Tech tools ease worker's boredom

Technology is everywhere, and it's sometimes even used to keep workers fully engaged while on the job. In the past, cell phones and personal music players were forbidden toys that could divert workers from their tasks. Now, more and more managers are seeing the positive impact of using these tools in the workplace. And more employees say it is an important part of their work day, especially for those who have repetitive jobs.

Giselle E. Ambursley, who works on a mail-sorting machine at the Postal Service's Morgan Processing and Distribution Center in Manhattan and uses her Microsoft Zune, said, "It helps most of us get through the day." While that's a positive use of tech tools, cell phones are usually totally prohibited unless a worker takes a call off the floor.

Technology tools help in other ways too. For instance, David White, a freelance truck driver from Amherst, Mass., said that his Treo 700--a phone with an Internet connection--made the many days he spends away from home more comfortable. Getting his email on his PDA makes "a world of difference" for White. He also uses his iPod to download audio books and listens to them through an adapter for the tape deck in his truck. We're interested in finding out from CIOs how their workers cope with repetitive tasks. Let us know what you have to say on the subject. 

For more on the unorthodox uses of tech tools:
- See the New York Times article