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Working styles

The internet and ICT have affected the jobs people do and the way in which they work. ICT has automated many traditionally unskilled manual and administration activities with the result that there are now fewer of these types of jobs. Many of the jobs which are replacing them such as website design, software engineering and computer animation require a high level of ICT skills which not everyone has.

Research by e-skills UK shows:

• 20 million people use IT in their jobs and nine out of ten new jobs will require IT skills.
• 75% of British companies say that employee time is being wasted due to inadequate computing skills.
• An under-trained IT user consumes two to six times the amount of technical support required by an adequately trained user and may make up to 50% more errors.
• Many businesses recognise the need for training but less than 50% are doing anything about it.
• 40 % of IT companies stated they had IT user skills gaps.

IT Insights: Trends and UK Skills Implications, © 2004 e-skills UK/Gartner Inc

Mobile technology such as laptop computers and mobile phones enable people to work more flexibly from different locations and on the move. A laptop with an internet connection can be used to access centrally stored data from anywhere in the world. Many people now work from home for much of the time, saving on travel reducing stress and enabling them to organise work round family commitments. Video conferencing allows employees to have virtual meetings and work collaboratively where-ever they are in the world. The use of email means that it is possible to communicate immediately with anyone worldwide. The downside is that people feel obliged to respond immediately which can result in hasty decisions being made.

Information overload is now a common problem for many employees. Mobile workers take there work with them where-ever they go, making it difficult for them to 'switch off'. Also, ICT makes it much easier for employers to check up on their workers and monitor their performance.

Employment opportunities for disabled people have increases thanks to the availability of specialist ICT devices such as voice recognition, voice output and braille printers.

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