Changes in the workplace

Changes in the workplace

Brian Lynn Bentley

Coloardo Technical University

What are the two biggest major changes i have seen in the workplace in my life.

I remember when i was a little kid working in my grandpas office, Sitting on the main secrataries desk was a adding machine with a crank. An IBM electric typewriter a dictation machine. And in the back of the office was a mimeograph machine. Bookshelves after bookshelf stuffed full of legal books and journals.

On one wall there was filing cabinets full of manilla folders and mannila envelopes. the dial phone had buttons on it with 4 lines that said hold mute and speaker. was also this intercom box. This was late 1970s In one room he did have something that resembled a computer it was huge with a built in cyan screen. with a keyboard and cassette tapes but it was a word proceseser it did nothing more othern then save to tape and print to to paper. generaly had one Athoritarian boss you did what was told when you where told to do it. No discussion no debate you did it no matter how stupid it was. The only days off you could take where weekends and sick days. there was no such thing as family leave outside a death in the family. There was no such thing as maternatiy leave for men. or recomended naps during work hours. Women in tpositions of authority just starting to appear it was rare but you could see the times were changing.

The 1980s soon came along computers did a little more then type up documents home computers made it cheap for big offices and the smallest workplaces to have computer do schedules, accounting payroll as well as type up letters and send them snail mail. The managmeent started to change too gone too where the middle managers and the chain smoking cigar boss. Replaces with new management techiques as well helped along with the new technology, We now had ansering machines, Cell phones started to appear. Work was now speeding up,Managment started to created Teams where no one was better then the other all ideas mattered. However things grew alot more hectic more things had to be done sooner and faster the economy was becoming global. There where more females in places that used to be mostly men even bosses and management. I remember a teacher ask me if you find it weird that so many women are working in places that used to be men only. My response was "I am growing up with it, I won't notice it." and its true i barely notice i dont think twice about a male doctor or a female doctor or a female boss or a male boss as long as they are competant.

Now present day women are everywhere in all levels of governement and business. We have technology phones that do the majority of things that computers did 20 years ago. We have teleconferncing telecommuting. Some of us dont have to get out of pajamas to go to work anymore. just grab a cup of coffee and sign on to the internet. Now a modern office if they don't have a network the big computers that used to sit on the desk are now small laptops or ipads with keyboards. We can now print full color printer quality documents and lots of them. We can send files in seconds we can send packages in 24 hours. Three D printers are starting to show up in offices for quick prototypes.

Managment techniques have improved inmost places. work forces are now teams working together sharing rasies and bonuses.