The Impact of Technology in the Workplace: Employee Experience

We see the impact of technology in the workplace everywhere—from how we communicate and collaborate, to how we store files and keep them safe.

The less obvious impact of technology, however, is also its most important: how it can improve (or degrade) employee experience (and therefore assist employee retention and attraction efforts as well).

The more remote or hybrid work a company uses, the trickier it gets to strike the right balance between cutting-edge tech and happy employees.

In this article, we explore the impact of technology in the workplace and review how to ensure any impacts on workplace experience are positive ones.

The growing impact of technology in the workplace

The modern workplace requires modern technology. New technology is being introduced rapidly; on average, 75% of workers have used at least two new types of technology in the office since the pandemic. The benefits of technological advancements include better workflows, increased productivity, enhanced cybersecurity, and more innovation in the workplace.

However, there are potential negative effects, often related to implementation and policies rather than the technology itself. Hybrid employees now need both physical and digital workspace solutions that work together to improve the workday. Choosing and using the right technology is increasingly complex, especially for workplace leaders supporting a distributed workforce across multiple locations.

The hybrid experience demands the right mix of technology to support all workers, aligning with employee demands for more flexibility and autonomy. Workplace leaders need to explore how technology can impact productivity and flexibility for and from workers.

The impact of technology on employee experience—for better or worse

Technology can be a double-edged sword. Work-life balance can suffer when people feel the need to stay connected after hours. While 94% of knowledge workers say technology improved their work life during the pandemic, other surveys show one in three American workers are frustrated with their technology, and 34% say their company doesn’t invest in what they need for better hybrid work.

A PWC survey found that while 90% of business leaders say they prioritize employee needs when introducing new technology, only 53% of staff feel the same way. Job satisfaction increases significantly when employees have control over when and where they work. Companies should seek technology that supports a flexible work environment.

When adopting new technologies, people professionals need to consider, first and foremost, the technology’s impact on the employee experience.

Louisa Baczor, CIPD

The surest way to improve retention and create more empowerment in the workplace is to solicit employee feedback and use it to create bespoke flexible working strategies. Investing in carefully vetted and rolled-out workplace technology is key to creating these strategies.

This approach improves both the hybrid workplace and employee experience.

Rolling out new technology in the hybrid workplace

The profitability and impact of any workplace technology are determined long before IT installs new hardware or software. How technology is introduced to the team can be as important as the technology itself.

Research shows that when it comes to decisions around AI and automation, human resources is least likely to be involved. Only 35% of employees are consulted when introducing or implementing new technologies. When not consulted, only 20% of employees report a positive impact on their job quality, versus 70% for those included in the process.

“Failure to engage employees at every stage of technology decisions and deployment can create more problems than it solves,” says Melissa Jezior, president and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting. “Failure to engage employees throughout the technology change process can have deep negative impacts on productivity, morale, work quality and workforce retention – all key drivers of business outcomes.”

While 92% of C-suite execs say they’re satisfied with the technology experience their company provides for making progress on their most important work, only 68% of staff agree.

PWC

Employees and stakeholders should be consulted before introducing any new technology in the workplace. Experimentation is acceptable, but end users should not be left out of the process, especially when workplace technology impacts them directly.

Decision makers should look for hybrid workplace technology that integrates well with existing tools. Having to log into a new application frequently is not helpful.

Companies should look to improve or introduce digital workplace solutions in the following four areas:

1. Technology to interact with the workplace

Introducing or improving the following tech can help:

• ​Desk booking software that allows employees to book desks in advance, supporting strategies like co-working, free addressing, and hot desking.
• ​Room booking software to reduce the number of unused meeting rooms.
• ​Tools for workplace visibility, such as a visual directory to help employees find and connect with people and resources.
• ​Wayfinding solutions to help navigate the physical office, with features like meeting room digital signage and bridging physical and digital workspaces.
• ​Universally accessible centralized request management.

Good integrations ensure these tools help employees as intended. For example, desk booking and request management work best when integrated with Slack and Teams. Zoom meeting calendar integration can improve meeting scheduling software. Tools should be available on desktop and smartphone.

2. Technology to improve the workplace

Using new technology can improve decision-making for workplace design and strategies. Two main approaches are:

• ​Space management software to help facility managers understand real-time metrics on office usage.
• ​Workplace reports and analytics to inform space utilization and resource allocation.

This benefits both the company and employees by providing the spaces and desks they need. The process can be improved further with IoT sensors, which add actionable data to workplace reports.

3. Technology to encourage collaboration—even remotely

Remote work benefits can erode without good technology for teamwork and company culture. Only 60% of workers say they’re happy with their mobile working options. Companies should invest in tools that enable collaboration, such as:

• ​Messaging systems like email, Slack, and Microsoft Teams
• ​Intranet or employee portals for information and resources
• ​Project management tools like Asana or Trello
• ​Cloud-based word processing and spreadsheets (e.g., Google Docs, Google Sheets)
• ​Video conferencing software (e.g., Zoom, Google Hangouts) with calendar integration

The future of work will involve less face-to-face time, so investing in technologies that make remote collaboration meaningful and productive is essential.

4. Technology to improve workplace wellbeing

According to a Salesforce study, 92% of knowledge workers believe companies should use technology to improve employee wellbeing. 88% want tools that integrate wellbeing into daily life, 87% want a library of wellness resources, and 82% want personalized wellbeing reminders.

Ways to enhance wellbeing include regular employee surveys, introducing training and tools for career development, and providing recognition and praise through digital communications.

Giving digital high fives can mean a lot.

Nikki Thorpe, Planday

Social distancing is likely to remain important. New technology like a social distancing planner can help facility teams manage office occupancy. Tools like Safeguard, which offers customizable COVID-19 wellness checks, can help keep employees safe and reinforce leadership’s commitment to wellbeing.

What are the benefits of technology in the workplace?

Implementing new technology well can lead to benefits such as increased efficiency, productivity, security, and reduced costs. The most significant benefit is improved flexibility and autonomy, which are highly valued by employees.

To improve employee experience, ask employees what they need, including what new technology they want to see. If you want them to use the physical office more, make it simple for them to do so.