Productivity is something that humans have used to define success for centuries. If output is high, a person is considered to be successful and hard working. If output is low, they're labeled as poor and lazy. Thus, it makes sense that our society would place a major emphasis on improving productivity.
While the intersection of technology and productivity is a natural one, it isn't always as it seems. Have you ever considered whether technology aids or hinders productivity? It's an intriguing topic with arguments to be made on both sides.
How Technology Aids Productivity
When you look at many new technologies hitting the consumer marketplace, the vast majority make claims about improving some aspect of the customer's life. In many cases, the improvement is related to saving time or improving output. Often, the claim is true.
Let's consider the example of a large workplace. Studies show that musculoskeletal disorders are the single biggest cause of lost workdays in the entire United States, accounting for roughly 29 percent of all illnesses and injuries leading to missed time. Now, consider that simple improvements to office ergonomics have been shown to reduce absenteeism. This is an instance in which advancements in ergonomic technology, such as standing desks, can aid productivity.
Another area in which technology aids productivity comes in the form of remote communication tools. "Collaboration is essential to business, but employees don't have to be in adjoining cubicles to achieve it," content marketer Cora Cloud says. "With the abundance of free applications like Google's cloud-based suite of products, staff members working from remote locations can collaborate and share documents easily."
It's important that we remember the positive impact technology has when discussing this topic. These are just two examples of ways that technology can increase productivity in the workplace, but dozens more exist.
How Technology Hinders Productivity
Technology certainly isn't without its flaws, though. Even when tools and devices are trying to improve output or streamline some complicated process, they can actually have the opposite effect.
This is often the case when employees have to deal with smartphones, tablets, and laptops that are constantly dinging and barking with notifications from different programs.
"The distracting pull of digital devices and the detrimental effect that has on our ability to concentrate is well documented," expert Emma De Vita says. "In one Stanford University study, people who regularly attend to electronic alerts and messages do not pay attention, control their memory or switch from one job to another as well as those who concentrate on doing one thing at a time."
This is something the majority of us can relate to. If you've ever tried to get a task done while in the middle of an SMS conversation with a friend and your phone keeps dinging, you know just how hard it is to ignore the messages.
This is just one case where technology hinders productivity on a regular basis. As well intentioned as an individual piece of technology may be, we are human and can't easily overcome our own weaknesses.
Finding the Appropriate Balance
It's not as simple as saying technology aids or hinders productivity. The question we really need to be asking is this: How can we better maximize technology in ways that promote productivity and eliminate distractions? In other words, our pursuit should be focused on finding the appropriate balance.
This sounds simple enough, but it's actually a rather significant challenge. In the coming years, it'll be up to entrepreneurs, inventors, and developers to create technology that seamlessly fits into our existing lifestyle. By making technology feel natural, there's less of a chance that it will be distracting and a greater chance that it will stoke higher output and efficiency.