Digital technologies emerged globally and occupied every area of our life. The use of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and various innovations in the workplace is not a unique practice nowadays. Implementation of “big data” technology at the workplace is an oncoming trend that presents both positive and negative sides. The term big data is used to describe large volumes of high velocity, complex and variable data that implies advanced technologies in proceeding and analysis. The influence of big data could be observed in different spheres and markets. Big data application in the business processes positively affects productivity, cost efficiency, flexibility, and adaptability of the working process. Despite the visible improvement of working practices related to the application of big data, privacy is a common concern. This essay will conduct the positive effects of big data implementation in the workplace and discuss possible drawbacks. It would be stated that although the question of privacy is critical, big data is an effective technique used for connecting workers, setting common goals, improving productivity and performance, and educating employees.
First of all, it is essential to understand how digital technologies and big data transformed workplaces. Hamburg argues that digital transformation was highly advantageous for organizations due to increased productivity, cost efficiency, elevated flexibility, adaptability to different changes in the market, and a more mobile and agile workforce (19). Digital technologies allow conducting organized, connected, and effective work despite location and time zone (Hamburg 20). According to Hamburg, the key to successful cooperation in the digital workplace is to effectively combine the digital workplace strategy with local learning and culture (20). Digital technologies improve and connect the performance of different corporate levels. Ebert et al. support the view that digital technology, namely big data, helps to control the performance and monitor the behavior of the employees in the workplace (1). The proper implementation of digital technologies could obtain elevated indicators of work performance.
Each organizational level at the workplace follows different but linked goals using digital technologies and big data. For example, managers aim to collaborate with employees more effectively, minimize cost, achieve better service, and be competitive in applying digital technologies (Hamburg 21). On the other hand, employees expect digital technologies, convenient ways to complete their tasks, and effective cooperation methods (Ifenthaler 5). The functions and implementations of the digital technologies are not limited by inner cooperation culture; it is also used to analyze and train employee performance. Hamburg claims that additional implementations of the digital technologies in the workplace include information governance strategy, training and certifications, and crisis management (25). Representation of all possible frameworks for digital technologies helps identify its importance.
Big data could help to enhance the performance and productivity of the company. An empirical study conducted by Mawed and Aal Hajj revealed that big data implementation helped improve the company’s performance related to its analytical and innovative processes. The study highlighted the main spheres of performance management enhanced by big data implementation, including strategic planning and exaction, cost visibility and driver behavior, customer intelligence, forecasting, planning, predictive analytics, enterprise risk management, and process improvement (Mawed and Aal Hajj 7). According to Mawed and Aal Hajj, big data’s implementation was practical in evaluating the correlation between the cause and effect of the process (8). Moreover, process observations-maintained understanding of the building, asset, and performance. Mawed and Aal Hajj, in their research, emphasize that big data diminish performance cost and reduce disruptions (9). Furthermore, interview data showed that big data analytics increased data accuracy and technological alignment in the workplace (Mawed and Aal Hajj 15). Therefore, big data is a helpful tool in increasing a company’s performance and productivity on different fronts.
Big data storage clouds also could be helpful in workplace organizations. According to Mawed and Aal Hajj, big data should be shared with all service providers to avoid fault detection and diagnostic problems, deploy robust analytical platforms, and explore data (17). Ifenthaler also approves the view by providing evidence of the effectiveness of big data databases in digital workplace learning (5). These storage clouds give access to the relevant and necessary information to all workers. Furthermore, a shared database could enhance the speed and effectiveness of completed work. On the other hand, technical challenges related to big data implementation could occur. One challenge is that big data databases require a constant flow of scalable and flexible information in real-time (Mawed & Aal Hajj 16). Another challenge is complications in the technical services of big data equipment and applications. As mentioned by Mawed and Aal Hajj, successful implementation of big data demands several IT roles responsible for statistical, analytical, and experimental performance (16). Maintenance of this technology expects good investment to have effective results.
Digital technologies and big data could maintain an absorbing workplace study experience. Constantly changing trends and innovations necessitate continuous learning and development in the occupation. Implementation of big data in education could positively influence the learning process. As stated by Ifenthler, digital learning facilitates the introduction of new creative technology-based ways to present information (4). Additionally, Ifenthler recognizes the digital learning model as cost-effective, easily accessible, and flexible for changes (4). The study directed to effectiveness analysis declared that digital workplace learning was associated with creating study groups and communication patterns among employees (Ifenthler 4). Another finding was that the simulations using big data helped fill the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge of workers (Ifenthler 5). The combination of computer-based tasks with group work increased understanding of real-life problems. Ifenthler expresses that big data in cooperative education would help share experience, receive feedback, and train newbies (7). Implementation of big data as an educational platform gives a plethora of opportunities, and all directions mentioned above are already tested in practice. It is necessary to remember that digital learning methods could vary according to the company’s culture.
One of the most important considerations related to big data in the workplace is privacy. Implementation of big data allows monitoring every step related to the employee’s behavior and performance, resulting in the distribution of private life (Ebert et al. 1). For example, Ebert et al. insist that the COVID-19 pandemic released information related to employee’s health, social distancing, and warehouses revealing employee’s life details (2). Moreover, the connection between life outside of the office and work responsibilities considerably questions the transparency of information sharing and its protection (Ebert et al. 3). Therefore, the opportunity to observe life outside of the workplace could distribute individual privacy related to the concepts of private life, family, and home. Despite additional data about individual employees valuable in predicting their behavior, it is still illegal (Ebert et al. 4). In practice, employees are more vulnerable in terms of privacy due to lack of awareness about data collection, lack of understanding of the importance, and disregard from the company (Ebert et al. 3). Most of the employees do not even realize that their privacy is at risk.
Nevertheless, the tool that challenges privacy could also be used to protect it. Lv et al. introduced a new method of blockchain technology applications to protect big data (45). According to the method, data could be encrypted and decrypted only using blockchain technology that does not allow third-party distribution privacy (Lv et al. 45). These settings provide the opportunity to collect the data without revealing it. Lv et al. approve blockchain technology due to the high level of security in concealing data without changing it. Furthermore, the proposed privacy protection scheme also has relatively low production and exploitation cost (Lv et al. 46). The considerations of cost and effectiveness are crucial for some companies that decide to use this technology. Therefore, affordability and availability of big data protection using blockchain technology could be the main criteria of selection.
Summing up, it is clear that digital technologies and big data play an essential role in the performance of both employees and employers. Big data is a unique technology that helps to organize, navigate, and control the working process. It enhances productivity and performance of the company, manages workplace learning, and raises privacy concerns. This technology was helpful during the exposure of COVID-19 that forced people to work from home. Big data creates the ultimate network between organizations and different departments. Installation of the shared database allows convenient cooperation. Rising concern about privacy in the workplace also could be resolved using blockchain technology, one of the forms of big data.
Works Cited
Ebert, Isabel, et al. “Big Data in the Workplace: Privacy Due Diligence as a Human Rights-Based Approach to Employee Privacy Protection.” Big Data & Society, 2021. Web.
Humburg, Ilena. “Implementation of a Digital Workplace Strategy to Drive Behavior Change and Improve Competencies.” Strategy and Behaviors in the Digital Economy, edited by Beatrice Orlando, BoD – Books on Demand, 2020, pp. 19–29.
Ifenthaler, Dirk. “How We Learn at the Digital Workplace.” Digital Workplace Learning, 2018, pp. 3–8. Web.
Lv, Zhihan, et al. “Analysis of Using Blockchain to Protect the Privacy of Drone Big Data.” IEEE Network, vol. 35, no. 1, 2021, pp. 44–49., Web.
Mawed, Mahmoud, and Assem Al-Hajj. “Using Big Data to Improve Performance Management: a Case Study from the UAE FM Industry.” Facilities, vol. 35, no. 13/14, 2017, pp. 746–765., Web.