It doesn’t matter what you do, how big your company is, and where you’re located – you need to do whatever you can to make your business as successful as possible. One of the ways to do that is by implementing new technology in the workplace and updating it from time to time. This isn’t the cheapest thing in the world, but it’s still one of those things that make a lot of sense down the line. And if you manage to find smart ideas that go a long way – even better! So, in case this is something you’d like to try doing as well, here are a few suggestions you might take into consideration when it comes to implementing different kinds of new technological solutions in your workplace.
Talk to your staff
One of the ways to become a successful manager is to know who your employees are and what they’re all about. This doesn’t mean knowing their names and recognising their faces, but truly knowing who they are as people and what they need in their lives. This is why talking to them is the first thing you need to do when thinking about implementing new workplace technology – ask them what they think, hear their suggestions, and find a way to turn their wishes into reality.
This approach comes with several benefits, but two of them are crucial. First, your staff will love the care and attention that comes from you, and they’ll appreciate you even more simply because they’re going to feel appreciated themselves. This will boost their motivation and make them inspired, and that’s the best-case scenario for all those who want to show that they’re true leaders and not just managers.
In addition to that, you’re going to end up making the right decision and give your people what they want and nothing else. Investing tons of money in new equipment won’t mean anything if your staff doesn’t want to use it or doesn’t know how to do that, which is why listening to their wishes is such a great idea. Finally, once the whole implementation process is over, make sure you elicit some useful feedback and ask your staff how they feel about the technology you’ve introduced. This will complete the cycle and teach you how to do this again and again, making every new technology implementation process more successful than the last.
Start with the most needed items
Once you find out what your staff needs and wants, it’s time to start figuring out what you’re going to do first. In case the majority of your employees have expressed the same wishes, you won’t have a problem deciding what to do. Just stick to their ideas and start solving them one by one. However, if they’re not unanimous, you need to find another methodology and start with the ideas that make the most sense at the moment.
For instance, if your staff is having problems with their health and can’t stand sitting behind the desk for eight or nine hours every single day, new ergonomic chairs might not sound as important as the latest software solutions, but these will mean more to your staff and probably do wonders for their productivity. After you’ve taken care of the essential items, you can focus on those you know will mean a lot not just to the staff, but to the company as well. Now you can invest in all those new gadgets, apps, and software updates you’ve always wanted!
Think about sustainability
Making your company sustainable and green might not be the first thing on your mind, but it’s one of those ideas that come with tons of different benefits. From changing your brand image and showing the world how eco-friendly you are to doing something amazing for the environment – being sustainable is great, and it’s a concept you have to consider when thinking about workplace technology implementation.
Sometimes, even the simplest things like LED light bulbs and low-flow fixtures will do the trick and make your office greener than ever. In other situations, though, you have to think outside the box when finding new sustainable equipment.
Think about controlling your waste and reducing various materials using a plastic granulator that does wonders with different plastic products, or consider introducing a new recycling system that will help you take your sustainability potential to a whole new level. Also, look into new software ideas that deal with sustainability and find a few solutions that might help you improve your eco-friendly efforts even more. These ideas might sometimes seem too hard or challenging, but just imagine what they can do for you and your company, and start implementing them straight away.
Go back to your staff
Once you’ve introduced all the changes you’ve wanted, implemented all the technological solutions you’ve had in mind, and found the best software solutions for your company, it’s time to go back to your staff and teach them how to actually make the most of all these innovations. This sounds like the simplest thing in the world, but that’s not often the case, which is why you have to train your staff on how to use all these new tools and apps you’ve implemented.
The first thing you need to do is assemble a task force of change champions that’s going to check the software, figure out how it works, and understand how it can benefit your business. These people will make sure everything is functioning properly and teach other employees how to use the same software as well. Once they do that, they’ll encourage everyone else to follow their lead, and that’s how everyone in your company will learn how to make the most of the new technology you’ve implemented.
Making these things function takes a lot of time and energy, so get ready for some hard work and don’t stop until you’ve upgraded your company to the fullest and shown your staff what a thoughtful and practical leader you really are!
Emma Joyce is interested in exploring and covering the latest technology trends and ways to promote and upgrade any kind of business. Her main focus is always on finding the best way to share her knowledge with fellow enthusiasts, but also learn from their experience as well.