The experience your employees have shapes the quality of their work, their level of productivity, and every interaction they have with a customer. If your employees aren’t happy, your customers won’t be either. The technology and software you provide have a huge impact on your employee experience, and there’s a massive disconnect between most executives and their employees when it comes to how this is going.
Nine of out 10 C-suite executives believe that they choose new technology that delivers what employees need: 50 percent of employees disagree. In fact, close to 40 percent of employees feel that their IT departments and workplace technology experience is completely out of touch with their needs.
So, there’s a chance you may have some work to do. We’ve come up with these 5 ways IT can improve your employee experience to help you out:
Listen to your employees
Most people want to do their jobs well, but if there are constant impediments they may give up. Any technology that streamlines or simplifies part of the job will have a positive impact. And it may be a different technology or software for different departments who have different focuses and workflows. Take the time to talk with your employees about what they need to do their jobs, and you might be surprised at the positive results in their productivity and their experience in the company.
Smooth out onboarding
Starting a new job is inherently stressful. Sitting around for a week while a computer is set up, ID’s are created, accounts are set up, and everything is connected to the network makes the whole process a LOT more stressful than it needs to be. Help your new hires hit the ground running and have a positive experience starting by having processes and technology in place to ensure that onboarding happens smoothly and quickly.
Reduce the learning curve
Does your software require intensive training to use? Unless it has some very powerful, very specific functions that you can’t do without, it may not be worth the delayed start time and stress it causes your employees. Take the time to evaluate what you’re getting from your software versus what it’s costing your employees (and therefor you).
Aim for consumer-level experience
Most people have technology embedded in their lives, and they love it. They’ll stand in line for a new phone. Play with a new app until it suits them. Customize everything from their cars to their homes with every tech trick you can imagine. They know how to be good, enthusiastic technology users. Technology companies ensure that they enjoy learning how to use a new product by making those products tailored to suit their consumers’ needs. How does that compare to their experience at work? Are you making it easy for your employees to do their jobs by ensuring that they have the right technology, software, apps, and the knowledge they need to use them?
Upgrade the office
The quality of the technology tools you give your employees to do their jobs sends a message about how important they are (or aren’t) to the company and to you. If your employees are working (or trying to work) on 7-year old computers, a glitchy phone system, and software that makes every task harder than it needs to be, how likely are they to feel valued? How much enthusiasm are they bringing to their work, their customer interactions, and the company? How long will they want to stay? Upgrading is an expense, but so is saddling your company with technology that limits how productive and engaged your employees can be. One has the potential to boost your profits in a big way, while the other ensures that you’ll stay stuck. Which would you rather invest in?
This is a great opportunity to improve your business in every way, now and moving forward. If you need some help evaluating your situation, making a plan to move forward, or implementing your plan, we’re happy to help. Contact us today to see how our solutions can power your business.
