technology addiction in the workplace who is responsible? taylor danner & sally lewis
Post on 20-Dec-2015
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Technology Addiction in the Workplace
Who is Responsible?
Taylor Danner & Sally Lewis
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Addiction:
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, such as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma
A behavior becomes an addiction when it interferes with normal body functions such as sleeping and eating, with work, productivity, and with social and family relationships.
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The Problem
employees experience constant connectivity to workplace
Technology addictions develop
Should employers be held liable?
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The Debate
Is it ethical for employers to either encourage or to require their employees to stay connected?
Currently, is there an appropriate or fair implementation of wireless technologies at the workplace and at home?
Should addiction to such devices be attributed to employers who insist on their use- both inside and outside the office?
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Who do You think should be blamed?
Employer
Employee
Manufacturers of the devices
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Gayle Porter (Associate Professor at Rutgers University)
"There are costs attached to excessive work due to technology. Information and communication technology (ICT) addiction has been treated by policy makers as a kind of elephant in the room -- everyone sees it, but no one wants to acknowledge it directly. Owing to vested interests of the employers and the ICT industry, signs of possible addiction -- excess use of ICT and related stress illnesses -- are often ignored."
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How can you tell the difference?
Employee’s Choice vs. Employer’s Manipulation
Porter: “When professional advancement (or even survival) seems to depend on 24/7 connectivity, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between choice and manipulation”
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The Employers ARE to Blame
The technology addiction problem is due to the employers and their high demand for employees to stay connected so frequently. This demand forces employees to be constantly connected, inside and outside of the workplace, and therefore the employee has no choice.
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Why stay connected?
Manipulation
Fear
Pressure
Often employees are given things by the company, like cell phones and laptops, in order to stay connected.
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Manipulation
What if the employer is manipulating the employee to be connected for the employers benefit?
Porter: “If an employer manipulates an individual's propensity toward workaholism or technology addiction for the employer's benefit, the legal perspective shifts.”
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Fear and Pressure
Fear of missing out
Afraid of being fired or missing a promotion
Pressure to produce more
Pressure to get ahead
Porter: “But for an employee looking to get ahead, get a raise or keep a job, staying connected with work during evenings and on weekends is more of a necessity than a choice”
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Vacation: a time to relax?
America Online and Opinion Research Corporation
Polled 4,000 adults
60% of e-mail users check e-mail while on vacation
The Sheraton Chicago Hotel
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What’s next?
Suing the employers
Porter: “If companies develop a culture
in which people are expected to be available 24 hours a day, then they
should be prepared for the physical
and psychological consequences”
Similar case: Barney
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Many employers have programs that help their workers who have other types of addictions. Technology addiction could have as much damage to the mental health as other things do. Do you think that employers should be responsible for providing their employees with help if they are addicted?
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The employer should not be liable
unless employers require their employees to be accessible after business hours, they are not liable because technology proficiency is important for most competitive companies, and the risk of becoming dependent on technology should be considered an equal risk to other work related hazards
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History of Addictive Behaviors
Addiction occurred years before the age of technology
Long list of compulsive behavior & treatment centers
When a person cannot exercise personal control disorder
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Workaholics
addicted to work
lead to or be mistaken for technology addiction
Not contributed to unreasonable demands of the employer
Based on an individual desire and compulsive behavior.
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Ivan Goldberg, M.D.- “There's no such thing as Internet addiction. The Internet is about as addictive as work: Sure, there are workaholics, but they're simply working to avoid the other problems in their lives”
Gayle Porter- “If people work longer hours for personal enrichment, they assume the risk.”
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Psychiatrist David Averbach
“Personal restraint is really the key, and can employers be liable for (lack of) personal restraint?”
these technological devices only work when they are turned on, and that an employee is capable of turning them off outside of business hours
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Technology addicted employees are Not beneficial to employers
Misuse of technology within business hours lower productivity
opposite affect of efficiency
Companies establish guidelines for use
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Finding the source
communication through technology is not restricted to the workplace
Pinpointing employers new possibility of law suits
Judy Olsen (professor of business information technology & psychology): “Are employers responsible for people getting lung cancer because they allow smoking on the premises”
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Students, Employees, & Choices
Employees and students high technology addiction
Can students blame University for technology addiction?
Students entering job market expect constant connectivity
Discuss addictive behavior with employer before accepting position
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Health Education Coordinator Dennis Martell (Michigan State University):
“Placing any blame on employers for providing the tools to stay connected would be like saying you would have held (Ma Bell) liable for inventing the phone”
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Statistics
5-10% American population addicted to technology
Over 50% of technology addicts also suffer from other addictions (established addictive personality)
emotional problems often factors in lives of technology addicts
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Rick Ueno
Manager of Sheraton Chicago Hotel; “King of Crackberry”Former technology addictSolved problem by giving up BlackBerry overnightStarted program for clients suffering from technology addiction
*many employers realize high potential of technology addiction