How Technology Can Drive Employee Productivity in 2018

 

It’s no secret that productivity is the key to profitability, yet many organisations struggle to keep their workforce productive. However, in the past few years more and more companies have been resorting to using technology to increase their productivity. Below we break down how you can deploy technology to drive your employee productivity in 2018!

 

1. Developing Insights: Analytics

 

One of the best ways to use technology to improve your organisation’s productivity is to use data analytics. Using analytics solutions to break down your business performance is a great way to assess how effective your current operations are. By recording and analyzing data relating to your performance, you can see where you need to improve your strategy. For example, utilizing tools like Google Analytics can help you to see how effective a marketing campaign is and break down your level of audience engagement.

 

You can also use big data analytics to make sense of data compiled from your internal and external systems. It’s also a good idea to hire a data analyst if you want to develop clear insights.

 

Without using analytics you can be at risk of running your business on guesswork. After all, until you look at concrete figures on conversions and sales, you can’t truly identify whether your current strategy is delivering the results you need. Using analytics helps you to make better decisions and allows you to identify where your business could be improved.

 

2. Making your Data Accessible (Keeping your Network Infrastructure Up to Date)

 

At its core, technology gives us access to information at the touch of a button. For most organisations, the heart and soul of their connectivity lies in their network infrastructure. Your network is the backbone of your information ecosystem. An inefficient or vulnerable network makes it much more difficult for your staff to access the data they need to do their job.

 

Ensuring that your network infrastructure is kept up to date and secure is the bare minimum for maintaining operations. The best way to do this is to hire a network engineer who has the expertise to make sure your data supply stays intact. An experienced engineer will ensure that your network stays up and running so that your staff can stay productive.

 

In addition, keeping your information accessible on your network will also improve staff morale. After all, no one likes to spend hours looking for data and hopping around technical problems! Well-maintained network infrastructure will ensure that your staff can find what they need without getting frustrated by poor connectivity.

 

3. Location Independent Working: Cloud Servers

 

Using cloud technology is an incredibly effective way to allow your staff to access their work from across the globe. In the age of flexible working, many employers are starting to incorporate work from home arrangements for their staff. A cloud platform hosts your data on a cloud server, which can be accessed from any device that logs in.

 

This not only means that staff can work remotely, but also acts as a secure way to store your data on a virtual server rather than on physical hardware. In the event of a fire, a cloud server will ensure that your data remains safe. There are literally thousands of cloud services tailored to a variety of industries. So you can opt for a solution that has the tools your staff need.

 

For example, many companies use video conferencing tools to enable employees to connect to other staff or customers via their phones or desktop devices. Systems like this help employees to keep a strong presence even when they aren’t in the office. In other words, with cloud technology, your employees don’t need to be onsite in order to get the day-to-day essentials done.

 

Facilitating flexible working means less time travelling, and more time working and staying productive. Likewise, staff will have much more energy to give it their all during working hours. Using cloud technology helps to keep your staff morale high whilst promoting widespread access of data across your organization.

 

4. Working Together: Collaborative Technology

 

Many teams, particularly within creative fields like Marketing, rely on calibration every day in order to execute their services. Deploying a collaboration suite can be one of the best ways to allow staff to work together on complex projects. Platforms such as Slack and G-suite allow colleagues to connect with each other and discuss a project through one pane of glass. For example Slack provides a tailor made space where an entire team can design and product workflows.

 

Putting all the tools in one place makes sure that everyone get’s their say without having to resort to circular email exchanges (which lead to inefficiency). It’s also worth stating that these programs can be used to cut down the time spent on meetings and other events. As everyone has a chatbox into which they can provide their input into the situation.

 

 

 

5. Managing Your Customers: Customer Relationship Management Solutions

 

Customer service is the backbone of many modern businesses, and this is an area where thousands of software providers have built a variety of solutions. Thousands of businesses have begun to deploy CRM platforms that give your employees assess to customer data direct to their devices. Such programs make it easier to manage multiple projects, at one time.

 

Programs like Salesforce make the job of your employees much simpler, and provide a more efficient service for your customers. You can link your CRM to your network through intranet, a company portal or dozens of other bespoke solutions. Deploying CRM solutions makes customer data much more accessible and leaves your employees in a better position to provide a quality service.

 

 

 

 

 

Technology Drives Efficiency

 

Incorporating technology into your workplace is one of the best ways to drive your overall efficiency. Ensuring that your staff has access to the information needed to communicate with each other and with customers effectively is the bare minimum. Deploying remote working and CRM solutions is becoming one of the key ways to keep employees productive.

 

Leveraging technology helps you to create a working environment that doesn’t just foster creativity, but drives it. Ultimately, if your technology makes an employee’s job more efficient, they’re going to be able to perform much better. That performance will be the driving force behind your profitability.