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has technology affected the # of employees where you work?
Posted on 11/8/12 at 11:30 am
Posted on 11/8/12 at 11:30 am
I work in IT. Over the last 10 years I've seen businesses slowly reducing staff while keeping their revenue at similar or higher levels (according to them). Every business is different but I was wondering from a non-political viewpoint of how everyone here thinks technology and efficiency has actually hurt the work force. I know the unemployment rate is high and a lot of it has political issues behind it. But how much of it is just b/c business can run more efficiently with fewer employees?
This is just a few examples:
grocery store: cameras & theft detection sensors has reduced theft and the automated inventory system doesn't require them to have a person or two on staff simply to count inventory and place orders.
surveyor: advanced equipment lets them survey some places more than twice as fast as they did in the past. The surveyor now has ample time to do the CAD work so they don't have a separate draftsman on staff anymore.
construction company: used to have a full time bookkeeper and a full time receptionist. Now with smartphones, email, remote access to information, etc this has been combined into one position despite their business doubling.
courthouse: staff has been reduced almost by 1/3 due to automating services & processes.
This is just a few examples:
grocery store: cameras & theft detection sensors has reduced theft and the automated inventory system doesn't require them to have a person or two on staff simply to count inventory and place orders.
surveyor: advanced equipment lets them survey some places more than twice as fast as they did in the past. The surveyor now has ample time to do the CAD work so they don't have a separate draftsman on staff anymore.
construction company: used to have a full time bookkeeper and a full time receptionist. Now with smartphones, email, remote access to information, etc this has been combined into one position despite their business doubling.
courthouse: staff has been reduced almost by 1/3 due to automating services & processes.
5
Posted on 11/8/12 at 11:48 am to ashy larry
Technology has made huge increases in worker productivity. It started with the printing press.
I started my engineering degree learning to use a slide rule so I've seen many technology improvements in my career.
Posted on 11/8/12 at 11:55 am to ashy larry
quote:
full time receptionist
Not specific to my company, but I never see receptionists anymore.
Fewer bank tellers due to online banking.
Posted on 11/8/12 at 11:59 am to ZereauxSum
quote:
Fewer bank tellers due to online banking.
I have noticed this at two banks where I have accounts. One local, one BAC.
This post was edited on 11/8/12 at 11:59 am
Posted on 11/8/12 at 12:04 pm to ZereauxSum
quote:
Not specific to my company, but I never see receptionists anymore.
True. I guess I should have clarified that she was more of an assistant/receptionist/secretary. It wasn't like they fired her anyway. She left for another job and they just didn't replace her. the bookkeeper answers the phone now b/c most clients just call the owners directly on their cell phones.
Posted on 11/8/12 at 12:09 pm to Nawlens Gator
quote:
I started my engineering degree learning to use a slide rule so I've seen many technology improvements in my career.
slight difference between pencil on a drafting table than BIM/CAD on dual monitors
It amazes me how many home designers still do everything by hand. It also amazes me that contractors still buy their plans. A friend of mine is building a house and the plans have red stamps everywhere stating "BUILD HOUSE IN REVERSE".
Posted on 11/8/12 at 1:00 pm to ashy larry
Yes, we have machines that fabricate 4 times as fast as workers.
Posted on 11/8/12 at 1:08 pm to ashy larry
I work in IT, on a services/IP development team. Our division has tripled in the past year. We are growing at a fast rate with the only downside is other companies plucking away the talent.
Posted on 11/8/12 at 2:21 pm to ashy larry
Amazon will single handedly lead to the death of the electronic retail industry as we know it today. They have already laid the ground work with Amazon locker service and same day shipping. But I do believe it will come full circle one day.
Here is my oversimplified theory:
- Today people to Best Buy and other places to check out a piece of electronic equipment or consumer device and see if they like it.
- If they like it they come home and place an order for it online where they usually find a better deal.
- Eventually it will lead to Best Buy and other such places going out of business because they can't compete on price.
- Then all there will be left will be Amazon and a few brick and mortars here and there.
- Then people will start complaining to Amazon about not knowing what a product looks like or feels and wish there could be a way to try the product first.
- Then Amazon will slowly start opening retail shops starting with a few cities first and then across the country.
- They become so dominant that other retailers will enter the business again.
So Amazon will do it in reverse. They conquer online first and use that to establish a retail presence. Where as traditionally it has been the other way around. Retailers also trying to complete online. Well, that is my theory.
Here is my oversimplified theory:
- Today people to Best Buy and other places to check out a piece of electronic equipment or consumer device and see if they like it.
- If they like it they come home and place an order for it online where they usually find a better deal.
- Eventually it will lead to Best Buy and other such places going out of business because they can't compete on price.
- Then all there will be left will be Amazon and a few brick and mortars here and there.
- Then people will start complaining to Amazon about not knowing what a product looks like or feels and wish there could be a way to try the product first.
- Then Amazon will slowly start opening retail shops starting with a few cities first and then across the country.
- They become so dominant that other retailers will enter the business again.
So Amazon will do it in reverse. They conquer online first and use that to establish a retail presence. Where as traditionally it has been the other way around. Retailers also trying to complete online. Well, that is my theory.
Posted on 11/8/12 at 2:51 pm to rickgrimes
Interesting theory, but they aren't just eating into the business of Best Buy, they're taking from all retailers. I can see a Walmart or Target buying them out. Amazon gets the local footprint it wants and the big retailer buys its way into the future.
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