What is a workplace without an employee? And what is a workplace without technology? We can go back to how businesses operate without technology, but we can’t tell how business can operate without an employee. Don’t you agree? Together, let’s dig deeper into this interesting topic.
Workplace Dilemma defined:
Workplace Dilemma is when faced with multiple choices, none of which align perfectly with ethical or moral standards. A good example is in 2020, post COVID, many companies suffered since businesses can’t operate, due to restrictions and limited resources. This has led to many companies and businesses forcefully closing and, worse, filing for bankruptcy. Business owners and employees are torn between finding ways to make a living without risking their health or jumping into the risk despite knowing the effects just to make a living. Ironic, isn’t it?
The impact of Technology on Workplace Dynamics
Presently, the continuous advancement of technology affects the dynamics of what we know about the workplace. Technology is made to help solve human problems or anything in between. It is said to make lives easier, helping people to balance their day-to-day work, however, up to what extent?
Technologies, now a days, improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, they also help shape the organisation and execution of tasks. Thus, the common misconception that is usually associated with human and technology is that it is replacing human roles in the workplace, which in fact, this shift should focus less on substituting human roles with technology and embrace more on incorporating technology to support and enhance human skills and abilities. Due to these changes, there arises a need for a strategic adjustment within the organisation, giving more significance to retraining and upskilling employees to adapt to these technological advancements.
These changes may seem to help us do less. However, from a wider perspective, this gives us additional opportunities and more room for improvement amongst ourselves.
Incorporating Technology for Efficient Workflows
Gone are the days of wired telephone conversation and post office mails, presently, Companies are slowly leaning to technology and saw a big potential in it. However, it is important to know on which specific workflow needs improvement and efficiency. For instance, if your focus is to reduce manual data entry and improve accuracy, it is better to look in data automation applications, tools, and or trainings. If you want to improve collaboration and communication, it is good to invest in project management software.
In summary, whatever technology it may be, and whichever you want to focus on, changes are still changes and we can’t deny the fact that these trends are fast emerging, therefore, to keep up, employees must be ready and well equipped. A good start to incorporate technology is to allow the employees to attend training courses, such as Priority Management Training, it helps give solutions to the fast-paced environment and ever-evolving business. Priority Management's WorkingSm@rt programmes are designed to integrate international best practises with cutting-edge tools, enabling employees to manage workloads and priorities effectively using existing tools. This initiative concentrates on refining work procedures and enhancing team collaboration. It presented a remedy that addressed the underlying issues of stress and inefficiency. The trial run of the programme produced remarkable outcomes, prompting a choice to provide training for the entire staff.
With this kind of training, it will help employees not to be taken aback by the new learnings and continuous changes, as it will help them narrow down their workloads.
Strategies for Prioritising Human Interaction
Relying on technology itself can take a toll on your employees' mental health, emotional and physical well-being. What can human interaction do that technology cannot provide? Empathy, the ability to understand and share feelings. Thus, here are some ways to prioritise human interaction:
Have a scheduled regular face-to-face meeting: Nothing beats seeing your employees from eye to eye, sharing ideas, and laughing together in a meeting. This also would help build trust and connection with each other, it will help the employees feel the sense of belongingness and inclusivity in the Company.
Arrange a team-building activity: Set at least twice a year, enjoying, building and at the same time strengthening your employees’ morale, cooperation, motivation, and taking a break from their day-to-day work.
Set face-to-face employee engagements: Examples include decorating the workplace depending on the theme, or wearing a Halloween costume and having trick or treats. This may seem an extra thing to do but it could be a fun and engaging breather for the employees and could develop interpersonal relationships.
Express Gratitude and Empathy: Show appreciation and acknowledge their contributions. Practise empathy by putting yourself in their shoes and offering support during challenging times.
Create Tech-Free Zones: Allocate certain areas of the workplace as tech-free zones where electronic devices are not allowed. This can encourage face-to-face interactions and reduce reliance on technology for communication.
Balancing Human Needs with Technological Advancements
To pivot a little, which is important in a workplace? We could say that both hold high regards, humans and technology are unknowingly best to co-exist together whether we believe it or not. We as humans are expected to adapt to changes and continue making developments to improve technology, it may be safe to say that technology won’t stand alone without us humans.
How can we balance and co-exist together? We can start by embracing flexible work arrangements that accommodate diverse preferences and lifestyles. Leverage technology to support remote work, flexible scheduling, and work-life balance initiatives, allowing individuals to better integrate their personal and professional lives. Then, taking note of the potential impact of technology on mental health and the well-being of the employees. It is best to promote digital wellness, such as encouraging breaks from screen time, providing resources for stress management, and fostering a supportive work culture.
Workplace is indeed better with humans and technology combined, thus, to be understood, one needs to learn, therefore, with the help of The WorkingSm@rt method, which is created to meet the changing demands of a complex, modern business world, evolving with the challenges in business to provide the solutions that organisations need to be successful. Wanna know more about it? Contact us today!
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