Technology @ Work: Impact on Productivity

There’s no denying that technology has become an integral part of our lives. We use technology for both business and pleasure.  Sometimes the lines between those blur.   On one hand, cellphones and the Internet have revolutionized the way companies across the globe do business, and employees are more accessible than ever before and therefore more productive-- at least in theory.

The reality is that the majority of companies are experiencing as many of its drawbacks as its benefits. One major drawback is the impact of employees’ social networking, private phone use, and personal emailing at work.   But are these technologies really the productivity drain that many in management positions believe them to be, or is that just outdated thinking?

The question of employee productivity, and the challenges of these distractions is a familiar problem.  There have always been distractions in the work place:

•  The telephone…
• The water cooler…(not really technology, I know, but just making a point)
• Desktop PCs and eventually personal notebooks...
• Email… (work email, and personal web email)
• Minesweeper and Solitaire…
• Instant Messenger ... (AIM, yahoo etc)
• Cell phones…
• Telecommuting…

As management has in the past they will continue to try to minimize these distractions by setting up policies, and looking for new ways to monitor usage.  So, is technology the problem or is it the people?   How do you spend your time at work???  Time to fess up to your technology usage -- email, phone, text, facebook, games etc...

How much time do you spend using technology for personal use during work hours?
	never
	less than 15 minutes
	more than 1 hour
	more than 3 hours
	more than 6 hours
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