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Personal Computer Introduced by IBM
IBM's introduction of the PC on August 12, 1981, ushered in the digital revolution and transformed the way information is gathered, processed, and distributed. This first computer was priced at $1,565, a far cry from the $9 million price tag for an IBM computer two decades before. Clearly, the PC transformed the way we complete tasks, communicate, store data, and complete countless other functions (IBM, 2019). -
Baby Boomers Make Up Majority of US Labor Force
The generation born between 1946-1964 makes up more than 50% of the workforce due to the generation's large numbers and increased participation in the workforce since the youngest Baby Boomers were now 21. Each generation has different beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions about work, which impacts organizational structure, decision-making, organizational culture, and even benefits (Sincavage, 2004). -
Mandatory Retirement in US Abolished
Congress amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act which abolishes mandatory retirement for most professions, resulting in older workers staying in the workforce longer and changing the look of the US workforce. This trend is expected to continue (Hannon, 2015). -
World Wide Web is Born
Software consultant Tim Berners-Lee wrote "Information Management: A Proposal" which became the roadmap for the World Wide Web. Berners-Lee's work was the catalyst for commercialized browsers like AOL getting people on the web (Greenemeier, 2009). The internet has revolutionized how work is done and digital technology, in general, has transformed many jobs. 94% of all jobholders use the internet and consider it and email the most important communication tools (Purcell & Raine, 2014). -
Fall of the "Iron Curtain"
With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reunification of east and west Germany, globalization took center stage. The subsequent creation of the World Trade Organization pushed for more globalization and nations around the world entered into free-trade agreements. Globalization - from trade to outsourcing - remains a major part of many organizations (Vanham, 2019). -
Passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act
The ADA requires employers to make reasonable accommodations so workplaces will be accessible to those with physical and mental disabilities. ADA has provided greater acceptance and better representation in the workforce for people with disabilities (Robbins & Judge, 2018). -
Clean Air Act Amended
In an attempt to limit acid rain, urban air pollution, and toxic emissions, Congress passed and President Bush signs the Amendment to the Clean Air Act. As a result, alternative work arrangements such as telecommuting and flextime increased. Today, most organizations offer some form of alternative work arrangement, which has changed the workplace dynamic as fewer people are in the office (Romano, 1992). -
Mobile Broadband Introduced
Although WIFI wouldn't be introduced to consumers for a few more years, the first wireless Internet access becomes available through 2G mobile phone technology, allowing individuals to access the web from a mobile device and changing the face of how work is done (Churi et al, 2012). -
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Congress amends the original Civil Rights Act of 1964 and enacts legislation designed to provide more employment discrimination protection and to provide damages in the event of intentional employment discrimination. While sadly discrimination in the workplace is still widespread, measures such as this are attempting to improve diversity in hiring, promotions, and pay (EEOC, 2019). -
SMS Texting Developed
Engineer Neil Papworth types "merry Christmas" and sends the first SMS text message to a cell phone. Today, roughly 18.7 billion texts are sent globally every day and it has become an efficient way for employees to communicate to co-workers and other constituencies (Rufferty, 2017). -
Family and Medical Leave Act
FMLA allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave for family or medical reasons without the fear of losing their jobs. Under FMLA, employees who take leave continue to receive health insurance coverage. This protection has been instrumental in allowing many workers to take care of family and medical obligations they might otherwise not for fear of losing their jobs (U.S. Department of Labor, 2019). -
National Telecommuting Initiative Unveiled
The federal government unveils the National Telecommuting Initiative to minimize traffic congestion and comply with the Clean Air Act. The goal of the initiative is to increase telecommuting opportunities for federal workers as well as workers in other sectors. Telecommuting and other alternative work arrangements change the dynamic of the traditional 9 to 5 office and increase the reliance on technology to get work done (Hamilton, 2002). -
WiFi Released to the Public
For better or worse, the introduction of WiFi eventually leads to 24/7 connectivity for many, particularly with advances in mobile technology. WiFi and the ability to stay connected has had a major impact on organizations as employees no longer have to be in the office to access information essential for their work (Economist, 2004). -
Google is Launched
Stanford classmates Larry Page and Sergey Brin launch Google, a relative latecomer to internet search engine technology, but the company quickly becomes the most popular site due to its page ranking capabilities. Today, Google is nearly synonymous with search and has completely changed how we gather and process information and has also challenged traditional marketing and advertising while highlighting the importance of analytics. -
Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act Signed Into Law
The Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act amends the Social Security Act to eliminate the retirement earnings test, allowing some workers to remain the workforce longer. Although there is no clear evidence today that the Act had an impact on labor force participation by those over 65, it nonetheless offered older workers the chance to remain in the workforce longer (Song, 2004). -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Terrorists tied to Osama Bin Laden launch terrorist attacks in the US, killing nearly 3,000 people in coordinated attacks on New York and Washington, DC. In addition to the shock, anger, and confusion in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the events had long-lasting impact on the workplace, including organizational policies, employee attitudes, and workers' psychological states (Hurley-Hanson et al, 2011) -
Emergence of Social Networking Sites & Social Media
Facebook launches on February 4, 2004. While social networking sites existing before 2004, Facebook quickly became the dominant player and today has 2.41 billion active users. Social media has become a primary communications tool for employees and has been shown to improve work relationships and support decision-making processes (Bizzi, 2018) -
First Co-Working Space Introduced
Tired of the blandness of private business centers but also wanting to work somewhere other than his home, Brad Neuberg opens the first co-working space in San Francisco (Cruickshank, 2018). Despite the recent negative publicity around WeWork, coworking space continues to grow with over 2 million workers expected to work out of a coworking space in 2019 (DeskMag, 2019). -
Passage of the Pension Protection Act
President Bush signs the Pension Protection Act into law, the most comprehensive pension reform legislation since the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The goal of the legislation is to protect employees' retirement savings and encourage more employee participation in pension and savings plans. Today, the Act is generally regarded as falling short of its original intent (Denmark, 2016). -
Twitter Founded
The microblogging and social networking site is founded in San Francisco and introduced to the public a year later at SXSW in Austin, Texas. The tool has since galvanized protests, such as the Arab Spring uprisings, and become the communication channel of choice for the President of the United States. Twitter has also become a mechanism for customers and others to publicly voice their opinions about organizations, so all organizations must at least monitor and be aware of Twitter activity. -
Apple Introduces the World's First Smartphone
Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference and releases it to the public two weeks later. Today, Apple has sold 1.5 billion iPhones and for many the device serves as a computer, camera, music streamer, map, communicator, payment method, and more. The combination of the smartphone, wifi, and the internet, probably more than anything else, has changed and will continue to change how we work and live (Pierce & Good, 2018). -
Global Financial Crisis
The worst recession in 80 years almost destroys the world's financial system. Bailouts, stimulus packages, and monetary policy shifts prevent a complete meltdown, but the damage is done. The fallout of the crisis was felt, and to some extent, is still felt today. Many workers struggled to find jobs that paid as well as their pre-crash occupations. According to the Federal Reserve Bank, the crisis resulted in a loss of $70,000 of lifetime income for every American (Merie, 2018). -
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Signed
The Fair Pay Act seeks to prevent pay discrimination and provide equal pay for equal work. It is the first law signed by President Obama. Today, the pay gap between men and women as well as between Caucasians and people of color, unfortunately, continues to exist. Discrimination in hiring, promotion, and pay will continue to be a major issue as the demographics of the workforce changes in the future (Gould, 2017). -
Affordable Care Act Passes
President Obama's signature initiative is signed into law to provide health insurance coverage for the more than 20 million Americans who lacked coverage. Today, more than 24 million people get their insurance coverage through ACA, yet it continues to face court challenges and political opposition. ACA has had a significant financial impact on small businesses and organizations, in particular, so it is likely to go through major changes in the near future given the current political climate. -
White Non-Hispanic Labor Force Falls to 67%
Another indicator of the changing nature of the workforce, the white non-Hispanic labor force falls from 82% in 1980 to 67%. This figure is estimated to drop to 65% by 2020. The bottom line, the workforce is and will continue to become more diverse in the future and, as a result, how organizations are structured, how decisions are made, and overall organizational culture will change (Toossi, 2002). -
Millennials Become Largest Percentage of Labor Force
Millennials surpassed Generation X as the largest generation in the U.S. labor force with 35% of the workforce belonging to the Millennial generation. This is expected to increase as the number of Millennials working or looking to work is expected to increase from the current 56 million to a peak of 75 million. As previously stated, this shift will have a large impact on organizations' structure, decision-making, and many other factors (Fry, 2018). -
MeToo Movement Gains Momentum
Alyssa Milano uses Twitter to ask victims of sexual harassment or assault to reply 'me too' if they have been a victim. The tweet goes viral and turns into a movement that continues today. Harassment and assault by some of the most powerful people in business, politics, and sports are exposed. The movement has placed a much-needed spotlight on workplace behavior and will hopefully reduce the number of incidents going forward. -
Fortune 500 Companies Include Sexual Orientation in Anti-Discrimination Policies
As societal attitudes and perceptions about sexual orientation and identity shift, more companies and organizations are changing policies. 93% of Fortune 500 companies now include sexual orientation in anti-discrimination policies, up from 62% just a decade earlier. However, there is still not a U.S. federal law prohibiting this type of discrimination and 75 countries have criminal laws on the books prohibiting same-sex conduct, so much work remains to be done (Lopez, 2016).