It seems superficial, but people will notice whether your front office or sales team has the latest computers, smartphones, tablets and gadgets.
Technology is more than a platform for work, it is also one face of your company to the world.
Old hardware and software can send the signal your company isn’t evolving with the times. Potential employees will wonder if, when they walk in on their first day, you’ll hand them a 10-year-old workstation loaded with Windows 2008. When you keep using the same systems and don’t make necessary updates, people inside and outside your organization will eventually form a negative perception of your company.
Morally aged computer stuff, “yesterday” of modern digital age.
4 Ways to Use Technology for Employee Retention
Outdated technology causes more than image issues. Gaps in technology can cause your employees to leave. On the other hand, strategic IT investments can boost your company’s profile and draw candidates to you. Here are 4 ways to get started:
- Understand that company culture is more than a ping pong table.
Having games in the office may be a fun way for employees to release tension and, if your technology doesn’t work, you could find your staff taking out their frustration on the company ping pong table. For most companies, 99% of what an employee does will be at a computer. It will reflect positively on you if you invest in the tools your team uses daily.
- Use IT to facilitate everyday jobs.
When you invest in IT, it will facilitate the day-in-day-out work your team does. By using the tools at their disposal to make work easier, your team will become more productive. For an insurance company, this could mean providing adjusters with tablets so they can take a photo and fill out forms at the scene instead of going home, doing paperwork and filing it away.
Or, if you run a construction company, tablets on job sites can speed up the inspection process or open the door to using augmented and virtual reality. By providing tools to do the job on the job, you enable your team to work smarter, not harder.
- Create a culture of change and growth opportunities for your team.
Often, organizations only see the potential disruption caused by adopting new technology and shut down the possibility immediately. But, if the new software or process makes you more efficient in the long run and your team happier, isn’t the temporary interruption worth it? In addition, continual investment in technology and process infuses a culture of change within your organization giving permission to your staff to search out answers to old problems.
Your employees know what the pain points are and the doers on your team will want to solve the issue. Why not let them investigate to an appropriate degree how to do things differently? Give them permission and parameters. Obviously, it can’t be 40 hours a week, but you can let them set up a task force and see if they can figure out how to solve the problem. Even if they don’t resolve it, they’ll appreciate that you value their input and gave them the opportunity.
- Offer employees the option to work from home.
People want to be able to stay home with a sick kid, avoid long commutes or live where home prices are more reasonable. Advances in technology make this feasible for most employees and positions (except the receptionist who will still need to come into the office).
Working from home is a highly desired benefit and can be a powerful recruiting tool. Before rolling the benefit out, you need a policy in place. Define:
- How often people can work from home
- Who is eligible
- How people will participate in meetings, conference calls, etc.
- Additional technology – like headsets or laptops – remote workers will need
- How you’ll keep remote workers engaged with the company
IT Consultants Can Help You Leverage Technology for Retention and Recruiting
Leveraging technology for recruiting and employee retention requires making strategic, not reactive, IT choices. Working with an IT consultant will give you someone to talk through potential issues with. The consultant can highlight solutions for roadblocks and streamline operations once new technologies are in place.
Before you start working together, explain your budget to your IT consultant. They’ll help you evaluate the providers you use and look for opportunities to consolidate or for other vendors who offer the same services for less money. Look for a provider who has established processes. For example, at Applied Tech we create roadmaps for clients to keep projects on track and within budget. We can help you embrace the digital transformation that your employees are looking for.
Discover how you can turn technology into a recruiting and retention tool. Contact us today.
