must be assured right from the onset that the system will only monitor what is work related and veer off private space like emails. Conclusion Technology is a catalyst for growth and profit maximisation for organisations globally. However, not all technologies are used for the right or intended purpose and proper safeguards need to be established. Technologies result in changed lifestyles, new values and norms and create expectations. For these technologies to serve their purpose, they must act as the medium for positive societal and organisational change. In this case, the introduction of a new surveillance system in the workplace places doubts in the employees but ample training and collaboration is needed between the management and the employees so as to ensure successful implementation. Technology should, therefore, act as an agent of creating new skills, invoking knowledge in addition to ensuring profitability for an organisation. References Bijker, W.E. & Law, J. (1995) Shaping technology/building society: studies in socio-technical, Change MIT Press. Dusek, V. (2006) Philosophy of technology: an introduction, Wiley. Grint, K. (2005) The sociology of work: introduction, Polity. MacKenzie, D.A. & Wajcman, J. (1985) The social shaping of technology: how the refrigerator got its hum, Open University Press. Megill, A. (1994) Rethinking objectivity, Duke University Press. Rogers, E.M. (2003) Diffusion of innovations, Simon and Schuster. Scharff, R.C. & Dusek, V. (2013) Philosophy of technology: the technological condition: an anthology, Wiley. Smith, M.R. & Marx, L. (1994) Does technology drive history?: the dilemma of technological determinism, MIT Press. Read More