Just as technology serves as a distraction for students the same can be said for professionals at work. I can think of two scenarios as to why technology is detrimental to work production; one scenario involves young professionals being distracted by technology while older professionals are faced with the opposite problem. Seasoned professionals are often bamboozled by the integration of technology into their daily jobs which is understandable given the fact that first graders are exposed to professional technological tools such as PowerPoint and Excel; however nobody is taking the time to teach adults such skills. The second issue can be contributed to the upsetting fact that many workers do not know how to use technology in a professional manner, young adults and seasoned professionals alike.
Technology is supposed to turn a six hour task in half yet somehow these tasks are still taking just as much time, if not more. When it comes to young adults, mid-task, however important it may be, multiple breaks are being taken at work to surf the internet, check one’s Facebook, Google Chat (g-chat) with friends and/or co-workers (these examples exclude cell phone distractions!) The need to feel connected is deeply rooted inside today’s social media generation. Not only do such distractions decrease productivity but they in turn increase the chances for mistakes. On the other hand, older generations mastered their respective professions without the use of fancy Excel spreadsheets, complicated smart phones, and speedy e-mails. Many have not been taught how to adapt to new technologies and this has put older professionals at a disadvantage, leading said professionals to be replaced by younger more tech-savvy ones.
Misuse of technology can be worse than not understanding technology at all. My generation has mastered the use of computers and phones yet does not know how to use them professionally. We are trained to text, not talk, so when we do have to speak to clients and co-workers many of us sound incompetent. E-mail and telephone ettiquite exist yet people still e-mail and talk in abbreviated fashions due to the fact that we grew up expecting immediacy. Technology is the greatest invention to increase productivity and accuracy in the work place yet only when it is utilized in the fashion it was meant for.