How can employers assist deskless workers through change?
The gradual introduction of technological innovation in the workplace is necessary to avoid exclusion among deskless employees, according to a white paper.
Humanforce's white paper on supporting digital transformation underscores the importance of taking a people-centric approach on change management.
This includes engaging deskless employees in change initiatives.
"The nature of work undertaken by many deskless workers means that some may not be adept at using technology. Mature age workers, for example, may feel digitally excluded when new tech tools are launched, but it's dangerous to generalise," the paper reads.
To address this, employers should consider the needs of every individual and "introduce innovations gradually."
"Remember, if it's frustrating for workers to use the tools, job satisfaction will decrease and user adoption will plummet," the paper reads. "Appropriate training and having one user-friendly interface for all tech solutions can help simplify the transition."
But introducing new tech tools at work shouldn't be limited to the launch, the report further warns.
"It's also about the sustained use of that technology.”
It suggests that motivation to use new tech can be improved through the basic elements of gamification, where employees can at the same time participate on sharing best practices.
Helping deskless workers through change
Meanwhile, the report also advises employers that change simply for the sake of change is "far from ideal," underscoring the need for employee consultation.
"Without an understanding of existing work processes, or how people use technology (if it exists at all), there's a danger of adding tools that don't achieve much or result in extra stress for workers," the paper reads.
It is important that employers have an "overarching strategy" on change management, the report adds.
"Without an overall strategy with a detailed change plan, people may be unsure about what to prioritise, new and old processes can overlap, inconsistencies in how technology is utilised are created based on role, location, and department, and there's general confusion about what needs to be done, in what order."
Overall, the report stresses that the human element of change management is just as important as the technical parts of it.
"In fact, it might be the most critical component," the paper reads. "Get the who, what, where, and why elements right and success will follow."
Humanforce further provided in-depth insights on a human-centric approach to technology change management in this white paper.
