Impact of IT Flashcards
Cellular Office
Individual office or rooms.
Advantages:
- more privacy and less distracting
- can be organised to suit requirements of employee
- can engage in confidential work
- personal belongings are more secure
- employees may experience a sense of status and privilege
Disadvantages:
- employees may feel isolated
- communication is difficult
- supervision is more challenging
- difficult to share equipment
- inflexible layouts which are difficult to change or adapt
Open Plan Office
Larger communal workspace which can be divided into distinct work areas.
Advantages:
- space is flexible and can be adapted easily
- can easily communicate
- equipment can be shared
- can easily supervise employees
- work environment is more sociable
Disadvantages:
- lack of privacy to conduct confidential or private meetings
- personal belongings are less secure
- difficult to adjust settings such as temperature or lighting
- may be noisy
- employees may be easily distracted
Advantages of Ergonomic Work Environment
- improves morale and motivation
- ensures effective flow of work
- reputation/image of business improves
- cost effective
Features of Ergonomic Work Environment
- adjustable furniture and computer screens allow staff to work more comfortably
- noise levels should be able to be controlled
- office temperature should be regulated by staff
- relaxing wall colours should be used
- lighting should be non-glare and natural
- anti-glare screens on computers should be used
Flexible Working Options
- Flexitime - when employees choose the hours they work, but they must stick to core hours
- Homeworking - when employees work from home using IT to keep in touch
- Job share - when two people split the hours, salary and responsibilities of a job
Impact on Flexible Working on Employer
Advantages:
- may help retain staff
- improves morale
- less absenteeism/turnover
- less rental costs/workspace needed
Disadvantages:
- not easy to ensure appropriate health and safety and security at home
- difficulties in communication
- technical difficulties when equipment breaks down
- difficult to supervise staff
Impact of Flexible Working on Employee
Adavantages:
- improved work-life balance
- lower stress levels
- can choose where to work
- can personalise work environment
- increased motivation
- reduced travel
- more accessible for disabled staff
Disadvantages:
- may feel isolated
- difficult to establish relationships
Videoconferencing
- uses a camera in addition to a microphone
- uses a live internet connection
- allows both audio and visual communication
- shows body language and facial expressions
- saves travel and accommodation costs
- can be recorded for later reference
Audioconferencing
- uses a microphone
- uses a phone signal
- uses verbal communication only
- saves travel and accommodation costs
- can be recorded for later reference
IT used in Flexible Working
- Email - can send documents back and forth to the office, can be sent to large groups at once, files and attachments can be sent
- Intranet - can be accessed remotely, provides secure access to files
- Web conferencing - can have face-to-face meetings, can see body language
- E-diary - can inform others of meeting dates, reminders can be set
- IM - short messages can be sent to pass on information
- Virtual whiteboards - allows real-time collaboration of ideas through drawings or diagrams
Local Area Network (LAN)
Connects computers and peripherals within small geographical areas.
Advantages:
- easy to share printers and photocopiers
- easy to share files and information
- back-ups can be taken on a regular basis
- more secure as access can be restricted to certain areas
Disadvantages:
- no one can access files if the network goes down
- files could be lost if the file server is damaged or stolen
- viruses can spread quickly
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Connects computers on a world-wide scale.
Advantages:
- data can be transmitted between branches quickly
- easy access to the internet
Disadvantages:
- tight security needs to be in place as people outside the organisation could have access to data
- no control over external websites as they can be removed or changed by the owner
Security Measures
- computer equipment ay be invisibly marked with security markers so it can be identified in the event of theft
- some equipment may be locked down or secured to desks or walls
- information held on electronic storage devices should be stored securely
- data held on paper should be destroyed if no longer needed or relevant
- data should be backed-up regularly in case of loss
- anti-virus software should be installed to protect the network
Consequences of Poor Data Security Measures
- data is at higher risk of being stolen
- business may receive bad publicity - may lose sales and customers
- data may be destroyed or corrupted - leads to unhappy customers
- may need to rebuild network if a virus causes problems - expensive and time consuming
- legal action may be taken if the business fails to adhere to legislative guidelines
- poor or delayed decision-making resulting from inaccurate or missing data may cause a loss of productivity
File Management Procedures
- File locations - information/guidance should be given to employees about where files should be stored
- File names - files should be stored in named folders so they can be easily found
- Routine maintenance - information should be provided to employees about deleting unnecessary files as storage may need to be freed up on the server
- Back-up procedures - back-up copies should be made on a regular basis
- Version control - documents should be names appropriately to track and monitor progress when they are being worked on concurrently by team members
Benefits of Good File Management
- no data is lost due to regular back-ups
- makes it easier and faster to find information
- saves space on the network
- ensures efficient workflow and good time management
Consequences of Poor File Management
- time will be wasted looking for files
- relationships with customers could deteriorate
- computer systems may be slow as they are holding too many files
- could be legal implications
- wrong decisions may be made if out-of-date information is used
