Are
you a multitasker? Isn’t everyone? Multitasking refers to the ability of an
individual, or machine, to perform more than one task, or multiple tasks, at
the same time.
Multitasking
is a popular term that is often used to describe how busy managers are able to
accomplish a mounting quantity of work in a limited time period. The term was popularized in the late 1990’s
with the move to the 24-hour a day, seven-day a week work and service culture
of the US. The term has grown to define
individuals in their various roles including employee, parent, and family
member. These roles are performed
simultaneously as they try to balance business and pleasure in a limited amount
of time.
According
to a recent article “Surviving in the New World,” in the new world of project
teams and multitasking, professionals often find the relationships blurring as
to the difference between activities inside and outside the organization. The multitasking abilities of both individuals
and teams is important as companies are connected with customers, suppliers,
and partners and as new products and services are continually developed. Multitasking is becoming the norm as the
amount of information a manager or professional is expected to process
increases at a staggering rate. Our
computers, personal digital assistants, cell phones, and pagers seem to
encourage multitasking.
Supporting
this view is Arnold Brown author of the article, “The All-Purpose
Employee.” He believes the phenomenon
of multitasking that now pervades the workplace is also apparent in our
personal lives. In the 21st
century businesses are attempting to turn employees into what he terms a hybrid
of hedgehogs and foxes. Foxes do
many things while hedgehogs can do only one thing, but they do it very
well. In organizations there is a drive
for efficiency forced on businesses from outside competition. As companies are forced to downsize and
reduce the number of layers of staff, the employees left behind are doing more
work. Technology is also creating the
ability to leverage the efforts of employees more and more. As organizations use more team-building and
decentralized decision-making, employees are forced to become both specialists
and generalists. Examples of
multitasking include traditional grocery stores offering a variety of products
and services outside food categories including banking, catering, and video
rental. Other examples are parents
juggling careers and family responsibilities.
People talking on cell phones while driving is such a pervasive trend
and has reduced the level of sales of cars with manual transmissions in the US
since 1998.
The downside of multitasking is the level of stress
and pressure on individuals. Research
at the Federal Aviation Administration and the University of Michigan report
that doing two or more things at once may decrease efficiency and actually take
extra time switching from one task to another.
The research does point out that while engaged in multitasking, individuals
are using their “executive control” processes in their brain that establish
priorities among tasks.
Multitasking Machines
Demanding
more from machines is another part of the multitasking trend. Computers, for example, that can perform or
execute several programs at the same time in a version of multitasking or
multiprocessing is part of the trend.
In the computer arena, multiprocessing sometimes implies that more than
one CPU or central processing unit is involved. When only one CPU is involved the computer may rapidly switch
from one program to another, giving the appearance of simultaneous
executing.
In
another example of multitasking machines, people are demanding multitasking
gasoline pumps. While many consider
pumping gas a waste of time, new gas pumps, in addition to dispensing gasoline,
give travel directions, current weather reports, and stock quotes via an
Internet link as well as letting customers order food from neighborhood
restaurants.
The
trend toward multitasking for individuals and machines is expected to continue
as organizations push to accomplish more with a smaller workforce or
resources. Working longer hours means
these same employees must multitask at home as well. While the trend is growing
and popular, it is important not to become involved in so many activities you
are no longer efficient at any of the tasks.
Dr. Marilyn M. Helms is
the Sesquicentennial Endowed Chair and Professor of Management at Dalton State
College and welcomes your comments at mhelms@em.daltonstate.edu.