How Technology is Changing the Workplace
These days the workplace has become unrecognizable compared to 10, or 20 years ago. We have come a long way from the small cubicle-ruled office layouts designed around the traditional 9-5 workday, with fixed workstations and little flexibility. Back then employees typically worked on desktop computers and relied on landline phones, fax machines, and paper documents to communicate or collaborate.
How about now?
With several advanced technologies arising, the workplace today is much more flexible and dynamic. Technology has transformed workflow, communication, and overall employee well-being through numerous innovations such as mobile devices, cloud computing, video conferencing, and more. These, in turn, have enabled remote work and flexible schedules to be possible. The physical office has been bombarded with changes that encourage collaboration and social interactions, like having open-plan layout designs and break areas.
In the technologically-advanced business landscape, employees have easy access to unlimited cloud-based data and the capacity to communicate across the world at the speed of light. Companies that are seriously thinking of growing are already leveraging technological innovation to run, scale, and quickly adapt their business. The following are some of the ways in which technology is navigating the workplace to greater efficiency.
1. Enhancing transparency in communication
As transparency in communication is a crucial factor for team productivity, companies are investing in software and tools that enhance team communication. These days, there are various technologies that eliminate the issues that may occur from a lack of transparency. The current market provides various options like video conferencing apps, team chats, and other business tools for significant improvements in internal communication. Here are some tools that boost transparent communication:
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- Zoom: This is a video conferencing tool allowing teams to have meetings from any location in the world. It provides various features that aid in presentation such as screen sharing, and also chat box.
- Google Meet: is another video conferencing tool similar to Zoom. it enables teams that are located at different places to have face-to-face meetings easily.
- Google Drive is a cloud-based storage platform that provides transparency by allowing teams to collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Files owners can give access to team members they want to share or collaborate with.
- Slack: is a tool that allows teams to communicate instantly in an online workspace through channels on different topics. It also enables direct messaging, and file sharing among team members.
- Asna: is a project management tool for teams to collaborate on different projects and track their tasks. This tool enforces transparency by showcasing the project status and deadlines.
- Trello This is another project management tool that helps to maintain workflow by allowing users to create boards and cards for different projects.
2. Automation tools for the workplace:
Eliminating repetitive tasks can help businesses save time, effort, and other resources to become more efficient. Technology allows firms to execute monotonous tasks/assignments a lot more quickly and easily. Some of the automation tools are:
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- Robotic Process Automation(RPA): is a software technology that mimics repetitive back-office tasks, such as extracting data, form filling, data entry, moving files …etc
- Workflow automation: it uses software to complete and automate business activities such as content creation, management, and task assignment.
- Marketing automation: is software that handles routine marketing tasks for people. It helps organizations by automating their marketing tasks such as email marketing, social media management, and lead generation.
3. Improving Employee Engagement
Sometimes, even the most lively employees can feel detached and burnt out from their jobs. This scenario results from employees working in tiny cubicles, usually doing repetitive tasks without any support. Technological tools can dramatically boost collaboration, communication, and flexibility to shake up tedious workplace routines. The following are some technology tools that will foster a positive company culture.
- Communication Tools: These are the obvious means for employee engagement and there are several tools available, like the ones mentioned above.
- Employee Recognition tools: can help increase the morale and motivation of employees, by giving each other recognition or appreciation for their work. Tools such as Bonusly and Kudos are good examples.
- Learning and Development tools: Online learning platforms like Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning which has various courses and certifications that employees can use to enhance their knowledge and skills.
4. Increasing Felxiablilty
When environments shift and change comes knocking, technology makes the workforce capable of maintaining optimal performance. During crises like the coronavirus pandemic, teams proved that it’s possible to work outside the traditional limits of workplace settings effectively.
Using technology, remote workers can participate in team communications, collaborate with team members, and draft solutions. Even when employees are thousands of miles away, they’re able to perform necessary routine tasks. Some of the tools that help to achieve this include:
- Cloud-based collaboration tools
- Project management tools
- Remote Desk Applications
- Video Conferencing tools
5. Boost Time Tracking
The latest technology enables individual employees to navigate their personal hierarchy of goals more efficiently. It facilitates setting productivity trends across teams, employees, and even the whole organization. Moreover, tracking and monitoring employee performance can promote healthy competition between workers. Some of the workplace tools that help boost time tracking include:
- Productivity tools help employees in managing their time effectively by tracking activities for them and providing them with useful insights on how they can optimize work. Tools like FOcus@Will and RescueTime can be mentioned as examples.
- Project management tools that include time-tracking features can assist employees in tracking the time they spend on specific tasks and also, help managers monitor their progress on projects. There are tools like Jira and Asana that can do just that.
For more workplace tools you can look through this post.
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