Tuesday, May 19, 2009

For some things there may not be a technology solution for..

This recent example in New Jersey about a "clerical error" which led to sending peoples names and SSN #s to the wrong place --> http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/3k_unemployed_nj_residents_may.html is one of those examples where people just have to have a better system of doing things even if it does not involve a computer or software solution. I mean maybe it comes down to having more conscientious people working in those positions that handle sensitive information. This was a clerical error so I'm trying to imagine a handful of hard working individuals manually stuffing envelopes with the wrong reports to the wrong companies and wondering how did their managers articulate what reports go into what envelopes? Or was it blatantly obvious which reports go in which envelopes and the people stuffing them were just oblivious to what they were doing?

Someone very close to me works in one of our illustrious social organizations in the Peoples Republic of New York and I hear stories all the time about the lackadaisical attitudes, complaining, and just general acceptance of mediocrity in the workplace. Managers sometimes hiding in their offices making no improvements to processes or efficiencies rewarding peoples laziness with overtime hours because people do not understand the meaning of hustling on the job.

Sometimes all it takes is for people to care enough about what they do to avoid these mistakes. I make no claim to understand the work environment of the folks at the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, after all when humans are involved there certainly can be error and there may not necessarily be a technology solution for it.

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