Individual
level
At the individual level of analysis
there are a number of issues to consider.
The first group of three individual-level measures discussed here are subjective attitudinal variables, while the others are more objective outcomes.
Work attitudes. Any major changes in the systems of work such as the introduction of new technology will potentially affect variables such as the satisfaction, the commitment, and the motivation of employees. Although these may be hard to directly quantify, I am sure that we can all think of examples from our work lives of some of the more obvious positive and negative effects on productivity, quality, and delivery, of employees who vary in terms of their satisfaction with their jobs, their commitment to their work and their firms, and their motivation to do their best or to work at all.
Objective variables. Obviously, some of the best indicators of the success of some technical systems will be the levels of system use. Other issues are of concern such as the health and safety effects of new technology, and the effects of new technology on rates of employee absenteeism and turnover. Research in the management and behavioural sciences continually shows a direct causal link between attitudes such as job satisfaction and organisational commitment, employees' reported behavioural intentions regarding turnover, and their actual absenteeism and turnover behaviour. Again, although it is very difficult to precisely calculate the costs or the benefits of differing absenteeism and employee turnover rates, they are there.
Current research is making it increasingly obvious that human resource issues, such as employee training and attitudes, are becoming ever more important to the successful implementation and management of new technical work systems. As discussed in relation to the cost justification of new technology, the potential effects that are intangible in terms of direct production costs or savings, are none-the-less significant.
There has been a significant interest in the development of methods to accurately cost employee behaviours and to develop human resource accounting systems in general. Although it is beyond the scope of this discussion, it is important to note that there are now ways to cost employee turnover, absenteeism, smoking, attitudes, labour contracts and awards, and personnel programs in general. If you are interested in exploring these issues further, check with your local or university library for literature on the topic of "human resource accounting".
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Holistic Management Pty. Ltd.