Implications of personal technologies in the workplace: Distinctions between employer and employee perceptions

Abstract

Personal workplace technologies, with the capability to both enhance productivity and monitor staff performance, have become prevalent in many organisations. With the increased need for the use of personal computers, the Internet and safety and security technologies, employers are offered a plethora of tools that can be used to track the activities of staff during their working day. This thesis offers a case study on an organisation, studying the personal workplace technologies it adopted and how they are applied in the organisation by management. The main reasons for implementation into the core organisational structure are compared between the unique perceptions; those of staff and management. The impact of these technologies, their benefits and problems are discussed and evaluated from the perspectives of both staff and management, which provides a number of points of difference and agreement. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y is explored, and compared against the characteristics of the case study organisation. Findings from primary research are then analysed in order to deduce concluding recommendations, particularly the need to increase staff training after implementing personal workplace technologies. Including all affected employees in meetings to discuss personal workplace technology, and its impact on the job role, is vital in increasing transparency and trust. Furthermore, decreasing levels of employee monitoring where possible, and ensuring it is done for reasons other than the need to know the whereabouts and activities of staff would ensure a more positive working environment. These recommendations and conclusions open up an area for further research in order to seek more knowledge into the vital issue of personal workplace technologies and their impact upon an organisation and its actors.