The evolution of IT in the workplace

evolution of IT in the workplace

It’s taken less than 40 years for IT to evolve from having very little impact on office workers to becoming a key part of everyone’s daily work lives.

1980s – Technology starts to invade in London

Information technology starts to go mainstream. Bulky grey computers signify the start of the PC, with operating systems capable of analysing data, word processing and a few other basic functions. The first mobile phones go on sale at almost £3,000 each.

1990s – Technology is now everywhere

The emergence of email accelerates the pace of work Google makes the internet accessible and 250 million Nokia 1100 devices are sold worldwide, taking mobile phone use mainstream. Workers can also access email via handheld Blackberry devices. The communication revolution brings about globalisation and increases the pace of work.

2000s – Technological growth is explosive

Companies that were using the internet to advertise their businesses now start trading online thanks to ecommerce. Social media allows customers to make decisions based on reputation, not just on price. An overwork culture emerges, especially in big cities like London.

2010s – Technology integrates into our lives

Apple sells 340,000 iPhones a day in 2012. The use of cloud technology enables employees to access email, the internet, work-related data and numerous ‘apps’, making flexible and home-working a reality. We now live in a digital world, unlocking our smartphones an average of 110 times a day.