COMPUTER MEDIATED WORK: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STRUCTURED AND SEMI-STRUCTURED JOBS IN SAVINGS BANKS

Abstract

It is argued that the consistent evidence of psychosomatic stress problems associated with the use of computer systems in offices may be the result of the redesign of work stemming from the implementation of these systems. This proposition is tested with samples of mortgage loan servicing clerks (N=1282) and financial investment officers (N=131) in 78 Mutual Savings Banks. Evidence is presented that workers, in the structured job, making more intense use of computer systems do have a poorer task environment than those making less use of systems. This occurs because the resulting job tends to be more interdependent and involve greater demands than without an application system, although several other factors interact reducing these affects somewhat. Productivity is also increased, and the task environment interacts in complex ways with the characteristics of the system. Various strategies are suggested for correcting the negative effects including providing workers with more decision latitude in the selection of work methods and making it easier to obtain problem solving assistance. No relationship is found between productivity, performance, or the task environment and system use or characteristics for the semi-structured job. It is concluded that although application systems have considerable negative consequences for office work environments, the strength of these affects depend upon the level of the job.