Do Digital Tools Make Us More Or Less Productive At Work?

Technological tools have gotten into practically every industry in the world. And they have led to improved productivity and enhanced service delivery. But not in all cases has this been the scenario. In this article, we will attempt to analyze the participation or role of technology in the modern workplace.

What is Technology Today?

There are tons of new technological tools – both hardware and software. They have filled up our workplaces in what is seen as a way of improving productivity and service delivery. But has technology really managed to do this effectively? Well, there’s only one way to find out, and that is by going through the content in this article.

Benefits of Technology in the Workplace

There are almost endless benefits of using technology in the modern workplace. This can help to bring more success into the business by improving productivity. Here are some of the benefits that you can centre on:

Tapping into Remote Talent

Gone are the days that businesses and companies had to solely depend on local talent to thrive. These days, companies and businesses can hire personnel remotely without looking at the location they are in.

Remote workers have increased over the past few years. And if this is anything to go by, then the modern workplace is taking a change in terms of collaborations. Majorly through the use of video conferencing and productivity tools, teams are able to collaborate and work even when they are thousands of miles apart.

The cost of a new hire, therefore, goes down drastically thanks to technology and its involvement in sourcing staff. Businesses are now able to attract remote work policies and hire the best talent regardless of where they live.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us why we need to depend on technology even more. Due to the enforcement of the work from home policy and social distancing, businesses had to figure out a way of implementing this new norm. And technology gave the best answer to this problem.

Better Serves Customers

Technology has definitely made it a lot easier to serve customers in business. Thought intuitive product design and development, the provision of faster and more personalized customer service is one thing to appreciate about technological tools such as chatbots and live chats on websites. Thanks to these two tools, customers don’t have to wait too long on calls to reach the customer service.

Businesses can leverage data to learn how to target their ads and reach a wider pool of customer base. There are endless opportunities for technology to improve user experience. This can even help you to separate yourself from the competition and be one step ahead of the rest. And you know how it will help you to boost revenue and customer service.

Higher Productivity Levels

Your staff will benefit a lot from the use of technology in your business. And it can even make them more productive. It can also make them a lot happier when performing their duties. Hence, they’ll become more productive in the long run.

When your staff offer a better quantity and quality of work, you can definitely drive up sales and boost revenue margins. Profits will become the norm for your organization and this can even help you boost your staff’s salary comfortably. You will also save on turnover costs when your employees are satisfied and happy working with you. They won’t think of going to work for the competition.

Overhead Cost Savings via Remote Work

Companies and businesses can experience a reduction in operation costs when their staff is working remotely. They’ll be using their own devices and also you won’t have to worry about expanding the office space so as to fit all of them. It makes more sense having lesser employees in your office space. It also means that you will need less materials and utilities to help them work comfortably. You don’t have to fall into the challenge of purchasing new hardware once you hire a new person.

Streamlining Repetitive Processes through Automation

Sending emails and feeding in data are some of the repetitive processes that end up wasting a lot of time for staff in businesses. The good news is that you can automate these two processes using technology. Thereby, you will improve productivity and reduce the time wasted. This helps your employees to focus on more important elements of the business.

Negative Effects of Technology in the Workplace

While technology has had its fair share of success in the workplace, it has also led to some negative effects, which we need to look at carefully. Some of these negative effects include:

• Data breaches and cybersecurity threats.
• Crossing of privacy lines.
• Higher loneliness rates for remote staff.

Examples of Technologies that can Make Work Easier

There are several examples of technologies that are revolutionizing the modern workplace. And some of them include the following:

• Communication software.
• Billing platforms.
• Time recording devices.
• Project management and productivity software.
• Reliable Wi-Fi.

The Impact of Technology

In general, the impact of technology in the workplace is pretty positive. And while there are some challenges brought about by it, experts are constantly looking for their solutions so that we can all have a near-perfect experience.

There’s now specialized software or hardware that can help practically any part of business operations. And the future is even brighter in terms of the possibilities.

Final Thoughts

So, yes, digital tools make us more productive at work. And they do this by simplifying some of the mundane tasks we’re used to. But all this depends on how you use it. As technology can be both positive and negative.