At work: technology then and now
How technology shaped the workplace … and then become the workplace!
A lot has changed in the last 70 years, particularly in the workplace where technological advancements have transformed the way we think, do our jobs and connect. This timeline shows how far we’ve come…
1950s – Most offices resembled production lines with rows of staff crammed together on typewriters. Later that decade, German designers inspired a less rigid approach and offices became more open-plan in look and feel, which made the workplace more social and increased collaboration between teams.
The 1960s to 1980s – In the ‘60s, the ‘Action Office’ began to emerge, with flexible, semi-enclosed workspaces that later evolved into the cubicles of the 1980s. The ‘70s brought office game-changers like pocket-sized calculators, Post-It notes and Tipp-Ex, while the 80s introduced desktop computers, cumbersome CRT monitors, fax machines, and printers. That decade also saw the rise of the internet and dot.com businesses.
1990s-2000s – The first (bulky) commercial laptops entered the workplace, the internet and email slowly took off and Adobe PDF – the first effective document sharing technology – was also invented. Office designs became more utilitarian and functional too.
The 2000s-2010s – The turn of the millennium brought rapid changes. High-speed internet and advancing technologies redefined the way people worked and interacted with one another. Tech start-ups paved the way for more casual, vibrant office environments with a priority on work culture. People also began to embrace alternative work spaces such as coffee shops – and home.
2010s – As technology advanced, the demand for smarter, more flexible ways of working grew. Computers became smaller and better productivity tools emerged in the form of software and cloud computing…
Today – We can work from anywhere with a computer, screen, mouse, keyboard and internet connection. And with future-facing technology like LG’s UltraWide monitors, we can multitask while we work too, viewing multiple windows and sharing documents with co-workers across the world. Technology hasn’t just changed the office environment. Technology is our new office environment.
* Supplied by LG; www.lg.com.
