I was trying to remember how work was done before e mail
It involved a lot more getting up and going to see people, or picking up this thing called a phone and talking to people. When I tell my kids about the kindly old gentlemen who used to deliver inter-office mail twice a day they just laugh. Seemed to work though.
(Smale is stuffed, Thu 8 Mar 2012, 9:58, 1 reply)

It did work, but far too slowly.
Whilst I sometimes wish it would go back to those days, people did get less work done in a day than they do now.
When computers first entered offices everyone was told it heralded the three day week and meant that eventually everyone would work from home. That didn't happen because companies worked out they got more work from people if they kept them in an office for as long as possible.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Thu 8 Mar 2012, 11:30, closed)

I guess it depends on the nature of your business
When you're working on projects that take months or years to complete, then the old ways are probably just as good as the new. I think not having instant communication meant delegating much more authority to lower levels of management, which is probably a good thing, instead of the CIO being involved in every decision.
(Smale is stuffed, Thu 8 Mar 2012, 11:53, closed)