In Part 1, we looked at the current landscape of technology and it's prevalence in our society, both the devices and the platforms. Flashback to April 1973 and the first mobile telephone or January 1999 and the release of the Blackberry. These devices improved our access to our loved ones as well as co-workers and customers. So as we are talking about the family unit and technology, I want to hit pause and shift gears for a moment. Let's think about technology in the workplace. What is the purpose of technology in the workplace?
What comes to mind for you? For me, I think about the phrase “Work smarter, not harder.” A phrase I used and heard innumerable times in my prior life in the corporate and consulting world. I found out it was coined back in the 1930s. Go back even further and we saw the introduction of the assembly line in auto manufacturing back in 1913 by Henry Ford. A modern equivalent term for that phrase is probably "Business Process Reengineering.” Something I did in my corporate and consulting days. So what are the benefits of technology in the workplace?
Technology in the workplace allows businesses to expand quickly and efficiently. Business technology such as video conferencing, social networks and virtual office technology has removed workplace boundaries that previously limited business expansion. With business technology, companies can target a wider customer base and grow to higher levels. Technology improves communication, human capital, efficiency and mobility. So what is wrong with that? In isolation, nothing. Now ask yourself, what has become the focus of our country today? A 2015 CNN article, reported that Americans work an average of 34.4 hours a week, longer than their counterparts in the world's largest economies.
So how does all of this information tie back to technology, family, and counseling? I'm glad you asked! We will answer that in the last part. Stay tuned!
Whether or not you or your child play Fortnite, it has become hard to avoid. Second hand Fortnite is real. The concerns of obsessive or even addictive game play is all the more real as well. There is too much of a good thing. So, how do navigate all of it? How are you practicing prudence and temperance?