We live in a technologically advanced world, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to pick up the newest toys as soon as they hit the market. There is often a lot of resistance to adopting new tech, even if it might make the job easier for everyone. Here are some strategies to make implementing new technologies at work easier.
1. Know That Communication Is Key
The easiest way to mess up a new technology implementation is to play all the cards close to your chest. Open and honest communication is an essential part of any new program. Overlooking this point will lead to increased resistance or even rejection of the plan.
Ensure you’re communicating every step of the way. Communication early and often allows your team to offer feedback or other suggestions that might change how you look at these new technologies. You might even alter your existing plans in favor of something that will work better for everyone.
2. Understand the Points of Resistance
The biggest challenge to implementing new technologies in the workplace is often the employees themselves. People who have become comfortable with how they do their job are often hesitant to change things for fear that it will make their work harder. It is essential to understand these common resistance points so you can adapt to or overcome them as you begin implementing your new technology. These can include:
- ● The “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it” mindset
- ● Concern, founded or unfounded, over the cost and time implementation will take
- ● Previously adopted tools or technologies that don’t get used
- ● Doubting how difficult these items will be to use
Understanding these points of resistance or any others that may crop up makes it easier to overcome them.
3. Collect Support at All Levels
Implementing new technology in most industries requires everyone’s support, from the latest entry-level hire to the CEO and everyone in between. You may be able to manage small-scale implementations without this sort of broad support and communication. Still, if you’re trying to adopt something that will impact the company as a whole, it is vital to have the backing of everyone involved.
You may also wish to assemble a team made up of members of each affected department to become your new technology champions. These individuals will help with the adoption process and work to carry this new technology back to their departments when it’s ready for large-scale implementation.
4. Listen to and Implement Feedback
No one can achieve this sort of implementation alone, especially for programs that will impact everyone in a given department or company. As you’re gathering information and working on setting up a program, make sure you have a system in place to collect feedback from everyone involved.
This is often the easiest way to figure out what works and what doesn’t, especially for large-scale projects. It could even ultimately adjust the way you implement these new technologies because a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to work for anyone.
5. Set Achievable Goals
Several steps go into creating a new technology plan for a business. Instead of tackling everything at once, set a series of attainable goals and work toward each one in succession. Setting a SMART goal — which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound — can make it easier to break your ultimate objective into small chunks that are less intimidating and easier to turn into reality.
6. Offer Comprehensive Training
We may live in a world immersed in different types of technologies, but that doesn’t mean everyone on your crew will understand how to use every new piece of tech that crosses their desk. Ensure you plan for comprehensive training once your new system is ready to launch.
This will mean adjusting your schedule to accommodate these training classes, as well as the reduction in productivity as employees adapt to the new working conditions. These tiny setbacks are nothing compared to the benefits you can reap from including new technologies in your workplace.
7. Accommodate Different Learning Styles
Contrary to what public school might teach us, not everyone learns the same way or at the same pace. Visual learners work best when they can see or read what they need to know, while auditory learners prefer their lessons. Kinesthetic learners are the kind of people who like the option to be hands-on. Implementing new technologies in the workplace requires training, but if you try to teach everyone the same way, you’re going to leave some people behind.
Take the time to learn how to accommodate different learning styles so everyone can make the most of your training. This will enable you to successfully implement your new technological systems that much faster.
Be Patient but Thorough
Implementing new technology in the workplace always comes with challenges, but they don’t have to be insurmountable. These strategies can help any new implementation plan go as smoothly as possible.
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