Work and Employment

Technological change and its impact in the workplace have become the centre of attention throughout the world. Many innovations include advanced computer and manufacturing systems, industrial robots, and highly sophisticated communication systems. Current technologies incorporate low-cost procedures for factory owners to potential increase productivity. There are, however, downfalls to the change of technology within work societies. This change is leaving many workers in offices, factories and businesses unemployed due to the laboursaving innovations. When firms do hire workers, they will need to be highly-skilled and well educated in order to be considered for the job.

With the increase of demand for the experienced worker, work societies has been affected by many changes, especially the Industrial Revolution, and now the modern day advancement of technology. Both have had an impact on the economy and people who are part of the labour market. During the Industrial Revolution, unskilled workers were benefited due to the improvements in factory machinery. These machines would allow workers to efficiently produce greater amounts of products in a smaller amount time. Also, science and technology is now enabling people to become consistent. The lower-skilled labourer, however, is being negatively affected and becoming unemployed rather than benefited (Gimpel 1992: 3). Over time, economists have estimated the unemployment rate created by advanced technology in a way where studies have shown a dramatic change in employment opportunities.

“An increase in the pace of technological change can have two profound side effects in the labour market. It can increase the rate and the average duration of unemployment. Because firms may not consider it cost-effective to retrain some types of workers to keep up with change, notably the less-educated and older employees, these workers may be jobless for long periods of time, with some of them perhaps never working again. If...