In recent months, many companies have returned to in-office or hybrid work schedules. Although office life has returned to normal in many ways, there are still many changes that employees must adapt to as businesses continue to reopen. Most of these adjustments are coming from implementing new technology. Technology adoption has moved to the forefront for companies across the nation with a broad spectrum of employee ages and capabilities. As an office or facilities manager, you may be wondering what the best course of action is to help employees accommodate to these changes and ensure that your employees are set up for success and continued growth. Here, our team of digital services solutions experts at SCLogic discuss how you can help your team adjust to these digital workplace changes and foster an environment of continued growth and expansion.

Show Employees Short & Long-Term Benefits of Technology Adoption

While it may be frustrating for managers who can see the immediate benefit of adopting new technology, employees aren’t always as receptive to the idea of uprooting their current processes. A way to alleviate some of this confusion and frustration is to provide employees with the immediate and long-term benefits this adoption will bring while emphasizing the ease of use and short learning curve period. When employees can see how this new technology directly impacts their department and even their specific daily tasks, they will likely be more willing to adjust. For example, for mailroom managers using outdated systems, their team spends excessive time searching for misplaced packages, working through long lines of employees or students waiting to pick up their packages. This leads to inefficiencies among the department, often causing frustration and limiting revenue or growth potential. However, many employees may just be used to the process your team has implemented since they began. Bring new technology up in a solution-oriented way, showing them how much time, energy, and effort they can save by streamlining many of your current practices.

Additionally, be sure to discuss how these changes will personally benefit them after an extended period. For example, after implementing automations and efficiencies through Intra, your business will likely see substantial revenue growth in the future. This will allow for both increased departmental spend and potential salary boosts. 

Consider Establishing an Implementation Team or Pilot Program

When incorporating new technology into your workplace, a complete overhaul of your current process may be daunting for your employees. Establishing an implementation team or pilot program for a new system is a great way to help your employees gain confidence, train efficiently, and ultimately become champions for your new software. For large-scale facilities, consider starting with one department, such as your asset logistics department, to test and perfect new software before sending it out to all departments. When you work with SCLogic, you’re working with more than just a one-time implementation team. Our technical services, integrations, and customer success experts make it a priority to build and foster relationships with each of our customers so that you have a hands-on team of passionate experts by your side. After the initial installation of our Intra software, our team will work with you to configure the software to suit your specific needs and provide detailed and user-friendly instructions to assist with the transition. Using a pilot program helps your employees with adjusting to new processes in a variety of ways. Once the individuals in your program become familiar with your new software, you can have them teach additional teams instead of using virtual or outsourced instruction. This provides an extra level of comfortability and allows the rest of your organization to learn from their peers. Your pilot program team will ultimately become a hero team, giving the rest of your organization confidence to adopt new technology with ease.

Adapt to Different Learning Preferences & Needs

When asking your employees to adapt to new technology or processes, the adjustment should go both ways. Just as your employees are adjusting and working with you to learn, you as a manager or department leader must also be willing to adapt to their learning preferences. Especially for businesses continuing the hybrid work model, virtual learning and in-person learning can differ significantly. In the early stages of installing and implementing new technology, work with your department and our team to create a strategy for optimal learning and retention. Certain employees may require more visual assistance, while others work better with additional reading material to understand these new processes in their entirety. Not only do you expedite the learning curve for your team by offering multiple training processes, but you show your team that you are willing to take the time needed to ensure that this implementation process is done correctly. In turn, your employees will be more likely to adopt new technology faster, as they feel backed by their superiors and team members. For many software platforms, including Intra, innovation remains at the forefront. This means that although learning hurdles may come with new versions, we prioritize ease-of-use for employees of all levels regarding technology use. 

Invest in Your Team with the Help of SCLogic’s Intra Platform

Changing processes and technology that have been in place for a significant amount of time can be strenuous. Not only are you making a long-term investment in products and services, but you are investing in your employees. With the continuation of the pandemic and a workforce that will see changes for years to come, adapting to workplace preferences and increasing technology early on will help your company flourish in the coming years. While the initial adjustment period can be challenging for managers and teams of all sizes, the time, energy, and financial benefits your business will reap are immeasurable. At SCLogic, our team has over a quarter-century of experience helping businesses and universities optimize daily workflows, and we are only growing. If you are looking for a team of passionate and innovative individuals ready to work with you to implement the perfect facilities workflow platform for your business, email [email protected] or schedule a demo with us today. 

 We can’t wait to work with you!