The generation’s clash in the workplace is a problem as old as time. But it has truly exploded in the last decade with the advent of technology in the workplace. Online reporting can improve that situation
During my first internship in an communications department of a local university, I had to deal with a weird problem. Half of the faculty was using and older version of Office than the other half. The result: some people couldn’t open the internal files and there was a lot more tension than needed.
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Although most of the workforce is made up of millennials and younger employees by now, the older population still plays a vital role. We can’t expected all of them be instinctively tech-savvy like kids who have been playing with iPads since kindergarten. They might resent the online reporting solutions.
So how do you convince the less tech friendly employees to try new and scary online solutions? After all, the systems they’ve used for 40 years seem to still work for them.
Leading the revolution.
Typically, it is the younger generations who are going with the trends and leading the technological revolution. They expect their workplace to come with every advantage that the Internet and workplace applications bring. They correctly believe if you are not the most efficient, you will lag behind. However, in the spectrum of digital literacy, only 17% of employees are “digitally ready” and 14% are unready. Everyone else can be converted.
To avoid losing efficiency you need to help train the older generations with online reporting. You need to spend the time communicating the benefits of new systems and be as supportive to your employees as possible.
What to do when you need to set up new online reporting systems?
The solution is extensive onboarding work. When you’re implementing a new system in the office, you must make sure you explain the benefits to everyone. And not only the benefits it has for the team but the personal benefits people get from coming on board. You need a single capable person responsible for the onboarding process. He can make sure these benefits will be communicated to everyone personally.
For me, during the internship, it was really hard to convince some of the people to update their Microsoft Word as this was the system they were used to. I spent hours talking with them and promising them anything, if only they would come aboard. The most beneficial argument I used was explaining how much faster they can deal with problems with the new version.
Remember, a person’s first instinct is to take care of themselves. Any online reporting system you implement must be beneficial to the people working for you in addition to being good for the company.
Three steps to onboard employees to online reporting.
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The three steps you need to take after deciding on implementing a new software or process are:
- Step 1: Designate a point person to oversee the implementation. This person needs to understand the new system very well and must be ready to teach is to others as well. If you are the one leading the change, you should take the role for yourself.
- Step 2: Implement the system in a small team that is responsive to this change. Make sure that the first team members who try the new system out, gets all the possible help from you. Collect feedback to see how the process could be further improved.
- Step 3: Communicate the benefits to your entire team. Using personal experience from the test group, show others how they can benefit from the new system.
- Step 4: Onboard your full team. With everyone clear on the benefits, they should be more optimistic about coming on board and trying a new way of working. Be ready to give guidance as any confusing or negative experience may ruin the process.
Why Weekdone helps you bring your teams on board.
When talking with our (potential) clients in Weekdone, we do everything in our power to support the onboarding process. Our customer success team does team training, product demos, and monthly check-ins. This is to make sure companies get full benefits out of the service. If you need any help when using Weekdone, don’t hesitate to contact us. Many companies have mentioned that it is one of the best customer service they have ever experienced.
Small things can reak havoc in the workplace. But my experience has also shown me that anyone can be convinced when you explain the benefits they get. You only need to show some empathy and offer a solution that is simple enough for everyone.
It’s also good to start with a small team. Implementing new systems is easier with fewer people and if it’s successful, it reduces the doubt other employees might have for the system.
If you have trouble getting your teams to implement Weekdone, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll find a solution for you.