The document discusses how technology has impacted work-life balance. It notes that while technology was predicted to reduce working hours and allow more leisure time, today many people feel they must be available for work at all hours due to mobile devices and constant connectivity. This has blurred boundaries between work and personal life. The document considers different types of technology users and whether future trends will improve or worsen work-life balance, concluding we are at an important point in time to ensure technology does not dominate our lives.

1. ì
UTB
601
TechnoVision
TECHNOLOGY
AND
THE
WORK-­‐LIFE
BALANCE
Anne
Bardoel
Associate
Professor
at
Monash
University
hDp://theconversaHon.com/tool-­‐or-­‐Hme-­‐thief-­‐technology-­‐and-­‐
the-­‐work-­‐life-­‐balance-­‐8165

2. Content
1. “The
Future”
then…
2. Work
today…
3. Mobile
boundaries…
4. Technology
types…
5. GeneraBon
divide…
5. PosiBve
impact…
6. Some
quesBons…
7. Future
trend…
8. BoLom
line…

3. “The
Future”
then….
As
a
child,
I
can
remember
watching
The
Jetsons,
a
cartoon
series
about
a
futurisBc
family
who
had
all
manner
of
technological
appliances
to
help
around
the
house.
In
the
60s
and
70s
there
was
a
belief
that
technology
would
reverse
the
work-­‐to-­‐
leisure
raBon
and
we
would
be
able
to
spend
less
Bme
working
because
there
would
be
less
work
to
do.
Like
the
Jetsons,
in
the
future
we
would
be
free
to
focus
our
aLenBon
on
other
aspects
of
our
lives.
But
has
this
happened?

4. Work
Today…
Today,
no
sector
of
the
economy
is
immune
from
the
influence
of
technology.
How
many
of
us
work
at
home
in
the
evenings
and
on
weekends?
Have
a
mobile
phone
which
we
use
for
work?
Check
our
email
messages
at
home
or
work
regularly
with
other
people
in
other
Bme
zones?
There
is
no
doubt
that
technology
has
changed
the
way
we
work
and
provides
challenges
for
work-­‐life
balance.

5. Mobile
boundaries…
On
the
football
field,
the
boundary
marks
the
edge
of
the
field.
Inside
the
boundary,
the
ball
is
in
play;
beyond
the
boundary
it
is
out
of
play.
Electronic
tools
such
as
email,
chat,
smartphones,
laptops
and
tablets
have
increased
our
ability
to
work
from
home
and
outside
of
regular
hours
creaBng
the
expectaBons
of
being
available
anyBme,
anywhere.
This
expansion
of
the
workplace
boundary
line
has
encroached
on
our
personal
lives,
further
complicaBng
our
work-­‐life
balance
struggle.

6. Technology
types…
There
are
two
main
types
of
technology
users:
1. Technology
slaves
-­‐
people
with
high
expectaBons
and
workloads
who
need
to
work
long
hours
and
be
accessible
24/7
to
advance
in
their
organisaBon
(addicted
to
work)
2. Technology
masters
-­‐
moderate
users
of
technology
who
use
it
as
a
tool
for
both
personal
and
work
life
and
thereby
increase
their
ability
to
manage
their
Bme
and
increase
control
of
their
lives.

7. Generation
divide…
The
current
generaBon
of
young
Nigerians
have
never
known
a
world
without
constant
access
to
mobile
phones,
the
internet
and
email.
The
internet
and
new
technology
devices
are
so
commonplace
that
the
youth
take
them
for
granted.
They
use
the
internet
to
communicate
with
their
friends
and
peers
and
gather
informaBon
about
issues
in
the
broader
environment.
Technology
is
an
extension
of
their
social
lives.
They
are
also
used
to
receiving
and
sending
informaBon
instantly
while
mulB-­‐
tasking
with
technology.

8. Positive
impact…
With
recent
increases
in
technology
and
social
media
use,
more
and
more
employees
will
be
using
social
media
and
the
internet
at
work.
Interes>ngly
people
have
reported
their
internet
use
had
a
posi>ve
impact
on
their
ability
to
balance
their
home
and
work
lives…
Employees
who
use
the
internet
for
work
purposes
at
home
are
doing
so
on
their
own
terms
resul>ng
in
a
percep>on
of
having
more
control
and
flexibility.

9. Some
questions…
Will
the
increasing
use
of
technology
lead
to
a
posiBve
work
environment
of
quick
thinking
mulB-­‐taskers
who
use
the
internet
as
an
external
brain?
Or
will
it
lead
to
a
negaBve
work
environment
where
the
need
for
instant
graBficaBon
outweighs
the
ability
for
thougheul
reflecBon
and
deep
thinking?
Are
we
heading
towards
a
world
of
excessive
technology
addicBon,
where
we
can’t
detach
from
work
during
non-­‐work
hours,
which
leads
to
negaBve
repercussions
for
work-­‐life
balance?
Or
can
we
take
control
of
the
technology
and
use
it
as
a
tool
to
help,
rather
than
something
to
respond
to.

10. Future
trend…
Some
employers
are
recognising
that
there
are
advantages
in
terms
of
producBvity
and
creaBvity
to
legng
people
switch
off
from
work.
For
example,
Volkswagen
(Germany)
deacBvates
emails
during
non-­‐work
hours
and
employees
can
only
receive
email
a
half
hour
before
and
a
half
hour
ajer
the
work
day.

11. Bottom
line…
We
are
a
key
point
in
Bme
in
making
sure
technology
does
not
become
our
master.
Say
NO
and
take
control
of
technology.
Educate
your
clients,
customers,
colleagues
and
managers
that
a
fast
(technology
enabled)
answer
isn’t
always
the
best
answer!

12. TOMI
DAVIES
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817
001
2938
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YOU!