101: Tech trap
Technology in the workplace helps us all get things done faster, more efficiently. It's difficult to remember what life was like at the office before email, smartphones and computers – How did we get anything done, anyway? But there is a point where using tech for tech's sake is counterproductive.
Some things to keep in mind for your company's culture when it comes to tech.
Craft a culture of sensible tech in your organization. Even seemingly minor changes can help cut down on possible distractions for employees and boost productivity. For instance, “a fair amount of 'FYI' email-messaging can be cut down by simply giving people guidelines about when they should copy team members and when it's not necessary,” writes Gwen Moran at FastCompany.com, quoting productivity expert Maura Thomas.
Know tech distractions add up and impact business. A CareerBuilder manager survey on personal internet and cellphone use shows compromised quality of work (45 percent); lower morale with other workers picking up the slack (30 percent) and a negative impact on employee-supervisor relationship (25 percent) with missed deadlines and lower revenue also reported. “Security of company data is lessened as more access points are added,” notes an article at MoneyTalksNews.com. “Opening a single infected email can spread a virus across the office network. Files may be corrupted and critical data stolen.”
Still put people first. “Putting people at the center doesn't necessarily mean that tech (data for example) is removed from the process – it just means that you are leading with a deep understanding of the people you are trying to connect with, reach or transact with,” writes David Armano at Forbes.com. A wealth of customer data won't make any difference if the information isn't acted upon to engage and serve these customers, he writes. The human factor needs to still be prioritized.
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