This article addresses the problems that come with the increased efficiency of industrial division of labour, analysing in particular the causes of declining worker job satisfaction and social conflict. It also highlights the need for communication and understanding to address these issues, and provides a balanced view of the advantages and disadvantages of the division of labour.

Introduction

The division of labour in industry for the sake of efficiency has led to side effects.
I have been working as a work-study student in an office in Seoul National University’s College of Engineering for a long time. During my time with the faculty members in the office, I have witnessed many things, but I have also witnessed a lot of gossip and backstabbing after a call with other office staff. The reason for the gossip was that they were too focused on their own work and lacked consideration for how busy the other person was. In fact, with close acquaintances in other offices, you can guess what they are doing and how overwhelmed they are, but in an administrative structure where each office has its own responsibilities, you don’t really know what the other person is going through. As a result, when you ask someone to do something for you, you become self-centred, and the above problems arise.
This experience led me to believe that the division of labour has contributed to these problems. We live in a rapidly developing society, and our lifestyles are becoming more and more complex. As industries develop, specialisation in each field increases, and it becomes difficult for an individual to be an expert in all fields. As a result, division of labour has arisen in various industries, which allows for efficient production and streamlined work. However, as the above experience shows, division of labour can also have its problems. In this article, we’ll discuss the necessity of the division of labour and the problems it causes.

The main points

Allows for efficient use of limited capital

The division of labour allows each person to be the best at what they do, which means that capital and skills are focused on one area, making them more specialised and productive. For example, let’s say you produce computers. There are many different parts that make up the body of a computer: the motherboard, CPU, hard disk, graphics card, memory card, etc. However, for a company with limited capital, it is more efficient for each company to specialise in a particular component rather than producing all of them themselves. Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia are good examples of companies that specialise in certain components.
It is also much more beneficial for research in a particular field to focus on a single component or technology. It’s more efficient and faster to focus on a specific component rather than trying to improve the performance of all components. The same goes for human resources. It is easier to get human resources trained in a specific component than to train people with knowledge of all components, and they are more likely to specialise.

Profit-seeking in certain sectors causes many harms

The division of labour has increased the interdependence between sectors. This can lead to situations where the pursuit of profit in a particular sector can cause great harm to society as a whole. A typical example of this is the ‘division of labour in medicine and the medical strike’ that occurred in 2000. The amendment to the Pharmacy Act, which required doctors to diagnose and prescribe medicines and pharmacists to dispense them, was met with strong opposition from doctors. As a result, 70% of hospitals in the country were closed for six months, and many people were affected by the lack of access to medical care. This was a problem due to the high level of specialisation and dependence on the medical sector.
Also, in 2014, the ‘domestic snack crisis’ led to consumer dissatisfaction and boycotts due to the confectionery industry’s over-packaging. Again, the confectionery industry’s important position in society has led to such a backlash.

Companies are not organised

Even within companies, division of labour is essential. Companies are usually divided into various departments, such as sales, planning, technology development, accounting, production, marketing, and purchasing, each of which is responsible for different tasks. These departments need to work together seamlessly to keep the business running smoothly. However, conflicts between departments often arise due to a lack of understanding of each other’s work. The planning department may not understand the reality of the technology development department and propose unrealistic plans, and friction between production and marketing, accounting and production, etc. is also common.

Effects of division of labour on labour quality and job satisfaction

While the division of labour is effective in increasing productivity, it can have a negative impact on workers’ job satisfaction and quality of life. The division of labour forces workers to focus on simple, repetitive tasks, which can lead to monotony and fatigue. For example, a worker in a factory for mass production can suffer from mental and physical fatigue from doing the same tasks day in and day out.
The conveyor belt system introduced in Henry Ford’s car factories maximised productivity, but workers lost the opportunity to be creative and often suffered from psychological burnout. This is called ‘industrial alienation,’ and it happens when workers lose control over the products they make. This can lead to low job satisfaction and, ultimately, a negative impact on productivity. To address these issues, companies need to improve the well-being and working conditions of their workers.

Conclusion

The division of labour has inevitably become an integral part of modern industry. By concentrating technological capital and human resources in a single area, productivity and efficiency can be maximised. However, we can’t ignore its negative side effects. The dependency issues that arise from the division of labour can have far-reaching social implications and can negatively impact workers’ job satisfaction.
While these issues are difficult to completely resolve, it is important for each sector to try to understand and communicate with each other instead of only pursuing their own interests. Companies should also explore different ways to ensure that workers feel job satisfaction. The division of labour is an important system that contributes to increased productivity, but it requires ongoing efforts to achieve social and economic balance.