Working in Modern America

Posted: August 29th, 2013

Workplace in modern America

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Workplace in modern America

Industrialization has greatly changed work in America. In the late 19^th and the early to mid 20^th centuries, work was mostly done in the factories without much supervision. However, in the modern America, work in offices and factories has changed because of things such as speed, regulation and section of duties, which detach it from jobs that were done in a traditional form. According to the way the transition has happened and its meaning to various groups, current patterns, and difficulties can be clarified by allowing the spread of the industrial system. Another evident change is the variation of modernity due to the emphasis of work ethics. Sometimes there have been significant influences beyond the state boundary of America. Analysis give a comparison of how the somewhat characteristic state history spillover into modern experience including the extraordinary inadequate amount of time Americans spend at present on vacations compared to their counterparts in other states. Observing and seeing significant changes within the last two centuries, along with issues that can be compared, the story treats varying types of experiences among various groups in the population; children, the old and the women.

Immigration has had a great impact on the American population for the past century. It is one of the main contributors of population growth apart from the increased birth rates. An increased population has a direct effect on the workforce. For example, the increased immigration of Mexican Latinos in a state like California has greatly affected the Clothing industry in the region. More Mexican Latinos occupy the greater percentage of the workforce in the sewing factories.  This means that there will be a large population in the work place in America.

Due to the large mixed racial population, the industries are accumulated by mixed races. It is no longer about the whites dominating the top positions and all the good positions in the organization structure. The competition is now more stiff than before. At the same time, the population, which is increasing by day, has younger people graduating from schools and colleges. This promotes employment of many youngsters as the older white people retire. With so many immigrants, and young people in need of jobs, the best jobs will go to the best-educated employees while the rest who are the majority, go for the less paying jobs.

Workers in modern America, especially the immigrants, suffer now more than ever. Most of us, immigrants, are either living in complete poverty or if lucky enough, living a middle level life. Corporate companies tend to take advantage of the desperate nature of the American people and offer them jobs that have poor pay and poor working conditions. This same case takes place with those who do not have college level education. As in the earlier exam0ple given, workers in these clothing factories, work overtime with little or no overtime pay, have no appropriate resources to do the work effectively and do not the necessary covers given to normal working people. These covers include the medical covers and retirement plans. Despite many demonstrations, much has not changed. The government is not in a position to do anything partly because it has a role in it. This means that people who are employed in the large corporate firms are now being denied affordable medical care, good salaries, and better educations for their children. The corporate firms are only taking advantage of our middle class workers since they only depend on those particular jobs. We feel this is not fair at all. Most of us in America seem to be working for poor accommodations, cheap clothing, and unhealthy food. Unfortunately, these are the same conditions the immigrants were running away from when they first left their home countries.

The main of the American Dream is to make sure that each and every American lives in prosperity and happiness regardless of the status, class or background. This dream may not be fulfilled in many American lives with such poor working conditions, benefits and salaries. The people from the first world would not dare work in America. As American workers, we know there may be nothing we could do to change the situation but one thing we know, is that something is wrong. In the past, people used to work for themselves and for the growth and development of their countries, which includes other fellow citizens. In the modern America people only work for themselves and their wealth accumulation. A small group of people in America having billions as the biggest population languishes in starvation. This is the same group that overworks its employees with very little pay, which cannot satisfy even half of their needs (Abbot, Achbar & Bakan 2005).

One example is a place such as Wal-Mart. The goods are sold at low prices, but the employees have very little. The cheap stuff in the market does not make sense for the worker there because the money he/she earns ends up being used for shopping in the same place. This is a situation where the employer is being unfair. The corporate firms are very rich and powerful, yet they will still leave their workers suffering. There is a wide variety of demands of the modern economy, and this means that as workers we must have dependable experiences, and skills to make the very much demanding jobs possible. In the modern world right now, corporations have loads of work and we need to be able to have good skills, which will enable us to work effectively. Today we cannot access jobs without certain levels of education and training. Therefore before you get employed every person needs to prove what they are capable of doing the specified job. This is simply because of the global changes whereby there is great need for effective working groups (Abbot, Achbar & Bakan 2005).

In further explaining, people with a low level of education can hardly get any jobs leave alone good jobs. By low level, we mean high school level of education. This is different from the past as one with as little as the high school level of education could easily work hard in a company and obtain a managerial seat. Today, there is need for the workers to have up to some level of education (at least a college diploma), skills, and enough strength for the jobs, which take up most of their time. In order to get a good starting salary in a good firm, one must have a good college degree from a recognizable college/university. In other cases, the type of profession is also significant. People with a good education may have a hard time getting a job due to competition in their field of profession. It is therefore not only wise to get a good education, but it also wise to finish with good grades.

Another major influence of the working environment is technology. Although it is here and it is meant to help to ease the work, if not eliminate the human labor completely, there is still need for the employers to give their workers a better working condition. As I mentioned before, the situation where workers in modern America suffer a great deal, we see that it is through the way some employers perceive immigration and globalization. Immigrants from third world countries in most cases are perceived to be a kind of desperate group of people who would work under any condition as long as they can earn something. This perception is very wrong because in the first place, the immigrant think of America as a second heaven and for most of us who work in corporations we expect a life that is much more comfortable than we are getting now.

On further emphasis on technology, it is being misused or under utilized. Most workers are not provided with the appropriate or updated machines when doing certain jobs. This makes the completion of such works much difficult although they are required to do the fast. The company saves on costs while the employee goes home with body related complications with no compensation for it. The other perspective of technology is that it is sometimes used to replace human resource. Many employees loose employment with the introduction of such technology. The immigrants are the most affected with either cases applying to technology.

The good news is that majority of the workers are willing to fight for positive change in the industrial areas, no matter how small the effort. Workers who feel that oppression has become the order of the day in America, and who feel the need for this to change, are coming up with our own small ways of giving our views. We believe the government is responsible for this problem and situation as much as the corporate world is. As American workers, the main weapon we have is demonstration. Months ago, there were other demonstrations by the American middle class people. Right now, the work we need is the same work that is destroying us physically and emotionally.When we put ourselves under too much pressure because we do a lot of work and get little rest, this will definitely affect our health and it can be a loss to the society. We are also very unhappy, as what we get from our labor is insufficient. We cannot efficiently work if we are unhappy as workers. The employers should also consider the output they need from us, if they do not take care of our needs they will lose.

The positive effect of globalization is being felt by everyone. In as much as a middle class American does not feel he is satisfied by what he gets at his work place, the difference between what he gets and what a person doing the same job in a third world country is quite big. Analysis shows that globalization has lifted up the living standard of most people throughout the world. The broken trade barriers are another advantage due to their ability to reduce costs on goods (Greenwald, 2005). This is a benefit to many people. Technology also makes the cost of producing goods cheaper thus lowering the retail prices. This makes it easier for the low earning person to afford the necessities. However, one important thing is that it is the duty of those in leadership on national level and global level to ensure that people benefit from globalization. The governments and political institutions should take some action and change the people’s negative view on the legislation works.

Although we have less power over the most issues, our rights should be respected. If America is a democratic country, then we are sure to get our rights in terms of good working conditions. We need to work and feel contented (Greenwald, 2005). As I mentioned earlier, the main ways to point out our views and voices is through demonstrations. We need to approach the government as much as we need to face our employers too. The organizations are greatly responsible for their workers’ problems and should take the wider step to ensure that they are comfortable and safe. Since the first thing that attacks an employee when she/he is not happy is stress, this is known to be harmful to our health. Employees are expected to look for affordable ways of maintaining the health and well-being of their employees. For example, providing exercise facilities like gyms, and avail some healthcare facilities too.

The government has a big role to play too, in order to ensure that the citizens working are comfortable. These workers contribute significantly to the growth of the nation and they depend on many things from the government. Therefore, the government should consider looking at solutions to their work place problems. The government of America should put in place a set of rules, which are able to increase and support the ability of companies in making wise decisions and choices on issues related to work. Some of the policies that the American government may need to put in place are:

• Systematic reform for public learning with the objective of better performance skills
• Make it possible for an increase in number of the graduate with more advanced skills from the American colleges
• An increased national support for the research and development of private and government universities (Rowley & Friedberg, 2005).

In the financial economy, the management of the organization is mostly the one expected to make the choices. The American workplace choices fully depend on the management of the corporation. Good leaders in companies are those with the capability to make tough decisions even in what seems like impossible situations. Their ideas are usually those that will favor everybody (Greenwald, 2005). If the companies in the U.S are to meet the challenges of the modern global financial system, their leaders must start coming up with ideas that can be useful in creating a greater society and commitment in their respective job places thus utilizing all the available resources wisely.

Once the corporate leaders commit to ensuring the creation of a friendly working environment, inclusive of good benefits, good payments, affordable healthcare, education and security for their employers, they will be satisfied by the work of their employees. The happier the workers are, the better the results of their work. This will benefit both the company and the worker. The leaders will have also fulfilled their responsibilities.

In conclusion, I think that it is possible for the work place in America to fit the lifestyle of everyone. This includes the employee, the corporation, and the government. With all the three forces put together, a happier worker, a satisfied employer, and good democratic system will come into being (Rowley & Friedberg, 2005).