How to Efficiently Use Technology to Empower Your Employees
In today’s digitized workplace, micromanaging your employees is no longer an option. Employees need to be trusted and given the means to take on responsibilities voluntarily. Management should be there only to offer guidance and coordination. If a team is clear on their goals, and individual role, with proper tech they’re going to prove to be much more productive, than a traditional, hierarchical team, that waits around until the boss tells them what to do.
Give Them the Right Tools
The first step towards empowering your employees is to give them the right tools for the job. Make sure you know what each department needs, of bring someone in as a consultant. Depending on the number of options you have at your disposal, you may want to invest only in the most popular, widely used software, to ensure that everyone knows how to use them, or has at least some knowledge of how each program works.
When considering software upgrades, make sure the hardware can match it. There’s nothing more frustrating than having the best tools out there, and being unable to use them because your desktop, or laptop is unable to run them at full capacity. If you can’t invest in both, maybe it would be wiser to postpone upgrading until you’re sure you can synchronize your hardware with your software.
Once you’ve taken care of this basic aspect, provide your employees with constant training, and keep all of your software and hardware up to date. Proper training is just as important as providing them with proper equipment. Otherwise, all of the investments you make in acquiring the latest tech are going to be wasted, since your employees won’t be able to use to their full potential.
Offer Them Flexibility
Giving your employees the tools they need to perform their task is only half of the equation, when it comes to tech. After you’ve made sure that they have all they need to be as efficient as possible, you need ensure that they have the work flexibility they need. Some people work better when they keep all of their work related information in the office, but proactive employees are going to need more free range.
Consider investing in an online portal like this one from Crossmark’s employee login guide, so they can access all of their work information remotely. That way, your employees are going to feel more in control of their schedule, and they’re going to be able to plan out their workload accordingly. They won’t have to go through complicated bureaucratic processes to get the simple information they need.
Using these dedicated platforms can be a very safe, and easy way to give your employees the work flexibility they need. However, it would be best if you do take some time to teach about proper data safety when it comes to using public wireless networks. While these apps and platforms can be a very good solution to ensure your data is protected, using public Wi-Fi can still pose some dangers. And, at any rate, it’s never a bad idea to be prepared, just in case.
Consult with Your Employees
If your business has several departments, each with its own set of highly specialized software and hardware requirements, make sure you consult with the members of each department from time to time. Even if you do know what each branch needs, working with these tools on a daily basis is going to give a better insight as to what you may need to help you be more efficient.
Plus, it’s going to make your employees feel like they’re being shown the respect they deserve, and they’ll appreciate the fact that you value their input. Of course, you should also inform them about the budget you’re willing to spend on upgrades.
Keep Everyone Connected
There are a number of workflow platforms you can use to keep your teams connected at all times. In this way, you can make sure that information circulates, and everyone is on the same page when it comes to important updates, and last minute changes.
Encouraging the use of communication apps also means your employees are no longer bound to their desk when it comes to keeping tabs on their current projects. Keeping your employees mobile, but still connected can drastically improve their productivity.
If your budget allows it, you can also consider investing in providing your employees with smartphones, and/or tabs. This way, you can be sure all of their gadgets, and the apps installed on them are compatible.
Digitizing the workforce is soon becoming an absolute necessity. In the globalized work market, with so many jobs not requiring the physical presence of the employee, it makes sense to do everything you can to empower your employees, not just for their benefit, but your company’s as well.
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About the author:
Marc Mendelman is a Junior HR consultant, who’s passionate about identifying daily work hacks and creating ways of increasing personal and professional productivity. He loves identifying the core strengths of each individual and help them reach their true professional fulfillment.
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