
Technological advancements are changing the workplace. With new tools and technologies coming in, automation is taking the front seat. However, it has also become a significant concern for employees today.
According to a survey, 22% of U.S. workers think technology will make jobs obsolete. Technology can help in various ways, from scaling your business to increasing employee efficiency. However, the only way to reap the benefits new technology has to offer is when your employees adopt it.
Therefore, employers and managers must ensure that employees understand and use technology. They must also assure the employees that technology will streamline their jobs. This article will discuss six strategies for helping employees adapt to new technologies.
Incorporating new technologies and tools is vital for overall efficiency, company productivity, and cyber security. However, getting employees on board with this idea takes time for business owners. Here are a few things employers can try to ensure their employees adjust to the new changes.
1. Tell About the Benefits
Firstly, you must tell the employees how introducing this new technology can simplify procedures. Tell them how they won’t have to go through those tedious and repetitive tasks since the software will take care of them. Plus, you should explain how the new technology is easy for those who need to be tech-savvy.
Once employees understand the benefits of the new technological change, they’re more likely to adopt it. Plus, honesty and transparency with the employees will help them gain more confidence. It would ease their fears or worries about losing jobs due to the new technological advancement.
2. Train the Employees Properly
While communicating the benefits is a good start, you should next focus on providing proper training to employees. Adequate training is vital for ensuring that employees can leverage the new tools. Unfortunately, only a few organizations offer complete training to employees.
According to a study conducted by Josh Bersin and IBM, only 38% of employees agree with the 74% of employers claiming to provide adequate training. Focusing on this aspect is vital if employers want employees to adapt to new technology.
3. Use Guided Learning
When we talk about training, we must consider an important aspect: learning. Ensure the training employees receive helps them learn about the technology. Employers should offer workshops and training so that employees can implement the knowledge they’re getting.
You can give them bite-sized information during the training and let the employees apply it themselves. Furthermore, you can divide the training sessions according to departments. This way, each department will know what their roles and responsibilities are with new changes.
4. Take Input From Employees
If you make employees feel excluded from the decision-making process, they might not adapt to new changes. Getting input from employees is vital before you purchase a new high-end tech.
You can do this by sending a questionnaire to employees. The questionnaire can ask them what they think about their current technology and what they think the new one should have to help them. Additionally, contact department heads to get their input about technological advancement.
5. Encourage Self-Learning Among Employees
Encouraging employees to learn new things about the technology and use different features is vital. Most employees want fully independent learning, so you should facilitate self-guided learning. You can create a quiz where you can ask employees different questions about the system.
Moreover, relevant materials, like step-by-step guides, infographics, audio recordings, and videos, should be provided to help them learn about the new technology. Additionally, you can consider getting a demo account for the technology. This will give them confidence to use the new system or software without any issues.
6. Celebrate Success
Lastly, celebrating your team’s success, no matter how big or small, is essential. Building an employee-centric culture is equally important as having a customer-centric culture. So, the best way to build a positive environment for employees is to appreciate their efforts and hard work.
You can also have employee of the month plaques for different departments. Each employee who completes the task quickly and efficiently with the new technology should receive this plaque. For motivation, you can also add a monetary bonus with this award.
Since the beginning, technology has been introduced to make lives easier. Although getting employees to adopt new technology can be challenging, it is not impossible. You can ensure this process is streamlined by rewarding employees for their contribution, making learning easy for them, and getting their input. This way, you can increase overall productivity and allay the employees’ fears regarding job security.