Why employee consultation matters with new IT projects

In product development it’s a well-known fact that involving customers in the design phase boosts consumer satisfaction. Knowing and understanding the customer’s needs is key to creating a good product.

The same goes for managing technology in the workplace. When you consider your IT infrastructure, introduce new software or change tools, you should listen to your employees and ask for their input in the process. Here’s why:

• Your employees are on the front line. You can do your own research or seek the advice of professionals, but consulting your employees about how technology affects their everyday productivity will raise issues that you might not be aware of. Knowing their requirements, pain points and processes will help you make more informed decisions about technology in your workplace.
• Your employees are users and consumers. If you decide to invest in new technology you need to be sure that your employees will adopt it as part of their workflow. It’s likely that they’re already using personal devices to complete tasks, so you should ask what they’re using and why. They may raise options that you hadn’t considered or weren’t aware of.
• Listening will make change management and training easier. Knowing your employees’ concerns and opinions will help you design a good change management and training plan.

Listen and learn

Canon recently launched a new program to create a ‘high performance’ workplace based on collaboration among employees and company leadership. The program is a response to a recent study that showed only half of the company’s employees feel they have access to the latest technology.

Listening to employees’ concerns is proving to be a productive strategy as ‘involved employees share in the responsibility to deliver strong results,’ says Director of Canon Oceania HR and communications, Approaching technology as a team in the workplace improves employee engagement, and it helps to create a working environment that is productive, efficient and comfortable.

The next time you consider introducing new tools and solutions in your workplace, listen to your employees and involve them in the process. You’ll save time, money and end up making a more informed, more productive decision.