Forces Disrupting Relationships at Work: Technology and Globalization
Advances in technology and an increasingly global marketplace have brought about many positive changes in business, but they have also had some negative effects on workplace relationships. Incrementally and over time, these two drivers of change have significantly reshaped workplace relationships at both the company and employee level. Managers work in this ever-changing context each day, facing the impact of technology and globalization on their emotional lives as well as the ways in which they relate to others in their Credibility Crosses—a concept that is developed in this chapter. Unfortunately, managers often have time only to react to these changes rather than consider how they affect the bigger relationship picture. Consciously understanding the interpersonal impact of technology and globalization provides managers with opportunities to improve workplace relationships.