Script

What we think the workplace will be like in 50 years.

If we consider how the work place has changed since 1966, 50 years ago, when the internet didn’t exist and many people were forced to work from as young as the age as 12, it’s hard to imagine what it will be like 50 years from now.

^{The way we work has changed quite dramatically over the last 50 years. From approx. 1965-1995, the way we worked was through routine processes. Individual tasks were carried out and a lot of work was done alone. Work was always done somewhere, in a physical place. Working areas were central and specific, designated areas. Transport was necessary for every working day for many, and the office was the only space, it was impossible for the majority to have the occasional option of working from home. There would have been one desk per person, as well as hierarchical space standards set. 9-5 at one place was the most common and accepted way of working.}

^{Nowadays, work more often than not requires creativity as well as knowledge. Schools, colleges, jobs and careers are more focused on working in groups, teams and projects. The workplace is more interactive now. Work isn’t a place you go to and then leave at the day anymore. In this day and age it has become something the world considers should be a part of you, in my eyes. Networks usually stop the employee from being able to disconnect from work. In another way, it may give the employee the option to manage their time in a way which suits them. The workplace is also more dispersed now, for example, important areas of work may not necessarily be located around a city. Transport is still very important, however communications have undoubtedly lessened its importance. Diverse task-based spaces are more available today too.}

^{These working habits have been evolving for a substantial amount of time now and they will continue to do so.}

^{I believe buildings will be more intelligent, they will be made up of smart technologies. A great possibility of sensors being used for our own benefit such as for adjustment of climate controls of individual employees when needed (but I can imagine this leading to obvious problems too). As well as this, we will have technology extensions to us too, such as equipment which will allow us to see and hear things in a higher definition.}

^{Cloud technologies will enable different information systems to communicate and work together. The cloud represents another decade defining the shift of evolution similar in the way that businesses were affected before by the PC and internet. Towards 2020, cloud technologies will break down barriers within organizations.}

^{This will give rise to new business models and ways of managing IT that are more flexible. And mobile. Companies are especially attracted by cloud computing’s ability to:}

• ^{Provide companies with better management over their data}

• ^{Allow access to information anytime, anywhere, from whichever device suits}

• ^{Improve efficiency by removing power costs}

• ^{Enabling greater interoperability}

With the advances in technology over the past few years there is so much that will change in working life over the next few decades. Robots taking over, majority of people working from their own houses, hover boards? Who knows, they are all real possibilities.

Humans being replaced by artificial intelligence.

First we are going to consider the possibility of Artificial intelligence replacing humans in certain jobs. It is very likely a lot of jobs will soon be taken over by robots and computers. “Manual-labor jobs appear to be most at risk, while jobs that require empathy, like social workers and caretakers, are least at risk.” (Stanger, 2016) We can already see this begining to happen now, with Amazon using drones to deliver products, being able to order and pay in McDonalds using a machine and being able to do your shopping online and have it delivered to your house, all of these are eliminating the need for humans in the workplace. Some futurists even predict in 30 years time robots will take over most jobs!

More companies could dissolve traditional offices and headquarters.

Now with a lot of jobs revolving around online work and computers there may not be a need for traditional offices. Coworking spaces are becoming popular among freelancers and also among corporations which can relocate employees. In fact the company Buffer announced last year it was closing down its offices and now employees work from home, coffee shops and coworking spaces. “Now they survive by facilitating instant meetings, messages, and face-to-face conversations regardless of employees’ locations.” (Stanger, 2016)

Employers could start recruiting people form all over the world.

Instead of having to hire full time employee’s and pay a full wage employer’s could start to employ freelance workers for once of jobs. This also frees the employer from having to offer benefits like health care, holidays etc. They can also choose from a whole range of people willing to to do the job at different rates. Also, with the evolution of online working many people are now finding it easier to work for themselves. People can set up online shops on sites such as etsy or eBay, they can offer voice over jobs on Fiverr.com the list goes on and on.

Possible human “revival”?

Recently, an American biotech company received ethical permission to attempt bring the clinically dead back to life, testing whether parts of the brain can be revived once a patient is declared deceased. 20 trial participants that are certified dead and only kept alive by life support will be monitored via brain imaging equipment to search for possible signs of regeneration and try to kickstart vital body functions such as breathing and heartbeats- something these patients can only do with the help of machines. If successful, this will be the first step to the eventual reversal of death. While good news initially, this will have a domino effect on society; if more people are able to escape death, a population boom is not unlikely, and therefore more of these people would naturally try to keep their jobs/look for jobs. However, if like in the previous statement regarding Artificial Intelligence were to replace humans in the work force, many individuals may be unemployed. Would foregoing with this experiment be a benefit, or would it disturb the natural order of life and death?

Advantages

Given the way things are headed it is likely humans and robots will have to learn to work together. This could have profound effects on the efficiency of work and the decrease of human error in the workplace. Other advantages of having humans and robots working in harmony are “boosting productivity, improving workplace safety and creating a more intelligent working environment with the help of Big Data analytics”(Lawton, 2015)

The creation of new jobs could be another advantage of the changing workplace, new jobs like teaching robots skills they need, maintaining artificial intelligence, controlling drones which are delivering packages etc.

The reversal of death means that less people will suffer from losses of loved ones, and the person with previously endangered life will also be able to continue with their life and goals.

Disadvantages

Changes in our working environment can have a profound impact on the level of efficiency and output of workers, along with their health and wellbeing. If more people are working from home rather than in an office or other workplace this could lead to more people feeling lonely, leading to other mental health issues such as depression.

The rise of robots could lead to unemployment. Although, there will be creation of new jobs there may not be enough new jobs to replace all of the jobs that will be lost due to artificial intelligence replacing humans. As robots would be more efficient and inevitably cost less then hiring a human to do the job it is likely most manual working jobs will be done by robots.

Robots are also still computers, the difference being its mobility, appearance and responses. Perhaps robots will go as far as to look so shockingly similar to humans, that one would not be able to tell which is which. Also, as robots are still computers, the possibility of viruses and hacking will still be present as an issue. What if, were one to get a hand of a certain robot/robots and program it/them to comply to commands other than their original tasks? Robots or artificial intelligence can be used for the efficiency of work, however they also pose a risk as being used as weapons.

Questions this leads us to ask.

Will robots have human rights in the future?

Someday will all jobs be taken over by robots?

What will the purpose of human life be if there are no jobs?

Will there be rise in mental health issues due to lack of jobs/ lack of human contact for people working from home?

Will the advances in technology and ease of access into getting things done for you fuel the already slowly rising issue of weight problems such as obesity?

References

https://open.buffer.com/no-office/

(Stanger, 2016) http://uk.businessinsider.com/ways-the-workplace-will-look-different-in-the-future-2016-1?r=US HYPERLINK “http://uk.businessinsider.com/ways-the-workplace-will-look-different-in-the-future-2016-1?r=US&IR=T”& HYPERLINK “http://uk.businessinsider.com/ways-the-workplace-will-look-different-in-the-future-2016-1?r=US&IR=T”IR=T

http://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2014/06/12/how-virtual-reality-will-change-life-in-the-workplace/#4aa519a654c3

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/08/women-men-jobs-automation/400364/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/12155808/Robots-will-take-over-most-jobs-within-30-years-experts-warn.html

(Lawton, 2015) http://www.gereports.com/jim-lawton-when-humans-and-robots-work-together/

http://www.sciencealert.com/a-biotech-company-has-been-given-permission-to-try-and-bring-dead-brains-back-to-life

http://servicefutures.com/workplace-management/new-technology-will-impact-workplaces-towards-2020/

http://servicefutures.com/workplace-management/working-habits-will-change-towards-2020/

http://blog.emptylemon.co.uk/2014/01/workplace-changed-50-years/

http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/job-hunting-strategy/employment-news/how-work-changed-since-1960s/article.aspx

http://work.chron.com/workplace-changed-12823.html

Tenth Assignment

Analyzing my experience working in an online group.

I have never had to work in a group online and it is a very different experiences from working with groups in real life, to say the least.

The topic of our presentation was quite interesting so I assumed people would show more interest in the presentation.

I didn’t feel there was a good dynamic in our group, people seemed uninterested and unresponsive and were more concerned with their other assignments/projects than this one.

I had to take on a strong leadership role which was weird because I’ve never been the leader in any other group projects. I kick started our project by distributing the different roles and writing out initial ideas/information. I then asked others to add ideas and we decided who would do the PowerPoint presentation. I then had to take on the role of uploading it to SL as the person who was supposed to couldn’t, as they left it last minute. I suppose it was good in a way to get the feel of what it is like to be the leader in a group for a change.

I feel like other members of the group didn’t contribute much to the project and when they did it was extremely last minute. We had our roles distributed days before the assignment was due and I sent off the script and ideas that I had and asked others to contribute their ideas etc. An hour or so before the project wad due they uploaded their contributions and the PowerPoint was only finished minutes before the class was about to start. This meant that we were unprepared and had to keep everyone waiting.

I had suggested we meet up before to run through our presentation once before the real thing and no one replied, but I suppose as the PowerPoint wasn’t completed it wouldn’t have worked anyway.

I think that because in an online group project you don’t actually have to face the people you are working with it is easier to slack as you don’t have to feel the embarrassment of having nothing done and facing your other team members in person.

I’ve never had a bad experience working in a group in real life so it was a bit of a shock and it can be frustrating at times.

If I were doing this project again I would have be more honest and just told the other group members that we need to get it done in advance so we are prepared. Also, that everyone needed to contribute to the work evenly and not add their parts in hours before we are due to present.

Overall, my first experience working in online environment didn’t go too smoothly. But in the end I think we had a good script and the presentation went well.

Here are the images used in our presentation:

 

 

 

Ninth Assignment

After our class on the 5th of May I decided to take action and come up with a plan for our group. I first started by researching relevant articles that could help the group with brainstorming ideas.

I wrote out some ideas that I came up with and sent them on in our group chat and asked what my team members thought and also asked them to add any ideas they may have.

As everyone is busy with exams and assignments coming up to the end of the year there wasn’t much progress made.

I proposed to the team a structure for our presentation. I suggested that we first talk about what we think the work environment will be like in 50 years, then we move on and talk about the advantages and disadvantages we think this would create and finally we talk about the questions this would lead us to ask, such as, will be people’s social skills deteriorate? etc.

Some websites that I found helpful were:

 

http://uk.businessinsider.com/ways-the-workplace-will-look-different-in-the-future-2016-1?r=US&IR=T

http://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2014/06/12/how-virtual-reality-will-change-life-in-the-workplace/#4aa519a654c3

Eight Assignment

Now our main focus is our presentation which is due on the 12th of May.

Our group found it hard to schedule a time to meet up as it is coming to the end of the semester and final assignments and exams are approaching.

We decided the best way to discuss was over Facebook as it was more convenient for everyone.

We began to discuss ideas for our presentation on what we think the workplace will be like in 2050.

We came up with a few ideas but didn’t make a solid plan of action.

I think are group now needs to focus on getting all the relevant research together and put time into forming a solid idea and script for our presentation.

Seventh Assignment

We were asked to discuss how our team might meet and start to plan the project we are working on together.

The group I am in already have a Facebook chat which we use to contact each other and arrange when we are going to meet up.

Facebook is a useful platform to use for communication especially since nearly everyone has one and checks it regularly.

This is the only platform we have used to communicate so far. I’m sure there are other platforms we could use like Viber or Whatsapp but you need the persons number to be able to find them on these apps. Whereas, with Facebook you only need their name, as we were all in the group it was easy to find each other and create a chat.

I think Facebook is a good place to communicate because it is instant compared to the liked of email, people might not check their email that often but most people would go on Facebook regularly.

I feel it may be difficult to find regular times everyone is available to meet up. This week I was away so I couldn’t meet with the group when they were available. Work and social life can get in the way a lot, when one person is free another person is not, but I guess this is one of the challenges of working online.

About Me Section

Hi I’m Robyn. I’m currently in my second year of college doing an Arts degree in DIT. I enjoy travelling and going to festivals whenever I can. I also have a pug obsession and have four in my house. 🙂
I hope to gain and improve my skills working in an online environment and interacting with people online through this module.

Sixth Assignment

For our sixth assignment we were asked to write a post reflecting on our own social media use. I personally would use social media a lot, and I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing. I use Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat most frequently. I used to enjoy using Twitter a lot but found myself using it less frequently until I deleted the app from my phone altogether. I would find myself on social media frequently throughout the day. Sometimes finding myself switching from app to app for hours. 3

I use different apps for different reasons and to talk to different people. I might send someone a quick Snapchat to ask if they’re going out tonight or to ask one of my friends about a dress or shoes. Nothing to deep. Then I would find myself using Facebook to chat with the girls in a group or to catch up with someone I haven’t spoken to in awhile. I also use Facebook to keep up with friends in college, we have a group chat where we can ask questions about assignments or exams.

Instagram on the other hand is a bit different as it’s not really made for conversing with people. It’s a bit narcissistic if you really think about it. I’d mostly post photos to Instagram of places I’ve visited or the odd picture from a night out.

I’m in two minds about social media. On one hand I think it’s great that we are now able to keep in touch with people across the world in the click of a button. It’s amazing really. But I find that sometimes you can get lost in the world of social media. It can be a distraction from real life. As most people know by now people only post what they want on social media which is usually just the fun stuff, it’s all just a show really. I also think social media can be a tool for procrastination, it’s easy to just pick up your phone and scroll through your news feed instead of doing the stuff you’re supposed to be doing (only if you let it be obviously, which I do). I would say overall I probably should try to cut down on my use of social media for my own benefit.

Fourth Assignment

For our fourth assignment we were given the task of purchasing clothes in Second Life. We were each given L$300 which is apparently not a lot of money on SL. I visited NILIS Island Store to buy my first ever item of clothing on SL. I ended up paying L$250 for a dress by accident, as I clicked buy instead of cancel. I don’t know if this was dear but it seemed pretty pricey for a dress.

Next I had to figure out where the dress went after I purchased it. I also had to find out how to put it on my avatar which proved more difficult then it sounds. I thought I’d found out how to put the item of clothing on but then this happened.. 

Overall my first experience of buying and trying to wear clothes on SL didn’t go so well. I will try again and try to figure out how to do it. The clothes on SL look nice and I could see how some people might enjoy purchasing clothes and dressing up their avatar.

Third Assignment

For our third assignment we were asked to visit a music or dance club and soak up the environment of virtual entertainment. The first place I visited was Muddys Music Cafe. At the time I visited there wasn’t many people there. There was modern music playing and seemed like it could be a cool place if you went at the right time. I found this place by going into Featured places. 

The second location I visited was Organica Phschdelic Forest. I found this place by looking up places on Google to visit. Once again at the time I visited this place there was no one there. But I thought this location was really cool. They had some crazy music playing and there were lots of glow in the dark decorations around the place. It reminded me off being at a festival. I really liked this place.

 

The last place that I found by looking it up on Google was Soul Vibrations. This place had lots of people dancing at the time I visited. It was a kind of relaxed environment. It was playing a reggae style of music and had loads of people throwing shapes on the dance floor. 🙂 I found it weird how people came on to dance but I guess each to their own. 🙂 

Second Assignment

For our second assignment for Virtual Environments we were asked to interact with two strangers from second life. We were not sure if we had to meet up as a group for this assignment. So we did anyway then interacted with people separately.  Here is a picture of me Rebecca and Kate in the location London City. We chose this area because it had a lot of people there at the time we were visiting which was about 22:30. 

This area had music playing so I had to instant message people. I got a few responses but people didn’t seem to be interested in talking too much. When I told them I was new to Second Life most of them welcomed me. 🙂 The people seem nice but out of six people I messaged I only had a conversation with one. I asked them how long they’ve been on Second life and if they enjoyed it. They had been on 7 months and said it is fun and creative. I then asked what they like to do and they said explore! I asked them to recommend some places for me to explore. Then the conversation turned weird so I stopped responding.

One person actually wrote to me first while I was trying to have conversations with other people. But they didn’t reply. Another person I messages only spoke Spanish so I couldn’t respond to them.

I find it is easier to just approach people and try to start a conversation than it would be in real life. It is less embarrassing to strike a conversation and if they don’t respond it doesn’t really matter whereas in real life it might lead to embarrassment.

Overall I find it hard trying to find people who are willing to have a normal conversation. I’m not really sure why most people are on Second Life. I think it would take time to filter through all the people to find someone who would be willing to have a conversation about why they joined SL and what they do on it.