#TECHNOLOGY AT WORKPLACE

[qrowscant]

i wanted a machine guts sweater/shirt so here are some color tests

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Wellness surveillance makes workers unwell

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TORONTO on Mar 22, then with LAURA POITRAS in NYC on Mar 24, then Anaheim, and more!

"National conversation" sounds like one of those meaningless buzzphrases – until you live through one. The first one I really participated in actively was the national conversation – the global conversation – about privacy following the Snowden revelations.

This all went down when my daughter was five, and as my wife and I talked about the news, our kid naturally grew curious about it. I had to literally "explain like I'm five" global mass surveillance:

https://locusmag.com/2014/05/cory-doctorow-how-to-talk-to-your-children-about-mass-surveillance/

But parenting is a two-way street, so even as I was explaining surveillance to my kid, my own experiences raising a child changed how I thought about surveillance. Obviously I knew about many of the harms that surveillance brings, but parenting helped me viscerally appreciate one of the least-discussed, most important aspects of being watched: how it compromises being your authentic self:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/may/09/cybersecurity-begins-with-integrity-not-surveillance

As I wrote then:

There are times when she is working right at the limits of her abilities – drawing or dancing or writing or singing or building – and she catches me watching her and gets this look of mingled embarrassment and exasperation, and then she changes back to some task where she has more mastery. No one – not even a small child – likes to look foolish in front of other people.

Learning, growth, and fulfillment all require a zone of privacy, a time and place where we are not observed. Far from making us accountable, continuous, fine-grained surveillance by authority figures just scares us into living a cramped, inauthentic version of ourselves, where growth is all but impossible. Others have observed the role this plays in right-wing culture war bullshit: "an armed society is a polite society" is code for "people who make me feel uncomfortable just by existing should be terrorized into hiding their authentic selves from me." The point of Don't Say Gay laws and anti-trans bills isn't to eliminate gender nonconformity – it's to drive it into hiding.

Given all this, it's no surprise that workers who face workplace surveillance in the name of "wellness" feel unwell as a result:

https://www.ifow.org/publications/what-impact-does-exposure-to-workplace-technologies-have-on-workers-quality-of-life-briefing-paper

As the Future of Work Institute found in its study, some technologies – systems that make it easier to collaborate and communicate with colleagues – increase workers' sense of wellbeing. But wearables and AI tools make workers feel significantly worse:

https://assets-global.website-files.com/64d5f73a7fc5e8a240310c4d/65eef23e188fb988d1f19e58_Tech%20Exposure%20and%20Worker%20Wellbeing%20-%20Full%20WP%20-%20Final.pdf

Workers who reported these negative feelings confirmed that these tools make them feel "monitored." I mean, of course they do. Even where these tools are nominally designed to help you do your job better, they're also explicitly designed to help your boss keep track of you from moment to moment. As Brandon Vigliarolo writes for The Register, these are the same bosses who have been boasting to their investors about their plans to fire their workers and replace them with AI:

https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/14/advanced_workplace_tech_study/

"Bossware" is a key example of the shitty rainbow of "disciplinary technology," tools that exist to take away human agency by making it easier to surveil and control its users:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/01/bossware/#bossware

Bossware is one of the stages of the Shitty Technology Adoption Curve: the process by which abusive and immiserating technologies progress up the privilege gradient as their proponents refine and normalize dystopian technologies in order to impose them on wider and wider audiences:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/24/gwb-rumsfeld-monsters/#bossware

The kinds of metrics that bossware gathers might be useful to workers, but only if the workers get to decide when, whether and how to share that data with other people. Microsoft Office helps you catch typos by underlining words its dictionary doesn't recognize; the cloud-based, "AI-powered" Office365 tells your boss that you're the 11th-worst speller in your division and uses "sentiment analysis" to predict whether you are likely to cause trouble:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/great-taylors-ghost/#solidarity-or-bust

Two hundred years ago, Luddites rose up against machines. Contrary to the ahistorical libel you've heard, the Luddites weren't angry or frightened of machines – they were angry at the machines' owners. They understood – correctly – that the purpose of a machine "so easy a child could use it" was to fire skilled adult workers and replace them with kidnapped, indentured Napoleonic War orphans who could be maimed and killed on the job without consequence:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/12/gig-work-is-the-opposite-of-steampunk/

A hundred years ago, the "Taylorites" picked up where those mill owners left off: choreographing workers' movements to the finest degree in a pseudoscientific effort to produce a kind of kabuki of boss-pleasing robotic efficiency. The new, AI-based Taylorism goes even further, allowing bosses to automatically blacklist gig workers who refuse to cross picket-lines, monitor "self-employed" call center operators in their own homes, and monitor the eyeballs of Amazon drivers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

AI-based monitoring technologies dock workers' wages, suspend them, and even fire them, and when workers object, they're stuck arguing with a chatbot that is the apotheosis of Computer Says No:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/11/robots-stole-my-jerb/#computer-says-no

There's plenty of research about AI successfully "augmenting" workers, making them more productive and I'm the last person to say that automation can't help you get more done:

https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/augmented-workforce

But without understanding how AI augments class warfare – disciplining workers with a scale, speed and granularity beyond the sadistic fantasies of even the most micromanaging asshole boss – this research is meaningless.

The irony of bosses imposing monitoring to improve "wellness" and stave off "burnout" is that nothing is more exhausting, more immiserating, more infuriating than being continuously watched and judged.

Name your price for 18 of my DRM-free ebooks and support the Electronic Frontier Foundation with the Humble Cory Doctorow Bundle.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/15/wellness-taylorism/#sick-of-spying

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[of-fear-and-love]

Interior of Katharine's office from Working Girl (1988)

[ominaterthegreat]

My sister, who spent four years at Mailchimp, just got laid off yesterday. She called me sobbing to let me know she got the email. No amount of a fat severance package can fix the damage to her psyche this job did imo. Her birthday is coming up soon. So i made her this cake.

(i only decorate a cake like once every few years lol don't come for me)

She started in customer support, and sure enough was skilled and talented enough in apprenticeships with a higher up team in a different department that she was happily brought onto the team.

She ran events, improved entire workflows that saved the company thousands of dollars, delivered tasks on time and of high quality, and was highly praised by leaders of other teams and from those above her boss. She kicked ass and took names.

On that team, she spent two years experiencing bullying and discrimination for having ADHD. Yes, arguably the most common ND condition out there just about. She had to take 2 months off for mental health leave to get her ADHD diagnosis to defend herself from all the corporate bullying. She documented her boss literally making things up and her coworker refusing to communicate with her and then blaming her for things not being done how she wanted. They actively ignored all the times she went above and beyond expectations and all the times she did receive praise from other teams. I watched two corporate goons crush the confidence my sister had finally closed together for herself.

The CEO of Intuit called her and 1800 other employees that were laid off "low performers" in a public statement. A convenient 10% of Mailchimp was completely laid off. We knew this was coming because over the past year or so, Intuit has been forcing managers to label a specific percentage of people as "Does Not Meet Expectations" on year end reviews to justify letting people go, no matter how much they actually did meet expectations.

I look in the Intuit Mailchimp tags and only see one post about them Union busting. The only posts are just geared towards companies comparing and contrasting products and marketing strategies. Reddit isn't much better because the only sub on there is the official one modded by MC themselves. This isn't the biggest fire rn by any means but it's once again proof that the people behind these corporations are as soulless and evil as the corporations themselves. No matter how much good you do they will never appreciate you.

I hope the company eats shit and dies. Intuit is ruining everything people liked about MC, from the product to the culture. Fuck you.

[legacysam]

personally you remind of like. heavy machinery like cranes and other “my job is to lift this really heavy shit” type of things. assigning you most likely to be misused by someone about to experience a terrible workplace accident.

wait you’ve read murderbot I can just tell you you’re a hauler bot to me

omg I love this. smashcut to thirteen year old me carrying ALL the chairs across the church community room for our girl scout meetings.

[the-most-humble-blog]

HIVE CITY FESTIVAL EXTRAVAGANZA – WHERE DIGNITY GETS BURIED IN A SHALLOW GRAVE 🍖⚙️

"Bring your Thrones, your questionable morals, and your complete lack of regard for human safety! Because if you don’t, we’ll have one of our rusty servitors throw your ass into an oven with a carrot shoved straight up your rectum."

🍖 1. CORPSE-STARCH COOK-OFF – WHERE EVERY BITE TASTES LIKE A LABOR VIOLATION 🍽️☠️

💀 Tagline: "If you can still chew, you’re either lucky or heavily augmented."

🔹 What’s on the "menu" (read: crimes against digestion)?

Reprocessed Nutrient Ration Blocks – Freshly extruded from the Administratum’s most aggressive recycling program!

Fried "Grox" Nuggets – A legally distinct meat product! (Warning: DNA testing not recommended.)

Arbites Surprise Stew – It’s called "Surprise" because you won’t know if it’s food or a missing person’s case!

💡 Festival Highlights:

"Guess The Meat" Challenge – If you guess it right, you get a free extra ration. If you guess it wrong, you get a citation for heresy and a punch to the gut!

Deep-Fried Horror Show – If it fits in the fryer, it gets served. Bring your enemies! Bring your servitors! Bring your own damn foot!

Hive Chef Deathmatch – Can YOU create a meal so rancid it physically incapacitates a rival chef? First one to pass out loses!

📢 ATTENDEE WARNING: All meals are legally classified as "edible" but not "safe." If your esophagus melts, that’s a YOU problem.

🤖 2. SERVITOR REFURBISHMENT EXPO – WHERE BROKEN MEATBAGS BECOME "PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS" 🛠️☠️

💀 Tagline: "Still got a heartbeat? Fixable. Screaming in agony? Also fixable."

🔹 Services Offered (Totally Not War Crimes):

"Barely Legal" Cogitator Rewiring – Does your servitor "accidentally" remember its past life? We’ll fix that—by lobotomizing it so hard its last thought is static.

Cybernetic Bargain Bin – We’ve got prosthetics, augmetics, and the occasional random limb. No, we don’t care if it matches your skin tone. It works, shut the fuck up.

"Last-Chance Reboot" Station – If your servitor is making weird noises, we’ll “fix” it by welding its mouth shut. Boom. Problem solved.

💡 Festival Highlights:

Rust Bucket Swap Meet – Trade your half-dead servitor for one that’s only slightly haunted!

Best-Looking Monstrosity Contest – Winner gets a lifetime supply of oil rations and a half-functional chainsword!

Live Servo-Skull Auction – Some whisper tactical secrets, some just scream. Either way, you’re getting a deal!

📢 WARNING: All servitors are sold "as is." If your new model starts leaking coolant or reciting Imperial poetry at 3 AM, we don’t wanna hear about it.

🦠 3. NURGLE’S BACK-ALLEY BUFFET – FOOD THAT’S TECHNICALLY ALIVE 🤢🧫

💀 Tagline: "You don’t eat this food. This food eats you."

🔹 What’s on the menu (besides impending diarrhea and an Inquisitorial investigation)?

Spore-Fermented Grox Sausage – Now with 80% less spontaneous combustion!

Nurgle’s "Secret Sauce" Casserole – Chunky. Lumpy. Makes your insides rot faster than a hive factory worker’s lungs.

Warp-Fried Maggot Delight – Every bite is an "experience!" (Translation: You’re gonna see some shit. Literally.)

💡 Festival Highlights:

"What’s That Smell?" Game – Hint: It’s either an unwashed servitor or something that used to be human.

Plague Roulette – Eat a dish. If you live, you win. If you don’t, well… welcome to the Grandfather’s loving embrace!

Stomach Purge Olympics – Who can hold down their meal the longest? Place your bets!

📢 LEGAL NOTICE: All food items contain at least three unidentifiable ingredients. If it gives you an extra limb, you get to keep it.

⚙️ 4. IMPERIAL REJECTS AUCTION – BUY USED WAR GEAR AND HOPE FOR THE BEST 🔧🔫

💀 Tagline: "Weapons so janky, even the Guard said ‘nah��� to using them."

🔹 What’s up for grabs?

Battle-Damaged Bolt Pistols – You ever seen a gun backfire so hard it turns into a grenade? No? You will.

Half-Repaired Chain Swords – Still got bits of the last guy stuck in the teeth. Authentic!

Mystery Servo-Skulls – Might scream, might recite the Emperor’s Litany, might tell you where the bodies are buried!

💡 Festival Highlights:

Best Jury-Rigged Weapon Contest – If it fires without killing the user, you win!

Arbites Raid Speedrun – Can you make a sale before the cuffs snap shut?

Mystery Crate Raffle – Could be relics. Could be junk. Could be a pissed-off servitor who just remembered how to kill. Good luck!

📢 WARNING: If your purchase malfunctions and vaporizes your own skull, that’s on YOU.

🩸 5. THE RED MARKET – "GENUINELY ACQUIRED" ORGANS & AUGMENTS 🚑🦴

💀 Tagline: "If it still bleeds, it’s still fresh!"

🔹 What’s for sale?

Lightly-Used Kidneys – Perfect for replacing your own, or for starting a collection!

Discount Augmetics – Once belonged to a noble—before he had a "falling accident."

Imperial Guard "Donations" – They didn’t "quit" the battlefield, but they’re definitely not using these anymore!

💡 Festival Highlights:

Lung Capacity Showdown – Who can survive the longest with only one lung?

Surprise DNA Testing – Is your new organ human? Roll a D6 to find out!

"Genuine" Clone Flash Sale – Buy it, raise it, and hope it doesn’t eat you in your sleep!

📢 NOTICE: No, we will NOT be issuing refunds if your new liver starts whispering in High Gothic at night.

WHICH HIVE CITY FESTIVAL ARE YOU ATTENDING?

🔥 REBLOG if you’d risk your life for a good deal! 💬 COMMENT with which cursed meal or reject servitor you’d buy! 🚀 FOLLOW for more grimdark horrors, disgusting markets, and Warhammer meme depravity!

[munaeem]

AI is Transforming the World of Work: Are We Ready for It?

Hey there, friend! Have you noticed how everyone’s buzzing about AI lately? It’s like we can’t escape it—it’s in the news, at work, and even in our chats with friends. I came across this fascinating report from the Financial Times, and I just had to share it with you. Let’s dive into how AI is shaking up our workplaces and whether we’re actually prepared for it. The AI Explosion: What’s…

[norsesuggestions]

Gotta love the 1970s printing press factories workers unions reactions to punch clocks (=stämpelklocka):

This tidbit about the punch clock is from a blogpost about some of printers unions of the worlds reactions when the introduction of computer technology put them all under the fear to lose their jobs.

Quoted below is a text about new ways introduced in the printing presses to make the workers work faster, and via that, have an excuse to fire them for being "too slow":

"MTM is a method of breaking down work processes into standardized sub-moments in order to be able to streamline and rationalize work efforts and personnel as much as possible.

The factory workers were rightly afraid that this would lead to every second if their work day being controlled. 

The printing press workers response to mtm was, among other things, to pour lead into the employers punch clock (stämpelklocka)."

Lol my grandpa was a printing press factory worker during the 1970s. I wonder if he poured led into the punch clock (stämpelklocka) at some point haha 😂

(Grandpa was very involved in that factories workers union, so it is not impossible)

Source of qoute, quickly translated to english by me:

Link

[softileo]

Join us to become advance future Online Business Owner. Stay updated with trends, best practices, and insights from our team.

[artspace11275201418]

Exploring the Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Indian Society

[makers-muse]

Robotics and Automation: Redefining Industries and Job Opportunities

Robotics and automation are revolutionizing Industries and job landscapes, transforming factories, warehouses, and operating rooms. These technologies enable precise machinery assembly, autonomous drone retrieval, and unparalleled precision in surgery. They are not science fiction but the pulse of innovation.

Industries are shedding their old skins, embracing the boundless capabilities of Automation. Manufacturing plants are adopting robotic arms that assemble complex products with surgical precision, slashing error rates and boosting production beyond human limitations. Agriculture, too, is undergoing a Digital Metamorphosis, with autonomous tractors navigating fields autonomously, ensuring optimal planting and harvesting. The evidence is resounding automation doesn’t replace industries; it elevates them.

But let’s talk numbers hard, impressive facts that showcase the prowess of Robotics and Automation. Did you know that industrial robots can boost j by a staggering 85%? That’s not just a number; it’s a testament to the extraordinary potential of these machines to elevate industries to heights previously unattainable. And when we look at job opportunities, the narrative isn’t one of loss but transformation. For every routine task that a robot takes over, a universe of opportunities blooms for individuals skilled in designing, Programming, and maintaining these robotic wonders.

The story of Robotics and automation is one of collaboration of humans and machines joining forces to achieve feats that neither could accomplish alone. Picture a warehouse where cobots glide alongside their human counterparts, tackling heavy lifting while the humans orchestrate the symphony of operations. It’s a dance of ingenuity, where Technology enhances human potential instead of overshadowing it.

Did you know that 65% of companies adopting automation have reported increased Employee Satisfaction? As machines handle mundane tasks, human workers are freed to explore creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, breathing new life into their roles.

While the road to this transformative Future is undeniably paved with challenges, think about the need for reskilling and adapting to the rapid pace of change the possibilities that unfold are breathtaking. And the beauty of it all? It’s not a distant fantasy; it’s happening right now, right here.

From Tesla’s advanced robotic manufacturing to Amazon’s intricate delivery network, the robots are not just coming they’re already here, shaping the world we live in and forging a path towards an exciting and dynamic tomorrow.

In the grand tapestry of progress, the threads of robotics and automation are weaving a story of boundless potential. Industries are letting go of previous limitations, and career opportunities are expanding into uncharted areas. It’s a story about how technology and people can work together to open up new possibilities. In light of this, keep in mind that robotics and automation are already here and hold great promise when you consider the environment around you.

“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency.” — Bill Gates

[technologysolutionsworldwide2]

Ready to boost your #projectefficiency ? 🚀 Discover how #MicrosoftPlanner can transform your #workflow ! With #TechnologySolutionsWorldwide by your side, you can unleash the full potential of your team. Schedule your consultation today at https://techsolworld.com/subscriptions ! 🌟Call (800)998-2792

[superstar49]

my dad told me last night that he was surprised i was so vehemently against the use of ai in any capacity and i had a really hard time not being mortally offended by that

[hrtechpub]

Managing Cross-Border Team Collaboration During Workcations

The traditional boundaries of work and travel are quickly dissolving, giving rise to the “workcation” — a hybrid of work and vacation that allows employees to explore new places while staying productive. Enabled by flexible work policies and technology, workcations offer freedom and inspiration, but they also come with unique challenges — especially when it comes to managing teams scattered across different time zones and legal jurisdictions.

For companies embracing global talent and flexible work arrangements, learning how to manage cross-border collaboration during workcations is essential to maintaining team cohesion, productivity, and performance.

Here’s a deeper dive into five key strategies to manage your distributed team effectively during workcations:

1. Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries from the Start

Before an employee heads off to work from Bali or Barcelona, there should be a conversation — and ideally, a formal agreement — about what is expected. This ensures alignment between team members, managers, and HR.

Best practices:

Define expected working hours relative to their local time zone.

Set guidelines on responsiveness — e.g., whether replies are needed within a few hours or by end-of-day.

Identify key deliverables and ensure deadlines align with the employee’s travel plans.

Clarify how much leisure time is acceptable, and if there are any restrictions on travel days overlapping with workdays.

Why it matters: Without clear ground rules, employees may either overextend themselves or unintentionally disconnect from team workflows. Clear expectations protect both productivity and employee well-being.

2. Embrace Asynchronous Communication Over Real-Time Dependence

One of the biggest barriers to workcation success is real-time communication. Expecting someone in Tokyo to join a 9 a.m. EST meeting every day isn’t sustainable.

Instead, teams should build an asynchronous-first culture:

Use project management tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com to assign tasks, share updates, and track progress without live meetings.

Encourage written and recorded updates, such as Loom videos or weekly recap emails.

Create centralized documentation using Notion, Confluence, or Google Docs, so anyone can catch up independently.

Pro tip: Establish a communication playbook outlining which tools to use, when to escalate issues, and how to hand off tasks across time zones.

3. Coordinate Across Time Zones with Intention

Time zones don’t have to be a barrier if managed strategically. Coordination becomes easier when you’re intentional about overlapping hours and planning ahead.

How to stay in sync:

Use shared calendars that reflect everyone's local time to avoid confusion.

Implement “golden hours” — a daily or weekly window when most team members are online simultaneously.

Rotate meeting times fairly, so one region doesn’t always bear the burden of late-night or early-morning calls.

Automate time zone math using tools like World Time Buddy, Timezone.io, or Clockwise.

Why it matters: Time-aware scheduling minimizes fatigue, frustration, and miscommunication while respecting everyone’s personal and professional boundaries.

4. Foster Cultural Intelligence and Team Cohesion

Workcations mean your team is not only geographically spread out, but also immersed in different cultures — from etiquette to communication norms. This diversity can be a strength if harnessed properly.

Steps to foster connection and inclusivity:

Host regular virtual socials like coffee chats, “show & tell” travel stories, or trivia nights.

Celebrate cultural events from team members’ locations to build awareness and inclusion.

Create informal Slack channels (#travel-diaries, #remote-cafes, etc.) where employees can share experiences.

Encourage emotional check-ins — simple questions like “How are you feeling today?” can foster empathy and humanize virtual interactions.

Why it matters: Remote work can be isolating. Cultural intelligence and relationship-building create a sense of belonging that improves engagement and retention.

5. Ensure Data Security and Legal Compliance

Letting employees work internationally — even temporarily — raises important questions about data protection, taxation, labor laws, and corporate liability.

Checklist for legal and security readiness:

Enforce the use of secure, company-managed devices and VPNs to safeguard data.

Set access permissions carefully, especially for sensitive documents and systems.

Confirm employment law compliance for each country — particularly if the workcation extends beyond 30–90 days.

Consult HR and legal experts to understand social security, tax implications, and visa requirements.

Track workcation locations through a light-touch reporting system to maintain oversight.

Why it matters: Failing to address these issues can expose your company to fines, audits, or security breaches — all of which can be prevented with proactive planning.

Conclusion

Workcations aren’t just a trend — they’re a reflection of the evolving values of today’s workforce. Employees are seeking autonomy, adventure, and better balance, and companies that support this flexibility will be better positioned to attract and retain top talent.

However, success requires more than permission. It demands structure, trust, and the right systems. By setting clear expectations, embracing async work, managing time zones smartly, fostering cultural awareness, and protecting your operations legally, you can make workcations work — for everyone involved.

To learn more, visit HR Tech Pub.

[munaeem]

A Peep Into 2025 Software Engineering

Hello, programmers, software masters, and tech buffs! Let’s delve headfirst into the always changing field of software engineering today and see what the terrain might look like in 2025. As we surf the real-time data streams and investigate the career possibilities in this tech-savvy adventure, get ready for the AI wave!Imagine this. At your workstation, you settle down ready to start creating…

[metroactu]

Future of Work Like Remote Collaboration Tools

Learn about the latest advancements in remote collaboration technology and its impact on the future of work. A wonderful tranquility has taken proprietorship of my entirety soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I appreciate with my aggregate heart. I am so playful, my costly companion, so ingested inside the astonishing sense of immaterial quiet nearness, that I neglect my…