Tech Efficiency in the Workplace
March 12, 2019
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Technology has advanced at lightning speed and not only has it taken over our daily lives, but it is now fully intertwined in all business operations. With the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence a new reality, a complete technology takeover was only inevitable.
There are many ways to make your devices and software ‘do more work’ for you, sometimes far more accurately, and it’s called automation. Automating processes and job functions have been a part of the working economy since the boom of the manufacturing era. But allowing the human workforce to adapt to automated technologies requires timely implementation and most importantly, learning.
Inefficient use of tools and technologies does affect the bottom line for many businesses, and it’s too common. We expect our employees to ‘just know’ how to use a computer, know how to make use of (what we refer to as basic) software such as Office Suite or Internet browsers. But the reality is that there are still large portions of the workforce who need some guidance. And with new advances and changes, even power users need to stay on top of the learning curve.
Our current workforce population is made up of 4 generations; the Baby Boomers, the GenXers, Millennials, and Generation Z. I won’t go into detail about the generational differences, but it is an important factor for organizational leaders to consider. Each generation understands and uses technology differently. It’s highly beneficial to find the most effective and efficient ways to get things done and ensure those techniques become a part of your processes and procedures.
Technology isn’t a fad that will fade away. With all businesses relying on technology, regardless of industry or size, every organization needs to have a technical plan in place. Here are the 3 most critical requirements companies should consider:
1. Technical Expertise
Once upon a time, technology was almost always outsourced to a third party. With today’s integrations and level of tech complexities, it’s in a company’s best interest to bring that level of expertise in-house. Consider onboarding a “back end” expert or a technologist of sorts. Leaders must rely on someone who understands at an in-depth level how technologies work, how they integrate, and how a user can make the most of it. Working with a detail-oriented technologist who has a big-picture vision will help to guide major business decisions such as restructuring business architectures or purchasing new software.
2. Strategic Planning
Staying on top of the developments in technology is so critical especially because technology is in a constant state of evolution and change. You need your systems to be current in order to foresee what’s to come and transition smoothly as you upgrade. Technological change is imminent so get used to it. Hard and software transitions can be buggy, painful, and expensive. Companies who don’t think long-term fall behind and playing catch up can get messy and costly, not to mention holding your workforce back.
3. Training and Mentorship
We can’t expect our employees to automatically know or even take the time to learn on their own accord. We have to make it a part of the onboarding process with continued tech mentorship, webinars, tip sheets, etc., whatever means works for your team. This includes crafting strategies that help cultivate employee buy-in for adopting new technologies into their roles. For some, using technology can be overwhelming.
You don’t need all your employees to understand technologies inside out, but they do need nurturing. Empower your employees by providing them with the resources they need to more efficiently utilize your organization’s tools to further business growth and success. Businesses cannot operate today without the use of technology. But the ones that do so exceedingly well are making technology work for them and coming out ahead of their competitors by focusing on the future.
