Between 2007 and 2016, productivity has drastically declined at the workplace. This has been associated with advancement in technology such as the prevalence of the smartphones which can take way too much of our time away from tings we should be focusing on while at work.
Obviously, with this notion, most employees think that mitigating technology at the workplace will increase focus and eventually lead to an increase in productivity at the workplace. Unfortunately, this is not the case, a little focus on reducing motivation killers and leveraging on technology considerable could work miracles the same technology can be used to makes tasks much fast and more simplified.
The gap between time and productivity at the workplace can be bridged with the incorporation of technology; according to techno-pessimists this will greatly reduce the employees’ workload and help get rid of the notion that there is not enough time to accomplish their activities in the future. (Gordon, 2012; Cowen, 2011). There are simple technology fixes on modern applications and devices out there that can help average employees improve productivity and save on time thus helping employers achieve their business goals.
Making use of The Right Technology:
Increasing productivity at the workplace productivity will only be possible when the right tools are used, David Feinman( 2016).Employers should get it right that the use of technology is not all about having super internet connections and hardware facilities such as computers. It requires a thorough research on the kind of help that you need on your daily endeavours and the right hardware and software solutions to carry you through.
Incorporating Automation Tools:
Integrating tools such Asana software will greatly help improve productivity at the workplace; they help link workers especially those working from different geographical locations. Applications such as the even co-working or remote working soft wares are viable options for employees who wish to work from the comfort of their homes this program greatly saves on travel time and telecommunication expenses.
The McKinsey Global Institute January 2017 report on the automation, employment and productivity also suggest that incorporation of automation tools in an organization or business greatly aid in the reduction of the increased mobility evident in most organizations. Access to collaborative communication tools, for instance, can reduce the time used to access important files and documents in an organization.
With an efficient communication program in place, employees will greatly contribute to general institution knowledge this can be achieved through the modern social media platforms such as Yammer where employees can meet and help each other onboard.
Taking care of Customer Service:
Another way of improving productivity at the workplace is through offering employees easy access to customer information; this can be achieved through linking your online customer relationship management system (CRM) direct with the employees’ devices. Fast customer delivery services can also be made through automation programs that can automate everything from bill payment responses, digital scheduling and digitalize all organization manual lists.
Creating a long-term technological plan:
Another way of improving productivity at the workplace is through developing an effective futuristic technical plan. With an up-to-date technological policy, organizations are not likely to get into a stand still once there is a change in technology. It should be stated that technologies keep on changing from time to time, hardware and soft wares become absolute as time goes by. Without a good technology succession plan and continuous upgrades to the systems businesses or companies can land in losses caused by malfunctions or other issues such as malware attacks.
Making use of Calendar Apps:
Time calendars are the most underused productivity tools, the introduction of such a tool in an organization can employees manage their time properly using effectively planned schedules. This will, in turn, curb time wastage and boost productivity to a large extent.
Encouraging flexibility:
Restricting to the use of technology like in the use of smartphone at the workplace can never be a lasting solution for productivity. Instead, workers should be given freedom since flexible a working environments help reduce work-life conflicts that in turn boost productivity Strat. Mgmt. J.,21: 1225–1237 (2000). Flexibility not only helps employees but also a positive approach to technological advancement can increase productivity. Incorporation of new technologies as stated before will help firms effectively and efficiently manage their activities.
Lastly, it should be noted that it is not an easy task maintaining a steadfast productivity record in an organization and that paired with technology there are other important considerations such as proactive involvement of managers in the production process and employees’ motivation that need to work together for positive results.
Sources:
1.https://www.bls.gov/lpc/prodybar.htm
2.Cowen, T. (2011), The Great Stagnation: How America Ate All the Low-Hanging Fruit of Modern History, Got Sick, and Will (Eventually) Feel Better.http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-technology-workplace-10607.html
3.Gordon, R. (2012), “Is U.S. Economic Growth Over? Faltering Innovation Confronts the Six Headwinds”, NBER Working Papers, No. 18315.
4.McKinsey Global Institute, “A future that works: automation, employment, and productivity” January 2017.
5.Feinman, David“How to Improve Work Efficiency: Automate Your Tasks With the Right Tools” Dec 5, 2016.
6.Alison M. Konrad and Robert Mangel. Research Notes and Commentaries: The Impact of Work-life programs on Firm Productivity.