Businesses are leveraging technology to cut costs, reduce complexity and increase security. From cloud computing to automation and user-access control, IT is often seen as a simple equation: Install “X” to get “Y,” then measure the results.
Though often overlooked is the human benefit of technology in the workplace; the less quantitative but no less beneficial impact of increased productivity. Recent research points to a critical link between information technology and productivity, noting that “information technology acts as a moderator variable, which increases productivity through decentralization from decision-making process and improvement of business processes.”
Put simply, the right technology deployed the right way substantively increases workplace productivity. Here are eight ways IT can improve employee outcomes.
Table of Contents
1. Talk the Talk
If employees can’t easily communicate, they struggle to complete critical tasks and deliver on deadlines. Technologies such as instant messaging, secure business email and software-based group chat solutions make it easier for staff to solve problems and managers to communicate directly with employees.
Nevertheless, you need clearly laid-out policies and best practices to help assure communication stays on target and users don’t accidentally share sensitive data.
2. Work Whenever, Wherever
Remote work is now the expectation. Team members want the ability to access secure business networks from home or on the road, while companies want to reduce the chance of lost revenue or missed opportunities if employees can’t connect. Here, companies must embrace the use of employee mobile devices by supplying corporate networks with enough bandwidth to handle large-volume data transfers and multimedia file sharing at scale.
Protection is also paramount. Organizations should use integrated access management (IAM) solutions to verify user identities and virtual private networks (VPNs) to obscure network traffic.
3. Keep Everyone Accountable
Accountability and auditability matter — who did what, when? Why? Software-based monitoring tools help companies track user activities to meet new compliance requirements and better ensure staff remain on task.
Effectively implementing these tools demands transparency. Make sure employees know what’s being monitored, why and what’s expected of them on corporate networks.
4. Compound Collaborative Efforts
New tools such as video conferencing and group chat are now commonplace among popular collaboration platforms that let employees collectively edit and share documents on demand. This is especially critical for remote worker productivity, since they’re never left out of the collaborative loop.
Your best bet is to make sure you have the robust service desk support in place to help address any connection or cloud issues that could impede collaboration.
5. Offer On-Demand Expertise
Sometimes, improving productivity means going off-site to find situational expertise. For example, deploying new IT frameworks or moving to the cloud can significantly boost productivity — but not if you spend months making the move. Connecting with third-party experts can help streamline this process to get new solutions up and running ASAP.
6. Create a New Network
Connections matter. By facilitating the development of specialized social media and networking sites, staff can often find the answers they need without escalating tickets. With thousands of web-based resources worldwide, it’s possible to create a robust self-service network for staff to solve their problems.
In this scenario, IT vetting and approval is key — network sprawl can significantly impact overall security.
7. Curate Your Content
The sheer volume of content available online makes it easy for personnel to find answers to specific questions — or get distracted by news, sports scores and product placements. Here, IT can advance productivity with tools designed to help curate content and increase staff focus.
When it comes to content filtering and curation tools, balance is critical. Some organizations are best served by occasional reminders about upcoming deadlines or time spent browsing, while others see the greatest boost to productivity when they completely block outside content. Whichever path you choose, make sure to integrate employee feedback. Since mobile devices and cloud connections provide potential workarounds, staff buy-in is critical.
8. Prioritize Preferences
Team members are at their most productive when they understand your target market: What do customers want, and how can your business best meet their expectations? New email and social media marketing tools are designed to collect and analyze key consumer data — providing employees with the critical insight they need to craft effective marketing campaigns.
User consent and staff training are critical here. Make sure customers know what data is being collected — and why — and verify that employees understand how to effectively leverage these data-driven insights.
Do More, Waste Less
The right technology reduces downtime, promotes collaboration, keeps staff accountable and leverages the social experience to increase overall productivity. With a focus on the human experience — and backed by third-party expertise — your business can leverage IT innovation to enhance the workplace and improve employee outcomes. Be sure to review the accompanying guide for further information on efficiency gains in your workplace.
Author bio: Jesse Alexander is President of Innovative Technology Solutions, a leading provider of managed IT services. He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry — and focuses on leading the strategy, sales and service delivery for the company.
