Topic 4- Working With Ict Flashcards
What is teleworking?
Using communications to save a journey, for example you could save a journey abroad by using video conferencing
What is telecommunicating?
Performing job related tasks by using telecommunications to send and receive data to and from a central office without having to be physically present
What are some ICT developments allowing people to work from home?
- Internet access
- Email access
- Mobile computing
- Mobile phones
- Videoconferencing
What are some jobs suited for home working?
- Web designer
- Programmers
- Accountants
- Data entry clerks
Hardware needed for teleworking?
- laptop/ computer
- screen
- internet
- printer
- webcam
- microphone
Benefits of teleworking to the employee?
- saves time as you don’t have to commute to and from work which means you won’t get stuck in traffic and this will also reduce travel costs.
- reduces the amount of stress as you are no longer getting stuck in traffic
- you can live where you want and the hours you work can be more flexible making it easier to fit work around family commitments e.g. If you have young children
- don’t have to take time off work for appointments e.g. Dentist as you can fit your work around them
- ideal for disabled people
Disadvantages of teleworking to the employee?
- The employee may feel isolated as they aren’t in the office and won’t have many people to talk to or workmates to go out with
- Home costs e.g lighting and heating may go up
- There might not be a quiet place to work in the house and the employee may get distracted by other family members e.g. Young children
- The boundary between home and work may be lost and the employee could end up working too little or too much which could cause stress
- some employers may pay teleworkers less as there is more competition for jobs
- Loss of status for some staff e.g. No plush offices
Benefits of teleworking to the employer?
- smaller offices are needed and less office furniture e.g desks is therefore needed reducing costs.
- there will be reduced office overheads e.g electricity gas and insurance
- the staff may be less likely to spend time on the sick and may be willing to work more flexible hours
- less backup staff e.g cleaners or caretakers will need to be employed.
Disadvantages of teleworking to employers?
- harder for managers to manage the work and to hold meetings as the employees will not be in the office
- it may be hard for the employer to determine how hard their staff are actually working from home and whether they are being productive enough
- the employers will usually have to pay for their employees ICT equipment which could be expensive
- there are and increased number of sites for ICT equipment which may cause more security risks
- change in organisational structure may be needed
Benefits of teleworking to society?
- there will be reduced traffic congestion as less people will be traveling to work and this will also reduce air pollution
- fewer greenhouse gas emissions will help reduce global warming
- family relationships may be improved as people will be spending more time in their home
- it can help sustain rural communities as people can telework and also could mean prosperity is spread around the whole of the uk instead of just in the cities
What is videoconferencing?
It allows face to face meetings to take place without the participants being in the same room
What hardware is needed for videoconferencing?
- high specification multimedia computer or laptop
- webcam/video camera
- screen and speakers
- microphone
Benefits of videoconferencing to the employee?
- the employee does not need to travel which means they will not have to experience delays e.g. the stress of their flights being delayed
- it may improve family relationships as employees will spend more time at home
- they do not have to put in long hours of travelling therefore saving them money on travel costs e.g travelling to and from meetings
Benefits of videoconferencing to the organisation?
- it is much cheaper as they do not have to spend money on travelling expenses, meals, hotels etc.
- it may improve the productivity of their employees as they will need to spend less time travelling
- meetings can be called at short notice
- short meetings can take place which is better then having to travel long distances for a short meeting
Benefits of videoconferencing to society?
- There will be fewer flights and less travelling meaning this will reduce travel congestion and also reduce air pollution and global warming
- roads will not be clogged up with traffic which will cause less stress and reduce pollution
