Hi everyone,

My name is Lilyanna Pearlman I’m a fourth year sociology major. I’m originally from Toronto, Ontario and my interests include dancing and reading. At Queen’s, I’m currently involved in the Queens dance club. I am interested in employee relations because this is an applicable course, since we will all come across work related problems in the future. I would like to learn strategical information to help me identify and configure my role in work and employment scenarios.

Blog Post 1

Does online hiring platforms limit opportunities for people, by excluding candidates who do not show up in the algorithm? Managing and hiring employees presents a number of potential problems, specifically the use of technology introduces a new set of challenges. Linking automated hiring to control relations, managers have technical control when utlizing hiring platforms to find new employees. Managerial control exists in a number of ways; managerial control becomes problematic when an evident bias becomes present. The primary issue within the article “Beware of automated hiring” by Ifeoma Ajunwa is that there are current employment companies who solely rely on the use of automated hiring systems

Automated hiring systems present as problematic as it paves way for the possibility of discrimination within the hiring process. This possibility of algorithmic prejudice has the capacity to effect a broad range of people including racial minorities, women and people with disabilities (The New York Times, 2019). There currently exist no criteria check regarding the online algorithms that generate the applicants, and the order in which they appear for the managerial team. To further drive this issue, companies have the ability to narrow down the applicant criteria, therefore disregarding the applications of people who do not fall in to the particular group they wish to hire (The New York Times, 2019). Feasible solutions to the discrimination within the online hiring process, could include re evaluating the design of automated hiring through monitoring if there is any bias present in the algorithms. New laws such as access to hiring platforms could eliminate the problem of bias completely, as if a certain group was being excluded there would be online evidence to prove this is the case. Currently, employers have a mass amount of freedom when picking which filters they’d like to narrow their potential candidates into (The New York Times, 2019). This level of freedom within the hiring process is limiting job opportunities for capable individuals who are being unfairly discriminated against. Not only do algorithms threaten the hiring process, but as easily as an algorithm can hire you, they can fire you (Lindzon, 2019). Meaning, that online systems are also tracking a worker’s productivity, therefore algorithms can automatically generate an employee being let go (this is only problematic in big companies, such as Amazon etc.).

To further understand the issue a potential study could analyze companies and their hiring patterns. Problems regarding discrimination in employment have existed for years, but they are often hard to track as it unknown what filters or algorithms are being applied to the hiring system. An in depth study of small businesses who use automated hiring may bring light to the matter. A study can allow us to fully comprehend the extent automated hiring systems are manipulating the applicants who appear to the managerial team. In my opinion, we must re humanize the hiring process, by going back to the roots and incorporating voice and in person solutions. Although, the option of finding employees online may present as a simpler more time efficient solution for managers, pre meditated online algorithms will never completely replace the old fashioned hiring process.

Sources:

Ajunwa, Ifeoma. “Beware of Automated Hiring.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Oct. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/10/08/opinion/ai-hiring-discrimination.html Lindzon, Jared. “Automated Hiring and Firing.” BBC Worklife, BBC, 22 July 2019, http://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190718-automated-hiring

Blog Post 2

Have you ever attempted to work from home? Did you find yourself consumed with distractions while having trouble focusing? Although often challenging, working from home has become the new reality due to a global pandemic, which has resulted in a worldwide lockdown. In the 21^st century, there has been an abundance of new technology that has allowed workers the unique opportunity to work from home. Mobile work was becoming an increasingly popular trend over the last decade, as more and more workers found alternatives to working from an office such as; from home, from a coffee shop or even on a train. In the past working from home or outside of the office was a luxury and a choice we had as technology gave us the ability to do so. In current day, a multitude of working conditions were altered in response to a global pandemic. Specifically, working from home has become mandatory for the majority of workers, as people are being sequestered to their homes. The primary issue is that essentially every employee is being forced to complete their jobs from home, evidently there are negatives and positives to working from home but having no other option but to work from home is creating chaos.

Through linking the ideas throughout this article to course content, there are certainly social factors which impact employment relations, for example not being able to socialize in person with your coworkers may limit the creativity of one’s work (Weinberg, 2020). Working from home creates the imminent threat of breaking creativity and companionship bonds, evidently employers can communicate with one another electronically but things are often misinterpreted online. For example, something that somebody writes to you online may be viewed as a sarcastic demeaning statement, yet if they were to say the same thing in person their tone can not be mistaken. Since the last 120 years have been spent perfecting the office environment to allow the highest level of productivity, the revert back to working away from the office will be an adjustment period for most (Thompson, 2020). As working from home is uncharted territory for many, there are measures to improve productivity levels from home such as; making a schedule, having a dedicated spot in the house to do work, getting dressed and ready for your day and furthering communication (Ferreira, 2020). All of these tips should make for a smooth transition from an office to an at home office. Working from home is not all negative and can even help foster relationships with your family and those who live in your home. Working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic may be a long adjustment period for many, but fortunately mostly everything that can be done in an office can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Sources

Thompson, Derek. “The Coronavirus Is Creating a Huge, Stressful Experiment in Working From Home.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 13 Mar. 2020, www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-creating-huge-stressful-experiment-working-home/607945/.

Ferreira, Jennifer. “Eight Essential Tips for Working from Home during the Coronavirus Pandemic.” Coronavirus, CTV News, 1 Apr. 2020, www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/eight-essential-tips-for-working-from-home-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-1.4874662.

Weinberg, Bradley. “Module 7: Work and Society.” 11 March, 2020