In order to remain above competition and keep your business moving forward, you need to continue to improve both efficiencies and productivities within your workforce – technology is a great way to do just that.

This means saying goodbye to paper systems to manage costs, issue claims and recording project details. This means saying hello to new technology that can streamline all of these processes, increase efficiency, profitability and of course, make your life a whole lot easier.  

Updating or changing your internal business software is the easy part. Having your team adapt to new technology can be hard. Some staff members become so familiar with working a certain way that they may become resistant to even the slightest change (whether it’s an improvement or not). So… what do you do if your employees are reluctant to change?

Here are some steps you can take to ease the transition for everyone and help your staff adapt.

 1. Stop and consider the long-term impacts

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make when they implement new systems, is retaining a short-term vision. They consider the biggest pain points today, and don’t look beyond that. By stopping and considering the long-term objectives and goals of your business, you are able to walk into a software implementation with wide eyes. This often has much larger benefits for the team supporting you.

2. Provide training

Make sure you are either sharing helpful training resources or working with a partner, who can provide customised training options for your team. Providing adequate training is a necessity for any change. It is also important to remember that everyone has different leaning styles and while some employees might catch on with new technology quickly, it’s likely others may struggle to adjust.

 3. Don’t rush the implementation process

Although you might be keen to rush into changing your technology, it is imperative to keep in mind that all changes take time. Rather than rushing the implementation process, allow your staff extra time to learn the new systems correctly.

 4. Communicate effectively

It is important to allow clear two-way communication between yourself and your staff to minimise their resistance to change. Make sure you are open to all staff feedback and communicate clearly the reasoning behind the new technology so they also understand the overall benefits (plus its helps in convincing you too ;)).

5. Build workflows

We’ll talk more about workflows in a later blog, there’s simply too much to write! But what we will say is, don’t underestimate the power of a good workflow. Outlining the key steps alongside the key person responsible really takes life long learning to the next level.  

6. Show appreciation

Learning and adjusting to new technology can be challenging for everyone involved. Remember to always show appreciation to your staff who are putting in time and effort. You may even consider learning the individual appreciation languages your team members prefer – words, gifts or acts of service are often the most common!

 If you would like to learn more, contact PCMD or one of our partners to see how we can help with your transition.