Stephen Nunn, Global VP Unisys Consulting, outlines the findings of new research which shows there is a clear correlation between modern technology in the workplace and employee satisfaction.
Looking for the key to keeping today’s digital workers happy, productive and firmly in their roles? A new study by information technology company Unisys has revealed its laggard competitors in terms of staff happiness, productivity and engagement.
The global study, carried out in April 2018, surveyed more than 12,000 workers across 12 countries. The research aimed to gauge the attitudes of today’s digital workers on how the technology used in the workplace impacts their day-to-day lives. Overwhelmingly, it was found that arming workers with up-to-date technology is a sure-fire way of raising staff engagement and increasing satisfaction.
The survey categorised ‘tech leader’ and ‘tech laggard’ organisations based on respondents qualifying their employer as either ahead of or behind on technology when compared to the competition. So, what were the key takeaways for businesses?
The leader, happiness correlation
One of the clearest findings in the report was that workplace technology correlates directly to employee engagement. A total of 87% of workers employed by leader organisations reported feeling positively about their job.
But this this dropped to a staggering 9% for workers at laggard employers. And while there were presumably other factors at play, the correlation was backed by other findings. A total of 70% of workers at ‘laggard’ organisations felt negatively towards their employer, showing just how important technology has become to worker satisfaction.
A number of IT frustrations were also identified, with ‘outdated devices’ being cited as the number one issue. Other problems included technology slowing workers down, being behind competitors in terms of technology, a lack of support from IT people and difficult-to-use systems.
Devices creating frustration
Fortunately, businesses don’t need to reinvent the wheel in order to bring their internal tech up to scratch. The research also suggested the simple act of investing in new and modern devices could have a real impact.
Devices are considered one of the most tangible measures of how innovative a workplace is considered by employees. For example, 35% of workers at laggard organisations complained that their devices hold them back from being properly productive in their roles.
“The data shows a clear new paradigm in today’s UK digital workplace – more than one-third of those who work for technology laggards feel like outdated devices are limiting their productivity, with more than half frustrated and many with one eye on the door as a result,” said Mickey Davis, Global Vice President of Managed Workplace Services, Unisys. “Equipping devices with the right applications and productivity tools is critically important to access and engagement.”
Ultimately, the report makes clear that investing in devices could be an easy win for businesses. Workers across a range of sectors – including travel and transport, financial services, health, social services and justice – felt improved devices offered the best opportunity to improve current working conditions.
Employee concerns – the leader/laggard divide
As an added bonus, ensuring the quality of devices doesn’t just contribute to employee happiness – it also frees up workers to tackle bigger issues. The difference in attitude displayed by workers at leader and laggard organisations provides plenty of insight into how.
Once freed from concerns about the practicalities and performance of their devices, leader employees were able to turn their thoughts to higher-level issues. For example, the top two concerns for workers in leader employers were security and collaboration. When asked what technology would help improve their working environment the most, these employees plumped for tech that would help them to work safely and flexibly.
Meanwhile, workers in laggard organisations were primarily concerned about having better devices to use as work tools. This highlights how outdated devices are negatively affecting the productivity of workers at laggard companies.
Update tech or risk losing staff
Outdated tech doesn’t just frustrate employers – it directly correlates with the threat of attrition. Workers at laggard companies are more likely to want to leave to go and work elsewhere, whereas only 2% of employees working for leader organisations feel inclined to quit.
Loss of valued staff is problematic for any business, so it’s concerning to see that staff feel so frustrated by their internal tools that they would influenced to leave as a result – especially since this is such an easily remediable area.
“With a substantial number of businesses behind the technological curve, it puts them and the economy at risk from a talent retention standpoint and brings down their overall efficiency and productivity,” Davis said. “This not only costs resources but also has a negative impact on their relationship with the employer, with many considering new jobs because of their frustration.”
More than frustration: the security risk posed by outdated tech
Equally concerning is the implication this has for workplace security. Taking financial services workers as an example, 37% claimed their own devices were more up to date than those provided by their employer.
If this leads to workers using their own devices, it presents troubling security risks. Employees may well be downloading apps and using websites not supported by their organisation because they’re preferable to what the company offers.
Given the sensitivity of the personal data that many workers deal with, employers should be thinking twice about leaving their employees in a position where seeking potentially unsecured alternatives is preferable to employer-sanctioned devices. This presents a problem with implications far beyond worker frustration. Breaches could be embarrassing at best and ruinously costly at worst, particularly in light of GDPR.
Employees are tangibly concerned with the security risks inherent in being a digital worker. A total of 67% reported that security at all levels of their work was very important to them.
But at the same time, workers reported having carried out a number of risky behaviours in order to get around frustrating security processes – such as writing down passwords, emailing files to themselves and sharing passwords with a colleague. Businesses should ensure technology is modern and robust enough to avoid such frustrations.
The future of the digital workplace
The research also offered some interesting insight into the future of the digital workplace – and revealed an important area where employee understanding is lacking. According to the survey, 28% view Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the emerging technology with the most potential to transform their workplace environment in the next five years. However, while a majority of respondents cited familiarity with AI, only 16% said they understood it well.
Crucially, this lack of understanding plays strongly into what people believe the impact of emerging technology will be on their workplace. Notably, the survey found that 38% of workers at leader organisations believe technology and automation could make their jobs obsolete in five years.
This is a concern that organisations desperately need to address. In reality, new technologies like AI offer real opportunities for employees and shouldn’t be seen as a threat. If introduced with the right training, automation and intelligence tools can help empower workers by freeing them from tedious tasks so they can deliver better results. AI in many instances is designed to enhance and support workers, not replace them – it’s simply a matter of implementing the technology properly.
Technology’s impact can’t be understated
Whether they’re being endlessly frustrated by outdated devices or living in fear that digital innovation will render them jobless, technology has a huge impact on employees. When asked how the technology they use at work makes them feel about their employer, over a third of respondents reported that it helps them to feel positively about their job.
Ultimately, the report shows that employers should think twice before neglecting their technology investment – because staff happiness, productivity and security might hang in the balance.
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