Smartworking has been touted as an efficient management innovation that transcends the constraints of time and space and promotes a creative work culture, but it can also lead to problems such as increased workloads and stress due to over-connectedness.
In the business world, smartworking has become an efficient management innovation. Employees use smart devices and are no longer bound by time and space. If the electronic devices represented by the PC were a spatial revolution that led to the efficient spatial allocation of resources, the current smart devices are a time revolution that goes beyond time. The economy doesn’t move by the minute, but rather by the second hand, and sometimes the game is decided in intervals that can’t be distinguished by the second hand. It’s also a world where you can control global influences from a small room.
The first generation of smartworking was characterized by the transition from humans to machines. Computers took over the work of humans. With the advent of the smartphone, a computer in the palm of your hand, nomadic working became popular. The second generation of change is more mobile. Now we are in the era of wearing electronic devices, and with the emphasis on convenience, we are dreaming of a human-machine hybrid. We are in the middle of the third generation paradigm. Smart devices are slowly transforming our lives.
They’re not just revolutionizing the way we work, they’re permeating every aspect of our lives. For example, we’re now able to monitor our health in real-time through our smart devices and automatically get personalized workout plans. Our daily routine is no longer a series of getting up, going to work, and coming home, but rather requires the flexibility to adapt and react instantaneously to changing circumstances.
The concept of time and space is breaking down, and our work environments are diversifying. From the local to the global, the boundaries between space and time, represented by nine-to-six, have been completely dissolved. With the freedom of commuting, we are able to manage our time effectively. The way teams collaborate has also changed. Team members scattered across the globe can now work together efficiently in their own time zones, which has become an important competitive advantage, especially among global companies.
Smartworking has a huge impact on effective resource utilization. Task management, video conferencing, and e-payments can help organizations reduce unnecessary expenses. Smartworking literally wants smarter people, and it works well for people who can be more creative and enjoy their work, as opposed to the more regimented work ethic of going to school and attending classes at set times. This shift is also affecting talent development. Companies no longer want employees who simply follow instructions, but rather creative individuals who can solve problems and come up with new ideas on their own. To optimize the benefits of smartworking, employers and workers need to be smart, not devices.
“From man to machine, back to man!” reads one telecommunications company’s ad copy. The human element remains the same. In Korea, smartworking is currently viewed as a red rosy future. Even in the era of smartworking, the labor problems of the past are still ongoing. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are in vogue. While I understand the company’s intention to emphasize hard work and integrity, it is a typical problem for Korean workers. With the spread of smartworking, the boundaries of the workplace have collapsed. It is being used and abused. Employers use smart devices as a way to spy on workers, and workers use smart devices to work dishonestly. Since there is no space to belong, it is an ambiguous situation that is neither resting nor working. Rather, they have the problem of increased workload and insufficient rest. It’s a double-edged sword.
Despite the benefits of smartworking, these side effects can have a serious impact on workers’ mental and physical health. The pressure to be connected for more hours, and the stress of being constantly on call, is contributing to accelerated burnout. There is an urgent need to address this, and it’s something that companies and society need to work together to ensure that smartworking continues to have a positive impact in the long term.
Samsung’s Galaxy series is divided into Note and Gear. The Note on the Earth system has long been a treasure trove of human intellectual heritage. The birth of the watch allowed humans to live their lives in a planned manner. Technology also has the side effect of facilitating human surveillance. Smartworking is not a new concept. It’s just that the smartness of humans, rather than the advancements in smart devices that make smartworking possible, may end up having a more positive impact. The moment smart humans become dependent on devices just because they are smart, the rosy picture will fade.
