Changes in the World of Work
With the rapid development and spread of modern technologies, the world of work is undergoing the significant changes adapting to the new challenges existing on the labor market. Globalization is the second trend that has totally altered the situation at the labor market and have made the sufficient impact not only on people’s physical opportunities to work, but also on their approach and attitude to it (Sassen, S., 1998). Currently, we are facing the shift of working identity as it is impossible to ignore the fact that the modern world of work no longer resembles the one existing twenty-thirty years ago.
However, even though the changes appear to be rather reasonable and natural answer or even adaptation to the contemporary quick pace of world’s development, every single worker has to face and to deal with the personal consequences of the phenomenon of the “new capitalism”.Talking about the changing world of work, it is necessary to start with the impact of the technologies and the consequences it may have for the world of work. It is impossible to deny that the technologies have caused the emergence of the entirely new approaches to working and conducting of the certain tasks as well as the attitude to the single blue color worker. For the ability to conduct the routine tasks more efficient and productive, some might warn that the personal outcome for workers will definitely be total replacement and devaluation of the human being at the working place (Graham, F., 2015). However, from the Tom Austin’s article at the BBCNews it can be concluded that the change in the world of work are not likely to bring only ultimately negative results as the technologies contribute to the ever growing de-routinization of work with the anthropocentric paradigm.
Thus, according to Tom Austin, the core value at every type of activity will be derived from the performances that cannot be automated (Austin, T., 2012). The new set of values will contain personalized analytical and interactive contributions linked to discovery and innovation. Sennett, on the other hand, does not entirely share the positive predictions of the effect of technologies on the world of work. He admits that modern technologies can significantly simplify the carrying out of some processes and lead to the downside of the bureaucratic pyramid, however, they may also lead to the social exclusion of the most vulnerable elements (Sennett, R., 2007, 43). Sennett stating that the technologies are being used “as the hallmarks of the capitalism of our time” supposes that the new technologies have also brought changes in the way people manage their time. The new ways of time-management are especially vital for the world of work and can be viewed in the two dimensions: 1) the balance between work and family life; 2) the very type and duration of work.
The ideas expressed in the news articles are commensurate with Sennett’s remark about the growing popularity …
