Algorithmic Decision-Making in the Workplace: A Growing Concern
Opaque algorithms are rapidly spreading through the workplace, claiming to analyze employee productivity. However, a new piece by Rebecca Ackermann in MIT Technology Review highlights that these systems are not just about efficiency, but also about control.
The trend is driven by the assumption that remote workers are less productive, despite a lack of evidence to support this claim. This belief has led to efforts to roll back remote work for US federal employees. However, the focus on remote workers misses another important aspect of algorithmic decision-making: its impact on industries where people don’t work from home.
Gig workers, like ride-share drivers, can be kicked off their platforms by an algorithm with no way to appeal. Similarly, productivity systems in Amazon warehouses have been implemented despite concerns about worker safety and injury rates.
Ackermann posits that these algorithmic tools are less about efficiency and more about control, which workers have less and less of. There are few laws requiring companies to offer transparency about what data is used in their productivity models and how decisions are made. "Advocates say that individual efforts to push back against or evade electronic monitoring are not enough," she writes. "The technology is too widespread and the stakes are too high."
Productivity tools don’t just track work; they reshape the relationship between workers and those in power. Labor groups are pushing back against this shift in power by seeking to make the algorithms that fuel management decisions more transparent.
Deeper Learning
- Microsoft has made significant progress in its 20-year quest to make topological quantum bits, or qubits, which could lead to faster discovery of new drugs and scientific breakthroughs.
- xAI’s AI model appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk.
- Figure demoed humanoid robots that can work together to put groceries away.
- OpenAI is shifting its allegiance from Microsoft to Softbank.
- Humane is shutting down its AI Pin and selling its remnants to HP.
- Schools are replacing counselors with chatbots.
Conclusion
Algorithmic decision-making in the workplace is a growing concern, as it is likely to have a significant impact on workers’ lives. It is essential to recognize that these tools are not just about efficiency but also about control, and to ensure that workers have a say in the decision-making process.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is algorithmic decision-making in the workplace?
Algorithmic decision-making in the workplace refers to the use of algorithms to analyze and make decisions about employee productivity and performance. - What is the concern about algorithmic decision-making in the workplace?
The concern is that these algorithms are not just about efficiency but also about control, which can lead to a loss of power and agency for workers. - How can workers push back against algorithmic decision-making in the workplace?
Workers can push back by seeking to make the algorithms that fuel management decisions more transparent and by advocating for more control over their own work.
