Introduction
The wave of capitalism has continued to shape organizational goals and work cultures in many corporations across the globe. Pioneers and investors in different industries pursue unique business models capable of meeting their needs and maximizing their profits. The employee is required to complete his or her roles tirelessly, engage others, and identify emerging resources to deliver the intended outcomes. This form of work ethic has led to numerous challenges for both companies and workers. Neo-liberalism has gone further to create worrisome scenarios whereby individuals have increased chances of becoming workaholics. In some cases, possibilities of becoming their own tyrannical bosses tend to grow as they decide to pursue additional goals. The emergence of modern technologies appears to be the game changer for transforming work ethic and guiding more people and corporations to achieve their maximum potential. This paper critiques this new state affairs and what is means for management practice in organizations.
Background Information
Within the past two decades, workers have realized that new technological changes are capable of empowering and guiding them to achieve greater goals. Companies focusing on traditional ways of doing things have become less competitive or incapable of attracting new talent. This problem has emerged due to the transformations taking place at the global level (Kim and Choi, 2020). The wave of globalization has made the world a place of numerous opportunities whereby individuals can operate remotely while realizing their goals. This trend is also allowing companies to engage in offshoring and on-shoring practices to support their strategies. Despite the nature of these developments, capitalism has remained a practical economic model capable of changing with the times.
As a response to most of these predicaments, individuals working for different corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have increased their bargaining powers. Specifically, they have been keen to quit their current positions with the aim of identifying and getting greener pastures. Abraham Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs have gained more meaning in the recent past as more people are focusing on meaningful work. Specifically, they are keen to identify job opportunities capable of delivering the much-needed meaning and a sense of fulfilment. Vyas and Butakhieo (2020) indicate that such individuals are keen to achieve self-actualization from the work they do. Some have focused on responsibilities that create room for increased emotional attachment and satisfaction.
With the emergence of modern technologies, companies have gone further to respond to these demands by developing better work weeks and environments. The ultimate aim is to create a sense of empowerment and contentment whereby more individuals would be keen to be part of the process. The approach is informed by the trends associated with technological breakthroughs and globalization (Yang et al., 2022). While such developments are still being recorded, numerous questions have emerged that continue to affect the experiences of more people. These new issues explain why organizational theorists need to examine the emerging trends and offer better ideas for supporting workers and ensuring that they record desirable experiences.
Remote Working and Digital Telecommuting
Modern technologies are usually disruptive and allow individuals and business firms to increase their competitive advantages. The existing forces at the global level are compelling companies to engage in sustainable practices and arrangements that resonate with the demands of the greatest number of stakeholders. This key requirement has made remote working a new reality in the world today. Yang et al. (2022) identify it as scenario whereby an employee is capable of completing his or her duties without the need to the office. Proponents of this model acknowledge that professionals do not need to be in a specific location or place to complete or execute their tasks more efficiently. Workers in such an arrangement will pursue their goals wherever they might be. The presence of supportive technological innovations and the Internet makes this model possible.
Most of the analysts examine the processes of remote work and digital telecommuting from the same perspective. However, Tanpitat, Lim and Deng (2021) indicate that the latter revolves around an employee’s ability to complete a wide range of assignments and roles through the application of digital telecommunication resources. Some of these systems include mobile phones, handheld devices, video-conferencing applications, and chat technologies. More people working as software engineers, tutors, financial analysts, and web designers are finding this work arrangement suitable and capable of meeting the needs of the employer. Such individuals need to be involved, disciplined and aware of their roles if they are to deliver the much-needed outcomes.
While some significant differences are evident between digital telecommuting and remote work arrangements, it is agreeable that they focus on the same strategy for pursuing organizational roles. The past two years have presented compelling reasons for the global community to start focusing on sustainable work arrangements. The emergence and subsequent of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted many organizational activities and logistical operations. Most of the companies were finding it hard to meet the demands of the end customers (Vyas and Butakhieo, 2020). The new predicament compels governments to restrict human movements through quarantine and lockdown measures. The disruptions have created an enabling environment for promoting remote work weeks.
Investigations in this field have presented additional insights about the experiences of both the employee and the company. For instance, Saura, Ribeiro-Soriano and Saldaña (2021) observe that the new form of work is more fulfilling and could allow individuals to pursue their goals without incurring numerous expenses. In another study, Tanpitat, Lim and Deng (2021) were convinced the new approach was empowering more people to engage in other activities while delivering to their corporations. However, some thinkers have revealed that these new arrangements founded on emerging technologies could be problematic and capable of disorienting the expectations of more stakeholders. In his study, Donthu and Gustafsson (2020) observed that the model has the potential to make workers lazy and unable to deliver. Such an occurrence could have negative implications on the specific company and disorient performance. Some workers had higher chances of becoming irresponsible and eventually compelling the company to terminate their contracts.
These developments have presented strong reasons for analyzing the nature of organizational processes and issues that could emerge as more people pursue their goals. All changes will tend to attract a sense of opposition from most of the stakeholders. Companies appear to be at crossroads as they focus on the best workweeks capable of supporting their business models. Workers who want to realize or attain self-actualization appear to have become more confused than ever before (Saura, Ribeiro-Soriano and Saldaña, 2021). These issues form the foundation for renewed investigations in order to improve most of the existing theories in favor of both workers and organizations.
Emerging Emotional Investment in Work
The above section has supported the fact that the traditional working environment has changed due to the emergence of new technologies and innovations. Such forces are compelling companies to rethink their strategies and consider practical approaches to meet their workers’ needs while at the same time maximizing profits. The adoption of such technologies is making it easier for companies to redefine most of their operations. For example, Saura, Ribeiro-Soriano and Saldaña (2021) indicate that financial analyses, decision-making, supply chain management, and marketing procedures are benefiting from the use of emerging systems. Companies are able to rely on social media platforms to forecast and consumer behaviors in an effort to meet the changing needs. These analyses present additional insights for pursuing most of the organizational aims.
At the workplace, new relations have emerged between workers as the focus on the best ways to deliver outputs. The changing working arrangements are also requiring that employees consider better strategies for online communication and leadership. Managers are finding new roles in monitoring individuals who are working remotely (Tanpitat, Lim and Deng, 2021). The presence of a wide range of technological systems is supporting this trend. Business organizations are also finding a strong reason to implement better managerial processes while overcoming some of the possible barriers to change. As telecommuting and remote works become the new normal, corporations are considering the best strategies to empower their employees and ensure that positive results are eventually recorded.
While this happens to be the case, more employees have been on the frontline to consider working arrangements and environments that have the potential to maximize their overall gains and experiences. The nature of modern technologies has helped more people experience new tasks that never existed before. Most of the industrial operations completed manually before are now pursued through the use of technological systems (Tanpitat, Lim and Deng, 2021). The workplace is becoming more immaterial and less daunting than ever before. For many individuals, such a reality appears to have come at the right time to support their needs and take them closer to self-actualization (Hill et al., 2021). Unfortunately, these emerging scenarios have led to additional complications and challenges that never existed before.
With work arrangements becoming more dynamic, employees have realized that the chances of achieving most of the anticipated aims still remain low. For instance, Jaffe (2021) indicates that the push for continued happiness at the workplace is a powerful force compelling people to become emotional. The scholar is also convinced that work will never have any sense of feeling (Jaffe, 2021). The fact that capitalism appears to win in whatever situation becomes a new complication for more individuals who intend to record the much-needed outcomes. The introduction of modern technologies has not affected the goals of most of the existing corporations. Instead, Tanpitat, Lim and Deng (2021) argue that the emerging systems and innovations continue to make it easier for more investors to launch start-ups that breakeven within the shortest time possible. Such businesses only create new opportunities for benefiting the entrepreneur while disorienting the overall experiences of the worker.
A new work ethic appears to have emerged amidst these challenges. Specifically, more individuals are keen to pursue responsibilities and organizational roles that have the potential to deliver self-actualization. The emergence of remote work and digital telecommuting arrangements is one of these promising sources or approaches to such a goal. Unfortunately, the reality has been that most of these work arrangements are compelling employees to remain attached and be ready to complete the much-needed tasks. Companies have relied on this development to formulate desirable policies and guidelines that have the potential to support and sustain overall performance. Consequently, more people have realized that their works are no longer able to provide room for self-actualization. The harsh reality is that some of the jobs capable of making employees happier will also be associated with cases of increased frustration.
In the current state, more workers are considering work arrangements that resonate with their specific demands. However, the forces of capitalism continue to influence most of the decisions such individuals make. These issues have made neo-liberalism a strong force that is reshaping the views and expectations of many employees. For instance, Day (2018) indicates that a wave of perfectionism is becoming the new normal as self-employed and those working under remote arrangements are keen to deliver the best results. Younger generations relying on modern technologies are on the receiving end because they appear to expect desirable results within the shortest time possible (Tanpitat, Lim and Deng, 2021). At the same time, these workers would think that their colleagues and society is keen to observe their performances while expecting them to deliver desirable results.
The appetite for continued excellence has complicated the situation for individuals intending to achieve self-actualization. With work having no emotions, the emerging working strategies allow employees to operate remotely are, therefore, in tandem with the notions of neo-liberalism. This form of ideology appears to promote a scenario whereby personal competition increases while the level of cooperation is discouraged (Day, 2018). Workers tend to become ambitious in an effort to achieve most of their goals. However, they would remain fearful or afraid of being judged or ridiculed. Those who follow the perfectionist root tend to encounter additional challenges since most of the personal and organizational aims become impossible to achieve. These issues eventually increase the level of burnout and subsequent fatigue (Jaffe, 2021). The affected workers will realize that work was incapable of showing emotions or supporting their goals. These harsh realities present strong reasons for companies to consider evidence-based managerial practices for ensuring that desirable outcomes are eventually recorded.
Implications for Management Practice
Organizational theory promotes practical ideas and strategies that leaders can implement to drive organizational performance. This outcome would only be possible if managers involve, guide, empower, and mentor their respective employees. Maslow’s concept of self-actualization remains a powerful idea for analyzing working environments and ensuring that individuals get the best out of them. The emergence of modern technologies is a revolutionary trend stretching the limits of organizational cultural practices and business models (McRobbie, 2016). The forces of capitalism are also compelling organizations to maximize profits even at a time when the demand for sustainability is still high (Felipe et al., 2017). Employees entangled in this state of affairs tend to think that they can consider or select organizational arrangements and jobs that are associated with meaningful work.
These forces have worked synergistically to present new predicaments or concerns for future managers in different organizations. For instance, Jaffe (2021) observes that the emerging work weeks are contributing to various constraints since some of the employees might be uninterested in such arrangements. Others have embraced such models since they appear to maximize their opportunities for pursuing other personal activities. In other cases, companies insisting on promoting traditional office-based work arrangements have been observed to record increasing levels of employee turnover. Such an outcome has also been directly associated with poor organizational performance (Gregg, 2011). This problem remains pervasive since it has the potential to affect the overall experiences of other stakeholders and the final customer.
Some employees expecting to achieve self-actualization have become more frustrated and disturbed. Some have found it hard to pursue their goals after realizing that most of the strategies aimed at promoting self-actualization are inappropriate or incapable of delivering the much-needed results. Companies that fail to consider these issues will find it hard to attract new talent and continue to pursue their business aims (Jaffe, 2021). The absence of proper mechanisms can worsen the situation and make it impossible for more people to achieve their goals. These dilemmas present a strong case for engaging in better management practices that resonate with the demands of all key stakeholders.
The case of Google Inc. stands out as a corporation that is implementing various mechanisms in an effort to empower more employees while at the same time promoting organizational performance. Following COVID-19 outbreak, this organization has presented new work weeks and arrangements depending on the needs of the workers (Agnihotri and Bhattacharya, 2022). The company is going further to combine traditional office practices and digital telecommunication to address most of the workers’ grievances. To reduce the possible level of resistance, the organization has improved the nature of the working environment. This approach entails the provision of timely decisions, guidance to allow employees engage in innovation, and presentation of the much-needed resources (Yun, Jung and Yigitcanlar, 2018). The organization is also embracing the use of scientific methods as the best approaches for guiding workers to become more innovative.
Based on this case study, managers in the corporate world need to understand that the ultimate aim is to deliver profits. They need to engage all key stakeholders to ensure that more workers remain interested and willing to complete their tasks. This approach needs to be founded on the notion that more working environment and arrangement have not led to self-actualization. More individuals have become emotionally disturbed and incapable of delivering the much-needed outcomes. This predicament is linked to the immaterial nature of work itself (Hill et al., 2021). The new trend is what compels more individuals to become emotionally invested and attached to their roles. The end result is that the workers become victims of deep burnout and continued frustration. The absence of proper support mechanisms for those working remotely worsens the situation. They find it hard to pursue their goals, thereby sabotaging the business models of their respective companies.
Experts in the areas of technology and management have presented various ideas to address these concerns. For example, Yi, Park and Kim (2019) encourage organizational leaders to establish practical frameworks to promote communication and learning more about employees’ predicaments. Managers need to pursue such aims while setting distinguishable rules and guidelines. Sanyal and Hisam (2018) believe that the provision of the right resources and technological inputs depending on personal needs could help address most of the identified problems. The strategy will allow more workers to become engaged and willing to deliver the much-expected results.
Individuals operating remotely require additional incentives to make them more productive while being able to achieve self-actualization. Managers can achieve this goal by promoting flexibility, increasing the overall level of safety, and encouraging people to select the most appropriate work weeks based on their needs. The promotion of effective mentorship programs would allow workers to be involved and capable of completing their tasks in a convenient manner. The concept of flexibility for all individuals can also help improve organizational performance (Yuliansyah, Gurd and Mohamed, 2017). Issues of societal engagements and the focus on corporate social responsibility could also provide a sense of contentment to most of the stakeholders. These efforts will help the company be prepared for possible changes while leaving most of the workers empowered and ready to provide additional services.
Conclusion
The completed discussion has revealed that modern technologies are reshaping the meaning of organizational management. New work arrangements are compelling employees to make informed choices and consider the best approaches to achieve self-actualization. Unfortunately, the promises of digital telecommuting and remote work appear to backfire due to the powerful forces of neo-liberalism and capitalism (Day, 2018). In most of the cases, many workers have become more depressed and incapable of getting the real benefits associated with meaningful work. These realities should encourage organizational leaders to consider the example of Google Inc. and implement proper strategies that can transform their respective management practices.
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