Technology Brings new Challenges to Human Resource Professionals
BlackBerries, iPhones and other mobile communications devices have made it easier to stay connected to our personal networks and needs. But these new technologies have also made it easier for us to stay tethered to our work.
While technologies such as e-mail or cell phones can save time and allow us to be readily accessible, if not properly balanced — both by employers and employees — they have the potential to do more harm than good. “Connectivity technology has revolutionized not only the workplace but also our personal lines by further blurring the lines between the two”, said Steven Rothberg, President and Founder of CollegeRecruiter.com. “Top executives have always literally and figuratively taken their work home with them. Now virtually all of us do.”
Jenna Reed, HR Development Services Director at Cascade Employers Association, knows the challenge first hand. “I manage a variety of employees with different needs,” she said. “Some of them need to be in the office, while others find themselves to be more productive at home where there are fewer distractions.”
Reed said technology has allowed organizations to offer employees an added benefit having flexible work schedules and working from home. A consequence of those flex schedules is that e-mail, voice and text messages are being sent back forth between employees and the organization at all hours of the day. Rothberg understands this pressure; “I do work a lot away from one office and typically take a laptop and Blackberry with me on personal and work trips.” This is an increasing occurrence as the marketplace becomes more global and turnaround responses are expected, if not needed, in very short amounts of time.
The question then becomes, as Atkinson Graduate School of Management Associate Dean Lisbeth Claus asked her MBA students, when do you turn off your Blackberry and otherwise unplug?
As a Human Resources professional in this technologically wired world it is important to remain acutely aware of your employees’ working environments and schedules. Maintaining awareness will not only aid in retention efforts, but also performance management. With more and more employees working in ‘virtual-offices,’ the challenges for managers have also increased.
Cascade’s Reed suggests being proactive during the hiring process to determine what the most effective schedule and environment is for the prospective employee and developing the employment plan and job offer around this conversation. After the hire is made and the employee has been brought on board there then needs to be continual effort and support in the development of a work/life balance. “I work hard with my employees to convey our culture that work-life balance matters and that I want them to enjoy their work and to enjoy their personal lives,” said Rothberg.
The legality of the work being done and the employee’s classification of either exempt, or non-exempt, also are among the first considerations that should be made. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is an extremely complex set of regulations managed by the U.S. Department of Labor that governs the working hours and standards of employees. These regulations will need to be carefully considered on a regular basis to ensure compliance.
In addition to the regulatory and management aspects, it is important to consider the well-being of the employee and their level of engagement in their working environment. Increased work hours and continuous availability do not always produce a greater level of productivity. Burn-out and/or disengagement are risks to be considered if employees are expected to be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
Rothberg states, “I do not want to work 24/7 and I don't want my employees to work like that either, but we all understand that some days may start at 7am and others may end at 11pm.” Technology has turned flexibility into a core competency in today’s competitive market place.
Managers also have to be cognizant of the differences in workplace ideals and expectations held by the more than 70 million people from Generation Y, the children of Baby Boomers, who are now entering the workforce, according to a report by NAS Recruitment. The Millennials, as they also are known as, have grown up reaping the benefits of technology in nearly every facet of their life. These new employees crave the flexibility that is available through the use of the new technologies.
Managers must remember to balance the advantages of technology and employee expectations with workplace regulatory issues. As the workplace continues to evolve, employees still need to clock out and unplug at the end of the day.