The Impact of Technology Development and Automation on Jobs

Nowadays, considering that we hear more and more news about the invention of new robots or self-driving cars, the following question arise more and more often: "Will we live the time when employees won’t be irreplaceable so that we will be able to replace human workforce with advanced technology?" We can’t say we have a definite answer to this dilemma so far. Not even the human resource studies and statistics can serve as a precise prediction in this regard. However, the idea that robots and computers would replace staff exists and deserves a debate.

In fact, the idea that technological development may lead to a decrease in the number of jobs is not a new one, as it has been launched even in Aristotle’s "Politics", who estimated that if the machines will become advanced enough, it is possible that we will no longer need human labor. Centuries later, during the Industrial Revolution, this theory acquired a particular importance, and as the technology was developing, the labor market has considerably changed. So, some occupations disappeared, leaving room for the emergence of new professions.

Innovation – The Disappearance of Certain Professions

This general concern related to the fact that innovation will lead to the extinction of some trades and decrease the number of jobs gained a greater soar in the XXI century. With the expansion of the Internet and the appearance of high-performance devices and computers, certain tasks have been automated, and the need for employees decreased in some fields, fueling fears that modern machines will replace human beings. Simultaneously, new industries were born – those that produce and develop new technologies used in automating work.

The new workplace technologies may include software programs that ease the organization of tasks, online databases or electronic devices that increase the productivity and facilitate the communication with the employees. Also, some companies may choose to post internal news on a corporate blog or website, while others publicly communicate them to the public through social media. Employees from corporations are taking part in video conferences using online communication programs, or they are given mobile devices to manage their calendar, contacts, and emails.

The Benefits. Things That Machines Will Never Replace

Even though in some work environments it may be regarded with reluctance, the introduction of new technologies has mostly positive effects. The world is changing and, most likely, while reading this article, a new technology takes shape in another corner of the world, so organizations should keep up with the changes, understand the benefits of adhering to the new and enjoy them. It is possible that some employees will look to new technologies with disapproval, to see them as a chore or, worse, as a factor that puts their jobs at risk, and in this case, they should be trained and explained, among other things, the advantages.

So, if it is to draw a conclusion, we can say that the concerns that people might be replaced in the future, by robots or computers are only partially justified. Thus, while certain professions die, new technologies are born, and so is the need for people to develop them. And, last but not least, let’s not forget the boomerang effect that these changes generate: in the context of a labor market increasingly automated, skills that the machines can never replace, such as those related to creativity, artistic sense or communication, get a growing appreciation.

BIA HR TEAM