Recent changes in the world of work

Fundamental changes occurred in the field of work during the last decades of the 20th century. With the spread of information technology a huge wave of modernization has revolutionized the workplace. The role mecha­nization played in the Industrial Revolution in the 18^th and the beginning of the 19th cen­turies is now ascribed to the computer, and many experts speak of the Second Industrial Revolution.

This revolution was sparked off bythe increased use of computers and robotsin the workplace, which made it possible to reduce or even abandon many routine, physically demanding or hazardous jobs. In manufac­turing the end of the assembly line and the division of labour has led towards a synthesis of different tasks and more group work. It seems that workers produce far better results when they feel responsiblefor their work and are allowed to make use of their creativity.

There are, of course, negative aspects to these drastic changes. The main problem is the sharp decrease in the need for labour, especially, unskilled labour, which has resulted in a per­manently high level of unemployment in most Western economies. Naturally there are still many jobs available in industry but they are only accessible to skilled workers with specialized training.

Whereas a lot of jobs in manufacturing have been lost, there is a clear tendency to more employment in the service sector ranging from personal services, such as waiters and hair­dressers, to highly qualified professionals, e.g. legal and financial advisers. The latter are often self-employed.

The traditional type of worker who is trained for one job and stays in this job all his or her working life has become less common and it is clear that life-long training and occasional changes in one's job will be normal in the future.

In the field of office work the computer has substituted a lot of paperwork, and many routine jobs can now be done automatically. The flow of information has been speeded up enormously and crucial information is now available within seconds around the globe (cf. Info-Box "Communication", p. 199). With information technology getting more sophisti­cated and widespread a lot of office jobs are now being performed at home. With the help of a computer and a modem a "long-distance worker" can be on-line with his or her employer, eliminating the need to work in an office. This development offers new oppor­tunities for people to work at home and structure their own working hours. And more flexibility of working hours is, in turn, leading to a looser definition of the average working day. On the other hand, this style of working may lead to more isolation as workers have less inter­action with colleagues. Often people working under such conditions are forced into self-employment with all its risks.

All this has had a great impact on the trade unions, which have seen their membership drastically reduced and who are finding it more difficult to recruit new members. The shift towards the service sector has been accelerated by the international division of labour. Heavy industry and a lot of manufac­turing have been shifted towards formerly less industrialized countries, especially in East Asia, where wages are lower and government regulations are less strict.This has resulted in the loss of many jobs in Western Europe and in North America. The international exchange of capital, information and commodities has also been facilitated, so that it has become easier for companies to invest abroad or to import and export.

Task 3. Answer the questions about what you have read:

1) What is the key idea of the text?

2) What fundamental changes have occurred in the field of work in the last decades of the 20^th century?

3) What are the positive and negative aspects of mechanization?

4) What new type of workers has emerged as a result of the changes?

5) In your opinion, what are advantages and disadvantages of being a long-distance worker?

6) Why are teleworkers usually forced into self-employment? What are the risks of self-employment?

7) What is meant by the term “international division of labour”? Can you provide any examples?

8) Why have heavy industry and manufacturing been shifted towards less industrialized countries?

Task 4. Read the text and translate it in the written form.