DB FPX 8410 Assessment 5 The Future of Work

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Capella university

DB-FPX 8410 Addressing Problems in Human Resources and Compliance

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Date

Introduction

In February 2020, businesses globally had to adapt to new working methods to maintain operations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies had to innovate to sustain their workforce’s productivity. Many businesses transitioned employees to remote work, while others adopted hybrid schedules. Essential employees who needed to remain on-site were identified by all companies. Human resource departments were critical in making decisions to ensure fairness and continued operations.

The world had to reconsider traditional office operations. Transitioning existing staff to remote work was significant, but transitioning hiring and training to a virtual environment was even more challenging. Leveraging new technology and adjusting traditional processes enabled a successful transition for most companies (Nagdeman, n.d.). This paper examines the effects of current trends on the future of work, such as issues shaping the U.S. workplace, the impact of the pandemic, the use of robots and artificial intelligence (AI), and the pros and cons of these developments.

Issues Shaping the Future of the U.S. Workplace

Social Issues

Socially, it has become standard for office-based employees to transition to working from home. This shift has benefits for both employers and employees, but it also has social impacts. Employers are observing increased burnout, with 86% of full-time remote workers experiencing burnout (McCain, 2022). Causes include pressure to work more hours, lack of employer support, and higher stress levels. Remote workers often struggle to separate work from personal life, leading to longer working hours. Burnout is not the only issue; remote workers have experienced a 67% increase in loneliness (McCain, 2022). Of those reporting increased loneliness, 12% noted a decline in work quality (McCain, 2022). As remote work continues, employers may face low morale and decreased productivity, alongside rising mental health issues due to the mental effects of remote working. Changes in consumer habits, like increased online shopping and grocery delivery services, are already evident, reducing the need for face-to-face interactions and creating a digitally-based social environment.

Technological Issues

Technological advances have facilitated seamless remote work using real-time audio and video communication tools. As companies adopt a more digitalized workforce, automation will likely replace many human jobs (Parikh, 2021). However, human interaction with machines will still be necessary, reshaping human productivity. By 2025, 50% of workers will need reskilling as automation shifts roles (Parikh, 2021). This will transition employees from technical to creative roles requiring strategy and innovation, potentially altering college students’ career goals and major choices.

Ethical Issues

The move toward an automated workplace raises ethical questions, highlighting the importance of workplace ethics (Weinstein, 2021). Technology advances rapidly, necessitating increased vigilance in hiring and promoting honest, accountable employees to prevent security breaches. Additionally, remote workers often feel the need to work continuously, and employers must promote a healthy work-life balance. It is unethical to expect employees to work more hours just because they are not in an office setting. Companies must ensure this does not happen to avoid high turnover rates and increased unemployment due to burnout.

Impact of the Pandemic

The pandemic prompted many employers to allow remote work. Currently, about 26% of U.S. employees work remotely, with this number expected to rise by 2025 (Flynn, 2022). At the pandemic’s peak, remote work was even more prevalent. Approximately 66% of the U.S. workforce now follows a hybrid schedule (Flynn, 2022). The pandemic proved the productivity benefits of remote work, leading to increased automation and the use of robots across various sectors (Lee, 2021). For instance, robots replaced toll booth workers with electronic payment systems. During the pandemic, North America saw a 20% increase in robot orders in the first quarter of 2021 (Lee, 2021). Many employers turned to automation due to difficulty finding workers for lower wages. Additionally, the pandemic highlighted the importance of well-being and mental health, with recommendations for integrating mental health support into emergency planning (Rooney, 2021).

Increased Usage of Robots and AI

The rise of robots and AI in the workforce can boost productivity for companies, although these technologies still require human oversight and maintenance. Job losses due to automation are a concern, but many of these roles are already hard to fill as they are low-paying. For instance, Vickers Engineering uses robots and AI to produce auto parts, creating new roles for engineers responsible for automation (Lee, 2021). Increased efficiency from robots and AI benefits companies and ensures quicker, more consistent product availability, potentially mitigating product shortages experienced during and after the pandemic.

Pros

Robots and AI can reduce company costs, as they are cheaper than human employees (Barden, 2022). Companies do not have to worry about benefits, absenteeism, and robots can work continuously. Moreover, robots and AI decrease error likelihood (Anch, 2019).

Cons

However, robots and AI have limitations, such as reliance on programming, which prevents them from making real-time decisions (Barden, 2022). Human oversight is still needed, and creativity can be lacking, potentially leading to inaccurate decisions (Anch, 2019).

Limitations

The primary limitation of robots and AI is their inability to think independently and adapt to changes, requiring human involvement in the automation process. Programmers and engineers are essential to maintain these systems, and humans are often needed to oversee operations.

Universal Basic Income, Guaranteed Federal Job, and Reduced Work Week

Universal basic income involves the government providing a set monthly payment to each citizen, aiming to equalize income levels. It can reduce the stigma around government benefits (Gaille, 2019). However, it may discourage some from working and could contribute to government debt (Gaille, 2019). The guaranteed federal job concept, based on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Economic Bill of Rights, proposes that having a job is a fundamental right (Congressional Research Service, 2022). This could eliminate unemployment but might increase government debt and create competition between the public and private sectors (Congressional Research Service, 2022). A reduced work week, where companies shorten employee schedules while maintaining full pay, can increase productivity and reduce burnout (Prater, 2023). However, not all businesses can implement this while meeting their needs (Prater, 2023).

Conclusion

The workforce is undergoing significant changes, driven by technology and the pandemic. Remote work has altered the social dynamics of the workforce, and automation requires companies to employ workers to maintain robots and AI. While job losses due to automation are a concern, these changes offer potential positive impacts, particularly for companies struggling to fill low-wage positions.

References

Anch, A. (2019). Advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence. Medium.

Barden, J. (2022). Robots: How companies save money on their workforce. Investopedia.

Congressional Research Service. (2022). Guaranteed federal jobs. crsreports.congress.gov.

Flynn, A. (2022). Remote work statistics. Flexjobs.

Gaille, B. (2019). 19 advantages and disadvantages of universal basic income. futureofworking.com.

Lee, J. (2021). More robots, fewer workers: Pandemic accelerates labor-force automation. Wall Street Journal.

DB FPX 8410 Assessment 5 The Future of Work

McCain, K. (2022). 8 things to know about burnout when working remotely. Betterup.

Nagdeman, J. (n.d.). The digital transformation. Forbes.

Parikh, R. (2021). 4 factors shaping the future of work. Forbes.

Prater, N. (2023). What are the pros and cons of a four-day work week? HR Cloud.

Rooney, K. (2021). Future of work: The pandemic is reshaping work for good, hitting fast forward on the future. CNBC.

Weinstein, B. (2021). Remote work raises new ethical issues for managers. Forbes.