How Technology Improves Employee Productivity
Increasing employee productivity is more important than ever before, as employees categorically have increasing workloads and more complex roles. When a business does not reach productivity levels, employees often cite a lack of proper technology as the blame. Burnout is a real issue where employees feel overloaded. However, when management appropriately communicates strategic choice and technology implementation to employees, employees have been shown to boost productivity and improve employee engagement. Employees are then happier and more satisfied with their jobs.
Choosing new technologies and IT solutions should be the job of business owners and managers. It is essential to understand that every work culture and workplace is different and that you as management need to see the big picture. You must assess your current productivity levels and if your employees are as productive as they should be. Assess how your productivity compares to competitors. It is also essential to evaluate whether new technology can truly make a difference. The following are ways to incorporate technologies into the workplace that boost employee productivity, engagement, and happiness.
Communication and Transparency
For any new technology, management must train and educate employees on how to use it. Employees must know why their employer has chosen a new tech and lay out expectations and goals. When management shares these goals and explains what role the employee will have, a company fosters transparency. Let your work culture reflect the vision and goals of your company.
Introducing new technologies that foster better communication and transparency among employees is rising and leads to increased productivity. For example, group chats like Slack and Hangouts help cut down on email volume. If you have an urgent question, you can ping a group in real-time to get a quicker answer. Group chats also foster better communication when part of a group is in an office while other group members are remote.
Project Management
As part of successful project management comes down to time and resource efficiency, project management tools help avoid duplicating efforts when facing a deadline. The right technology can help you streamline workflows, such as tools like Asana or Smartsheet. Tools like these facilitate time tracking, goal progress, and overall management of each project.
Streamlining data is also essential. Tracking tools are a form of technology that creates one accessible database with real-time, on-demand data. Tracking tools help maintain data accuracy and keep it all in one place. Tracking tools help keep project managers organized, especially when employees working on the project could be remote.
Collaboration
Cloud-based collaboration tools like file-sharing technology help improve office efficiency by helping employees work as a team. Increased collaboration and sharing lead to increased employee engagement and reaching goals together. Virtual meeting software like FaceTime or Skype allows for collaboration anywhere. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an example of an area that can use a cloud-based tool to create one shared location. By utilizing file-sharing technology for CRM, consistency in information and resources available about clients leads to higher productivity.
Automation
Sometimes the minor everyday tasks add up over time and can cost serious money. Automating time tracking is a great way to reduce auditing time and promote honesty on time worked. Creating a remote, automated onboarding process provides unlimited access to information and resources while freeing human resources personnel to work on other things. Customizing self-service platforms also frees HR personnel, enabling them to be more productive. Even utilizing a password management tool saves time for employees instead of spending minutes retrieving a password or creating a new one.
Cloud Based Phone System
A hosted phone system is a popular, cloud based technology using an existing internet connection to connect workers globally. Now that remote work is on the rise, VoIP technology is much more flexible than previous technology in facilitating remote work. Businesses realize that VoIP has a clear advantage because VoIP makes remote work more convenient and conducive. Remote work is valuable, saving money on overhead and proving effective, so VoIP is here to stay with it. Since VoIP makes remote work conducive, your company can expand its search globally for the best talent.
How to Measure Employee Productivity
Many tasks are not easy to measure, and you also have to factor in the quality, not just the quantity of work. However, there are basic steps for employee productivity measurement. For measuring employee productivity, you need to understand and assess your baseline, which is what your expectations of an employee role are. Create measurable outputs in the form of tasks and define them while setting clear objectives and attainable goals. Getting feedback from clients on work performed is ultimately important, as customer satisfaction defines success in many ways. Place emphasis on the quality of work performed. For an employee productivity calculation, use the following labor productivity equation: total output divided by total input.
Technology and employee productivity go hand in hand. To increase employee productivity, the employer must carefully choose the right technological tools that empower employees. Through these tools, management improves business efficiency by building better communication and transparency, project management, collaboration, automation, and remote work. A business is truly productive and accomplishes its goals when it empowers its employees to meet their own goals. Technology facilitates the meeting of these goals and makes business and life more manageable.
