21st Century Workplace: Diversity, Disability & Family - Essay Sample

Introduction

The 21st-century workplace has faced significant technology development, which has changed the overall working environment and the characteristics of the workers. The changing workplace has led to an increase in workplace diversity, where there are more women and people with disabilities. This paper will asses the future workplace characteristics such as the place of the disabled, family problems and the approaches of improving the acceptability of the workplace diversity.

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Workers With Disabilities in the 21st Century

The changing workplace context in the 21st century has significantly increased opportunities for people with disabilities. The current workplace emphasized equality, which has changed the perception towards people with disabilities. Technology in the 21s century has increased the mobility of the people with disabilities who have the opportunity to work in computer-aided workplaces depending on one's abilities (Finegold & Notabartolo, 2010). People with disabilities can use technology to compensate for their lacking abilities and complement the capabilities that they already have, which has been instrumental in increasing the number of people with disabilities in workplaces. Workplaces, where there has been high automation, makes it perfect for individuals with a disability. Technology makes it easy for the people with disability to operate automated computer systems, machines and production process. Previously, the lack of technology automation and acceptance of the disabled significantly reduced the inclusion of the disabled in the workplace.

Managing Change in the Workplace Today

Legislation

Laws can play a significant role in improving the overall treatment of people with disabilities in the workplace. Legislations create order and ensure that business and fellow employees respect the people with disabilities and also to establish their rights, which will be protected through legislation.

Merit-Based Workplace Promotion

Organizations should use a merit-based organization framework to regulate the hiring and promotion of the employees, which will eradicate the potential prejudice against people with disabilities. A merit-based organization provides a friendly work environment for people with disabilities, which gives them greater job security.

Community Education

Community education is an essential approach to increasing the acceptability of individuals with a disability in the workplace. Community education is critical in preventing discrimination, increasing accommodation and disclosure, which will benefit both the employees with disabilities, the community and the organizations.

Future Workplace

In the future, technology will increase the overall ability of workers to work remotely. Currently, the number of employees working from home has increased, which is in the bid to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and maximize one's available time. Technology has increased the workforce diversity and the use of technology in decision making (Finegold & Notabartolo, 2010). However, at the same time, there are significant challenges in information security in the workplace, which is due empowerment of hackers by technology and potential negligence by employees, which reduces workplace information safety. Also, technology will increase the number of young people in the workplace and also employee loyalty.

Working Family Issues in the 21st Century Workplace

Parenting Responsibility

Gender equality has led to the growth of conflict in parenting responsibility conflict between women and men today. Women have become highly empowered, and they have greater responsibilities in the workplace which has led to the women demand greater men responsibilities in taking care of their children as women have more administrative and executive responsibilities (Finegold & Notabartolo, 2010). Women household responsibility is regarded as one of the significant challenges in their career advancement, which is one of the gender conflicts in the 21st century, where women have been significantly empowered.

Decline in Work and Family Environment Boundary

Technology has led to the reduction of the boundary between the work and family boundaries because many workers today take work home. As such, work has led to a decline in the amount of time that families set aside to spend together (Finegold & Notabartolo, 2010). This issue will negatively affect the quality of family time in the 21st century as more people are engaged in meeting their work goals.

The Working Poor in the Future Work Place

The working poor in the workplace refers to the people with incomes below the poverty line, which is caused by the decline in working hours as well a the low wages. The growth of the cost of living is one of the critical causes in the rise of the working poor.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 21st-century workplace has undergone tremendous growth in technology application, and technical competence is an essential requirement. Diversity in the workplace has grown, and the number of the disabled has grown tremendously due to the complement and advantages provided by working over the internet and in automated industries.

References

Finegold, D., & Notabartolo, A. S. (2010). 21st-century competencies and their impact: An interdisciplinary literature review. Transforming the US workforce development system, 19-56. Retrieved from https://hewlett.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/21st_Century_Competencies_Impact.pdf