If your company is like most, you invest a lot of time and money in big software updates and technology transitions. Typically, however, planning and allowing for change adaption are not given nearly enough consideration. This can lead to issues that are more serious than technical issues.

Consider the following situation. Management wants instant results after a technology launch, which is unreasonable. Leaders become frustrated and shift blame when there are more problems than progress. People were left out of the equation while new technology was introduced, promising improvements. Everyone is upset and dejected. The issue wasn't the technology or the personnel in this case; it was the implementation method.

Fortunately, this may be avoided. Smart leaders priorities people and protect the great culture they've worked so hard to establish. If you have a frustrated and frazzled crew, any productivity or efficiency gains you were looking for won't be completely achieved. Because technical infrastructure has such a profound impact on business culture, the strategy guiding this major shift (as with any change) should include a plan for employee adaptation and numerous opportunities for input and discussion.

How to introduce new technology to an organization – A Complete Guide

Employees who have access to current technologies are more productive and feel valued. To optimize and introduce new technology in your company, follow these three stages.

What would you – or any of us – have done if COVID-19 didn't have video communication technology? We've been able to stay in touch with folks we care about thanks to simple apps like FaceTime and Zoom.

People want the same amazing, seamless experiences from their workplace technology, so it's no surprise. More collaboration is needed in today's remote, distributed, and hybrid workforces, as well as technology that allows for more proactive, autonomous behavior. Providing a positive employee technology experience frequently necessitates the introduction of new technologies into the firm.

But how do companies know what new technology their employees require and when they require them? What's the greatest method to put this technology to use? We've gone through some of the advantages and problems that organizations can expect when implementing new technology, as well as five key procedures to follow to ensure success.

The Benefits of introducing new technology in the workplace

There are practically unlimited advantages to using technology in the workplace to help your company become more profitable, mobile, and modern. Here are the top five!

1) Automation's capacity to streamline repetitious procedures.

According to a McKinsey poll, over 40% of workers spend at least a quarter of their workweek on manual, repetitive chores like writing emails and entering data. Putting these time-consuming tasks on autopilot using automated technology in the workplace allows your staff to focus on higher-return business projects like developing new client relationships or offering more attentive customer support. Processes that are automated are also more accurate. Using a software solution to automatically collect, upload, or synchronize information into the system of record, for example, eliminates the possibility of an employee inadvertently entering the incorrect number, which might skew an entire data set.

2) Remote working and BYOD devices reduce overhead costs.

Allowing employees to work from home and use their own devices can save companies of all sizes a lot of money in the long run. It makes sense—organizations require less space, supplies, and utilities when there are fewer employees in the office. You won't have to spend money on new hardware every time you hire a new employee if you have a BYOD policy in place. American Express, for example, claims that its remote work program has increased productivity while also saving $10-$15 million in annual real estate costs. According to Cisco research, firms save an average of $3,150 per year for each person who uses their own device due to lower hardware expenses, data plans, and the value of time saved.

3) Employee happiness and productivity are up.

Your employees will be more efficient and engaged—and hence much happier—if you provide them with the tools and technologies they need to do their tasks and allow them to utilize them in the way that best suits them. In fact, highly engaged business units had 41% lower absenteeism, 17% higher productivity, a 10% higher customer satisfaction rating, and 20% higher sales. When your employees do more work of greater quality, they generate more income and increase profit margins. Employees that are happy are also more likely to stay with your company for a long time rather than moving to work for the competitors, saving you money on turnover.

4) The ability to provide greater customer service.

Businesses have been able to better sell to their customers and deliver faster and more personalized customer care thanks to technological advancements in the workplace. There are nearly countless opportunities for technology to improve your consumer experience, from utilizing data to determine where to put targeted ads to engaging in the community listening to uncover your customer's pain points to offering immediate service through online chatbots or automated emails, and more. This can help distinguish your brand from the competition, resulting in long-term loyalty and increased revenue.

5) The ability to recruit talent from beyond the area.

  Businesses can use remote work rules to help them break down talent barriers by allowing them to recruit from a larger pool of candidates. Prior to the rise of remote work, employers were essentially limited to employing talent who was either already in the region or willing to travel for the job—but this usually meant having to cover their relocation charges, which might significantly increase the cost of a new hire. With attractive remote work rules, organizations can now recruit and hire the greatest personnel and industry experts regardless of where they live.

What new technology can be implemented in an organization?  

New IT systems, specialized software, and extensive SaaS platforms are being implemented to help businesses function more smoothly, enhance efficiency, expand output, raise sales, and stay competitive.

While this shift may be beneficial to the firm and important for growth, it can be difficult for employees to accept. People get into a habit of doing things in a certain way. Change can cause worry and resistance, especially if it has a direct impact on how they conduct their jobs.

The willingness and aptitude to adapt to technology differ from person to person and department to department, and this fact should not be overlooked.

Employees understand that change is unavoidable in the ever-changing corporate world, but they feel disrespected when management fails to solicit their thoughts, opinions, or concerns. It sends the message that people driving the change don't care about their qualifications or experience.

Employees may not completely understand the vision driving the change or how the transition will play out unless it is clearly stated. If you want your company to grow, you must assist your employees to grow as well.

Here are five steps to successfully implementing new technology in the workplace:

1. Look at technologies that can help your company overcome difficulties.

The goal of implementing new technology in the workplace is to solve problems or inefficiencies. While some solutions are self-evident, others necessitate a bit (or a lot) of research.

You'll automatically look for solutions as difficulties arise. Keep in mind you cast a wide net and look at all possibilities. Then, once you've found the ideal technology solution, tell your employees about it! Let them know you're thinking about trying out new technology and be careful to explain how it will help them solve an issue.

This may seem self-evident, but make sure the technology you're considering using will actually help you solve the problems you've identified. Soliciting input from key stakeholders is one method to ensure this. Involving stakeholders at all levels aids in identifying unanticipated issues, finding solutions, and eventually assisting with the shift.

Getting input from key stakeholders early in the decision-making process has an additional benefit: by asking for their input, you'll generate "ambassadors" for the new technology at all levels of the organization. Explain the technology's benefits and expected outcomes to these employees so that they can later support the initiative with other employees.

2. Once you've decided on new technology, form an implementation team to champion it.

Before the term "team" scares off all you small business owners, know that one person can suffice for an implementation "team" counting on the quantity of labor your new technology implementation would require.

What are the advantages of having a project implementation group? Because the superiority of new technology over its competitors and its strategic worth is irrelevant when it comes to employee adoption. Many implementation initiatives fail because the extent or relevance of the planning was underestimated.

The first step in the implementation process is to put together a team that will be responsible for three key tasks:

• Assuring that adequate resources are allocated to the project.
• Keeping track of administrative details.
• Managing priorities that are in conflict.

You'll need an internal "sponsor" for the modern technology, a project manager, and an "integrator" to accomplish these three goals.

3. Start with a trial program to sort out the problems and gain buy-in.

 The creation of a pilot program is the next step in the implementation process. This study will show upper management technical feasibility while also functioning as a reputable source of information. demonstration for other sectors.

You'll probably sort out a few kinks along the road, such as connecting the new technology to older ones and figuring out how to complete tasks utilizing the new technology. You'll be satisfied when it's time to scale up once the kinks have been ironed out.

Move on to the last steps of implementation, which include installation, setup, and training, once the pilot program is completed.

4. Instructions on how to utilize the new tool should be provided to your employees.

Not all technologies are easy to use. New technologies are frequently difficult to understand and require substantial training.

The key to a successful deployment is to provide engaging training sessions. Keep the following points in mind while planning an efficient training session:

• Everyone has a unique learning style and set of requirements. Provide a variety of materials and options to tailor your training sessions to various types of learners.
• Make the training personal by explaining why this is important to them and how it will affect their daily work.
• At each stage of the implementation, get input from users.

If there is confusion or resistance from the start, adoption rates will be poor, so don't overlook the need for good training while introducing new technology.

5. Start using the tool and fine-tuning it to match your needs as you go.

Congratulations if you've made it this far! You've troubleshot your new technology and it's ready to go.

Technology implementations, on the other hand, do not work effectively when organizations "set it and forget it." The evaluation of new technology's performance after installation is a final stage in ensuring its successful integration.

If difficulties arise, as they very certainly will, keep iterating on how you utilize the new technology or how it was set up. Remember to seek assistance from your account manager. They'll be more than delighted to ensure that your new technology is up and running.

When introducing or learning a new technology, there will nearly always be obstacles. Using the procedure outlined above, while attempting to empathize with people that struggle with change, will go a long way toward ensuring that your new technology is successfully implemented.