Office automation and organizational communication: Which of the following statements about office automation is NOT generally true in practice and policy?

Introduction / Context:
Office automation refers to the suite of tools—email, calendaring, document management, workflow, and collaboration platforms—that streamline routine clerical and knowledge work. The goal is to improve productivity, accuracy, and information flow. The question asks which statement is not generally true when organizations adopt office automation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Office automation typically digitizes documents and processes.
• Adoption impacts communication patterns, ergonomics, and training needs.
• Human behavior and workplace culture mediate the outcomes of tooling changes.

Concept / Approach:
Automation usually increases formal and traceable communication (messages, tickets, comments) and reduces cycle time. However, it does not inherently increase informal, face-to-face interactions; in many cases, it substitutes digital exchanges for hallway chats. Best practices also stress user-centered design and change management to ensure adoption and accessibility for diverse users.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Post-implementation studies often observe a shift from in-person to digital channels (email, chat, collaborative docs). This confirms that informal face-to-face talk does not automatically increase; it often decreases or is rechanneled.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Productivity gains: typical objective and outcome of automation.
• Human factors: essential to adoption and health/safety.
• User-friendly software: a consistent requirement for broad use.
• “All of the above are true”: incorrect because one statement is not generally true.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming more tools mean richer in-person collaboration. Without deliberate culture and space design, digital tools often replace rather than augment face-to-face exchanges.

Final Answer:
It will increase informal, face-to-face communications between employees.