Changes in the way we work and how our offices are structured come at us faster and faster. Waves of state-of-the-art information technology and instant telecommunications let us reach anyone, anywhere, and speed is the key. Most of us are too busy struggling to keep pace with ongoing innovations to question the implications of our new electronic authority figures. According to a number of psychologists, however, the need to stay on top of the information flow and the consequent degree to which we remain in touch with our offices exact a profound toll on us as individuals.
Brod warns that over-reliance on electronic tools could also have serious repercussions on our ability to think creatively and develop new ideas. Because we don’t create in a vacuum, he points out, we need to avoid the temptation to replace informal gatherings for bouncing ideas off colleagues with electronic networking.
Service people on the telephone or at a cash register curtly terminate attempts at idle conversation because their performance is electronically monitored. Once judged on their ability to communicate with customers or troubleshoot unexpected situations, they’re now evaluated by the number of transactions they complete in a shift or the number of keystrokes required to draft a document. In these electronic ‘sweatshops’, the computers are running the people, not the other way around.