People just don’t like change. And when leadership wants to introduce new tools, software or ideas to help improve the workflow, not every employee is going to be jumping for joy.
Although it can be a challenge to get employees on board with new technology, there are some basic steps you can take to get them in the right frame of mind.
Just the same as a new business idea, the most important thing is that you include your employees. Don’t choose the technology on your own, send an email about it, and tell your employees they have no choice but to use it.
Here are five of the better tips you can follow if you need to get employees on board with new technology:
Call a Meeting
It’s imperative that everyone who needs to know about the technology has a clear idea of what it’s all about. The best way of doing so is to call a meeting.
For example, if you’re introducing a human resources only service, get everyone from the HR department into the same room. This makes it easy to explain what is going on, ask for feedback, and make sure everyone is on the same page moving forward.
Provide a Demo
It’s one thing to talk about new technology, but another thing entirely to demonstrate how it works. For example, maybe you have some type of technology that will help your company from a workflow and productivity perspective. While this sounds great to you, others may not feel the same way until they actually see how it works.
Talk Up the Benefits
Many people hear about new technology and the first thing that comes to mind is more work. They realize that they will have to change their ways if they want to get along well with the new system. You don’t want this to scare your employees away, which is why you should talk up the benefits from the start, and how it benefits them. Rather than let your employees believe that the new technology will drag them down, prove that it will actually make their life easier.
Ask for Input
Even though you may have already selected the technology, it’s important that you still ask your employees for input. For example, see if they have any ideas on what will work best from an implementation point of view. When you include your employees in the process they are much more likely to get on board with the technology.
Ask for Feedback After They’ve Used it
After a few days go by, call another meeting to ask for feedback. During this time, you’ll want to see what is and isn’t working for your employees. While you hope that everything is going as planned, but you never know what you will hear. This is why it’s essential to keep an open mind.
It will take some time for new technology to become second nature to your workers. This is why you should regularly ask for feedback and look for ways to make positive changes. You can also appoint a few employees to help you gather information from others as to how they are getting along with the technology.
These are just a few of the many steps you can take to get employees on board with new technology. If you find yourself in this position, it’s your goal to ensure that every worker feels good about the impact it will have on them.
Read more tips and tricks to improving productivity in the workplace on TechCo
