In general, changes in the workplace is not something that will get people excited. If you have trouble convincing your employees to adapt, you’re not alone.
As someone in a leadership position, you may be able to see how and understand how new technology and automation can affect change for the better in terms of improving productivity in the workplace. This, however, can be lost on an employee.
Nevertheless, by taking a creative approach and leading by example, you should be able to show your team why changes are being made, and how these changes can benefit all. In a previous article, we discussed how creative thinking can drive innovation, and the same principles can apply with specific regard to implementing new changes as well.
Directing this kind of change can be particularly challenging, where tech evolution or disruptive technology is concerned. Modern businesses are constantly adapting to new technology that can significantly boost efficiency, but it could take some adjusting to for employees.
We’re presenting some creative ideas for how to help employees get on board with changes, specifically relating to the tech side of your business.
With modern technology, in truth, we often don't realise the extent to which industrial automation can affect a workplace. It’s not how people imagined it to be, by way of robots walking the halls or manning the computers. Rather, it occurs through any number of subtle, sometimes invisible ways in which tech eliminates errors, takes over tedious or difficult tasks, and simplifies processes, such as by robotic process automation (rpa).
The trick, by and large, is to get your employees to recognise automation and tech-related innovations in this way: As beneficial adjustments, rather than sweeping changes that might put their own jobs in jeopardy.
One Step at a Time
One way to start off on the right foot is to limit the changes you introduce at any one time, so that you can take the time to explain and demonstrate their benefits. In an article, Marketing Manager Taylor Fasulas of Verizon Connect Australia describes this as "focusing your efforts," and suggests rolling out critical technologies first.
This, as opposed to overwhelming your employees with a whole burst of changes, can simplify and slow down the process in a way that will ultimately be better for all involved. It allows you to ensure that important tech innovations are put in place as quickly as possible, and it gives your workforce the time and perhaps even the examples they need in order to accept tech-related changes.
Outline Career Growth Opportunities
In addition to easing into things, it's also vital to present a clear link between the new technology and opportunities for growth within the company.
A 2015 survey report by Jobvite suggested that nearly half of people who leave jobs do so because they see no chance of advancement, and this problem is only exacerbated by fears of automation and job replacement. Given this, you can immediately see the necessity of alleviating these fears.
This can be done by any number of creative means, but you should link some of them to advancement. For instance, you might consider setting up certain digital goals or tech certifications as accomplishments that might lead to advancement. Or, more simply, you can use clear presentations to explain in a step-by-step way how a given tech feature can improve job performance for those who take advantage of it.
Make it a Team Effort
Another creative option most any manager or business leader would do well to consider is to present team-oriented ways to use new tech whenever possible. In addition to fear of job replacement, some employees are uneasy about automation and new tech on the grounds that it can seem isolating, and by extension, lonely.
You can head that problem off early by providing communal aspects to tech implementation -- whether that means setting up new methods of team communication, tracking tech use opportunity in a public manner, or whatever else may fit your company.
In Conclusion
These tips only scratch the surface of what it may take to get an employee base on board with new technologies. However, they speak to the thought-leadership involved in this sort of effort. A modern business needs to stay up-to-date with technology in order to compete, and while this can be easier said than done, an open approach with strategically directed leadership can make all the difference.