This blog post examines whether smart working is at the heart of innovation or a shackle for workers. We will explore the dual nature of work efficiency and changes in the working environment.
Some management circles are embracing the term “smart working” to drive efficient management innovation. Employees, using smart devices, are no longer bound by time or space. If the electronic devices represented by traditional PCs led to a spatial revolution by enabling efficient resource allocation, today’s smart devices represent a temporal revolution, transcending time. The economy no longer moves by the minute; victories are sometimes decided in intervals so short they can’t be distinguished even by a second hand. It’s also a world where one can influence the entire globe from a single small room.
The shift from human to machine presented the first-generation smart working paradigm. Computers replaced tasks done by people. The advent of smartphones, dubbed computers in your hand, popularized nomad working. This marks the second generation of change, characterized by enhanced mobility. Now, we’ve entered an era where we wear electronic devices. With convenience increasingly emphasized, we dream of the unity of human and machine. We are squarely in the midst of the third-generation paradigm. Smart devices are gradually transforming our lives.
These changes extend far beyond mere innovations in how we work; they are deeply permeating all aspects of daily life. For instance, we now live in an era where smart devices monitor our health in real-time and automatically suggest personalized exercise plans. Our daily routines are no longer a repetitive cycle of waking up, commuting to work, and returning home. Instead, they demand flexibility to adapt to constantly changing environments and respond instantly.
As the concepts of time and space dissolve, our work environments are diversifying. Beyond local, to global: The boundaries of region and time, once defined by the nine-to-five workday, have completely dissolved. With commuting times becoming flexible, we can now manage our time more effectively. Alongside this, the way teams collaborate has also changed. Systems enabling team members scattered globally to cooperate efficiently according to their respective time zones have become established, becoming a particularly important competitive advantage among global companies.
Smart working significantly impacts effective resource utilization. It reduces unnecessary expenses through task management, video conferencing, and electronic approvals. Smart working, as the name suggests, seeks smarter individuals. It proves effective for those who are more creative and enjoy their work, moving away from the rote work attitude of attending classes at a designated time in a school setting. This shift is also influencing talent development. Companies no longer simply want talent that follows instructions; they prefer creative individuals who can solve problems independently and propose new ideas. To optimize the benefits of smart working, the smartness of humans—not machines—is needed between employers and employees.
“From people to machines, back to people!” That’s a telecom company’s advertising slogan. The subject remains human. Is South Korea currently viewing smart working solely as a rosy, rosy future? Even in the smart working era, past labor issues remain ongoing. The “Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday” work pattern is trending. While the company’s intent to emphasize diligence and sincerity is understandable, this is a representative problem for Korean workers. As smart working spreads, the boundaries of where work happens have dissolved. This has led to both misuse and abuse. Employers misuse smart devices as tools for monitoring workers, while employees misuse them to engage in insincere work practices. Without a clear space of belonging, it creates an ambiguous situation where it’s neither rest, nor work, nor anything else. Instead, it brings the problem of increased workload and insufficient rest. It’s a double-edged sword.
Despite the advantages smart working brings, these side effects can seriously impact workers’ mental and physical health. The pressure of being connected for longer periods and the stress of constantly being on standby are accelerating worker burnout. Countermeasures are urgently needed, and in the long term, companies and society must collaborate to ensure smart working sustains its positive effects.
Samsung’s Galaxy series is divided into the Note and Gear. The Note has long been a repository of humanity’s intellectual heritage. The invention of the clock enabled humans to live each day with purpose. Technology also has the unintended consequence of facilitating human surveillance. Smart working is not an entirely new concept. While the advancement of smart devices enables smart working, it is ultimately human intelligence that can more positively shape its ripple effects. The rosy picture will fade the moment smart humans become dependent on devices simply because they are smart.