Investing in new technology is a must for companies wishing to thrive within their sector. Businesses that have invested in digitized technology discovered their workforce spent 17% less time on manual tasks and their ability to meet customer expectations increased by 35%, while 87% of CIO’s believe digitally empowering their employees can increase revenue growth. In short, the right tech can save you money, optimize your workforce, and help you understand your customer base and adapt to their changing demands.
However, while investing in technology is important, understanding how to introduce it into the workplace is a vital part of the process that is sometimes overlooked. How can you ensure that your workforce is receptive to the investment? What training method best pairs with the technology? How can you implement it while minimizing disruption?
These are questions all businesses should ask when thinking about investing in a new tool. Read on to find out the challenges your business might face and how to overcome them.
Take a look at the other blogs in this series:
- Why is Technology Important in the Workplace?
- 5 Things to Consider When Investing in New Workplace Technology
- How to Get Stakeholder Buy-In for New Training Software
- How to Measure the ROI of Your Training
The Challenges of Introducing New Workplace Technology
There are several common challenges that businesses face when introducing new technology.
The first is finding the right technology. Don’t just adopt a new tool because it’s new. Thorough research should be carried out to accurately determine if the technology is right for your business. Each company is different and what works for one may not work for another. Figure out if you can use the tech and what improvements it can offer.
Once the right technology has been selected, the next challenge is successful implementation. You’ll need to make adjustments to current procedures and existing technology so that your new tool can be optimized. It’s also vital to consider the resources needed to implement. How many people and hours are required? Will tech support play a role? Not every business has access to this, so it’s important to understand the limitations of your company and workforce in order to find an implementation strategy that works for you.
Arguably the most difficult challenge is ensuring your workforce is receptive to the technology. While it’s important to remain flexible, the truth is that people become accustomed to tried and true ways of working, and introducing new tech can create anxiety and uneasiness.
This is especially true when employees are blindsided by the change, without being consulted beforehand or left in the dark about the company’s overall vision.
6 Steps To Successfully Introduce New Technology into the Workplace
So you’re now aware of the challenges—but how do you successfully navigate them? Below are some of the best steps your business can take to ensure the technology you’ve selected is introduced as seamlessly as possible.
1. Make Sure the Tool is the Right One
New technology should solve problems, not cause them. This is why it’s so important to understand your business needs and select technology that meets them.
Consider the size of your workforce, and what their role entails. If you’re managing a large retail workforce that’s constantly on the move, the optimal technology would be something that’s easily rolled out at scale and can be accessed anywhere at any time. Think of something like a mobile-training platform that can be accessed from every employee’s smartphone.
For more insights into which considerations to make when investing in a new workplace tool, check out our blog here.
2. Communicate the Benefits to Your Workers
As previously stated, workers may have some immediate difficulty accepting a change to the way they work. To make the process a more seamless one, communicate to your workforce the benefits of the new tech. Does it make their life easier? Will it result in less time spent on tedious tasks? Highlighting the pros will go a long way to ensuring your workforce is on board.
Optimize communications to inform your workforce of the benefits of the new technology and why it’s being implemented. Despite rumors of their demise, emails remain popular among professionals with 86% preferring emails over other forms of communications. Steer clear of comms that are rarely looked at by your workforce—if no one reads the newsletter then avoid using it for invaluable updates.
3. Generate Excitement with Champions
Champions play a key part in the launch of new technology. They’re early adopters who guide the behaviors of your workforce and make any new process easier.
Identify early on several champions at all levels within the company—seeing senior management praise the new addition alongside same-level workers will only strengthen the tech’s image. Make sure to effectively translate the benefits to your champions, so they can then go away and spread the word.
In order to generate even more excitement, consider supplementing your champions with an engaging internal launch that showcases the new technology and demonstrates how to use it. This will help to increase awareness and long-term adoption of the tool.
4. Provide Training
New technology is useless if your workforce can’t use it. A relevant and engaging training program that is accessible to all staff will result in a speedy and effective learning process, and ensure that employees can get the most out of their new tech.
Mobile-learning is currently being adopted by leading companies all over the world due to its convenience and practicality. By providing immediate access to relevant information and empowering your workforce to take control of their own training, mobile-learning will reduce the strain on the team responsible for the product’s implementation. Additionally, employees can revisit training whenever they need to, improving knowledge retention and ensuring the product’s long-term success.
5. Gather Feedback
Feedback is an important part of any business. 75% of employees believe that feedback is valuable, and companies that conduct regular feedback experience 14.9% lower turnover rates.
When done right, feedback provides cutting insight into your technology from the people who use it most. Ask your staff how they’re finding the new tool, collate this information, and then use your findings to add tweaks and make changes. Not only will this result in a more efficient and skilled workforce, your employees will also feel increasingly valued.
6. Promote Ongoing Use
Promotion of the tool shouldn’t stop the moment it’s released. Keep advertising the tool for an extended period as this will encourage its widespread adoption by your workforce and familiarize new starters with the technology you use. You may also want to provide regular updates to staff on how to best use it, making sure your staff are getting the most out of the investment.
This should work in conjunction with consistent evaluation and data analysis of the product. Just because new technology was effective six months ago doesn’t mean it will remain that way. Businesses evolve and demand change—make sure your technology evolves with it.
eduMe is a mobile-learning platform that seamlessly embeds into your existing tools, removing friction and maximizing ROI. This ability to integrate relevant training without disrupting workflow improves productivity, employee retention, and workforce engagement. Leading companies including Uber, Gopuff and Marriott are already reaping the benefits provided by eduMe’s embeddable microlearning.
Want to see for yourself? Book a demo with us today!
