Is Your Business Losing Money Because Employees Can’t Use Tech?

Why Training and Change Management is a Vital Step in Digital Transformation

Investing in new technology can be one of the best things you can do for your business; increased productivity, streamlined workflows, happier employees, a competitive edge and improved cyber security posture. But digital transformation can turn into a financial nightmare if you neglect employee training and change management. If employees can’t use their technology, those promises of increased productivity and profitability will be quite the opposite.

When employees struggle using their business tools, mistakes can be made, progress will slow down, and frustrations can arise, all of which can have a knock-on effect on customer service.

The Importance of Technology Training

Investing in leading technology is only half of the journey. You then need to ensure your team are equipped and empowered to get the most from it.

Lost Productivity

Employees fumbling with unfamiliar technology will lose valuable work time. Imagine the lost sales opportunity if your team can’t process orders efficiently or generate timely reports due to inadequate CRM training.

Costly Errors

Confusion and frustration will inevitably lead to mistakes. Inaccurate data entered into a new system requires time and money to fix, impacting budgets and potentially damaging client relationships.

Demotivation

Struggling with a new system is demoralising. Untrained employees might resist using it altogether, clinging to familiar, outdated methods. This hinders adoption and negates the benefits of the new technology you’ve invested in.

Failing to Manage the Change

New technology disrupts workflows. Without proper change management, employees can feel overwhelmed, insecure and frustrated. Change management is all about looking at the ‘human’ side of things, helping employees understand why things are changing as well as providing training, support and engagement. The goal is to get your team to understand the need for change, champion these updates, and help them transition seamlessly and successfully.

Organisations using change management are 67% more likely to achieve desired project outcomes.

Neglecting change management can cause a domino effect of negative outcomes, including:

Low Morale

Change can be stressful. Employees can feel lost and undervalued, especially due to a lack of clear communication and support during the transition, leading to low morale and a negative work environment.

Shadow IT

Employees may feel the new system isn’t meeting their needs, causing them to resort to unauthorised tools, or shadow IT. This can create security risks and undermines the investment in this new technology.

Resistance to Future Improvements

A negative experience with a tech rollout can make employees wary of future changes, hindering innovation and making it difficult for the company to adapt to evolving market trends. Without effective change management, employees can get ‘change fatigue’, making them less susceptible to change.

So, What’s the Solution?

Invest in Comprehensive Training

Training should be proactive, not an afterthought. Developing a tailored training program that goes beyond basic features will help ensure everyone feels comfortable and confident with their new technology.

Focus on User Adoption, Not Just Features

Training shouldn’t just explain how software works, but how it can benefit employees in their daily roles. There should be tangible takeaways that your team can immediately put to use to make their jobs easier, so they will understand the value of this new product from the offset.

Conclusion

Technology is only as valuable as its users. Prioritising training and change management will bridge the gap between a shiny new system and a real return on investment.

Our productivity training and change management services will help you meet your digital goals and ensure your team will excel with their technology. Get in touch with us to learn more.