How To Use Technology To Improve Productivity At Your Business

In the past, using technology for performance management was really only available for big companies. But as technology has advanced, this has begun to change. Thanks to the rise of cloud computing and the decline in technology prices (the cost of admission used to be quite high for many smaller organizations, which is no longer the case), almost any company can use innovative tech to improve their performance management process.

There are already a few recognized methods, but here is how you can improve your organization’s process and productivity using some of the different types of tech that are readily available today. Check it out below.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

In any business, communication, and collaboration are the two most vital components of running the organization. Seriously, there’s something to be said about a well-oiled machine that is in constant communication where everyone knows what’s happening. Luckily, technology can help out here significantly. With products like Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and other teleconferencing apps available to offices for a very low cost, it’s easier than ever to keep in touch. Even when you’re in the office, you may consider voice amplifiers from TechXpress to ensure easy communication in large team meetings.

Better yet, there are collaborative tools that exist within the cloud to help teams work together on projects, documents, and other relevant work-related items. Ultimately, communication and collaboration are the bread and butter of a successful company (seriously; it’s incredibly important) and managers should use any and all tools available at their disposal to make it work seamlessly for everyone.

Employee Productivity Tools

We’ve all had projects where multitasking and remaining on task have been critical to the project. Unfortunately, multitasking and trying to do everything at once can actually make you less productive. That’s why employee productivity tools are so vital to increasing performance and should be considered as part of an overall Performance Management strategy.

Employee productivity tools, like task management software and time-tracking apps, can help workers stay organized and on track. We all have calendars and similar tools available to us, but productivity using technology can be so much more than that. Just think about all the different types of amazing productivity tools out there on the market today. Task management software is a good one that allows workers to create tasks/subtasks, set priorities, collaborate with others, and even track progress.

These are useful productivity tools because they enhance everyone on the team instead of just a single individual. There are also time tracking apps that can let you figure out how you’re spending time and identify problem areas where efficiency might suffer. Furthermore, productivity tools are very helpful for keeping you organized. Employees can work and function better as a team as a unit by leveraging technology appropriately. This might include setting up a special chat group to discuss items related to the current project or even using employee recognition software to improve morale throughout the team.

Training Platforms

Training tools, like online courses, learning management platforms, and e-learning modules are great for helping employees learn the new and relevant skills they need to do their jobs more effectively. Learning and development can also help them move upward within the company and provide further growth opportunities. By giving employees access to critical training materials (especially ones that are relevant to their position and interests) is a surefire method for helping them succeed.

Remember that growth is a vital component of employee retention and morale. By offering training opportunities, you can show you care about their development and future success. Online courses and other training tools can be accessed anywhere at any time, making it easy for employees to continue learning even when they are not on the job. That’s the true power of technology in action, ultimately helping everyone at your organization reach their full potential.

Continuous Performance Management

Throughout the course of running your business, have you ever come across dealing with employee performance issues? If so, you’re not alone. It just happens sometimes when running an organization. Occasionally, productivity suffers and morale might run a little bit low at the organization. In circumstances like this, it’s imperative to do what you can to fix it. Once again, we see technology being able to fill in a gap to ameliorate a pain point in an organization.

In this case, it’s in performance management. Performance Management is a complex procedure that is continuous, not a one-time thing. That’s why those old evaluations/performance reviews don’t really hold water in today’s job market. Instead, your company should consider using a continuous performance management process.

Through the use of communication technology to facilitate planning, monitoring, reviewing, rewarding, and coaching employees, continuous performance management systems offer plenty of meaningful ways to assess and interact with your employees. Whether you’re looking to do some team building, take corrective actions for whatever reason, or simply coach and train your team effectively, using a continuous performance management system can be just the shot in the arm your company needs to help employees succeed and ultimately make the company thrive.

Employee Recognition Platforms

If you’ve been paying attention to the news cycle or trade publications over the past couple of years, you’ve probably come across the problem of employee engagement and retention at work. Part of the reason people leave companies in droves is because of poor management, lack of recognition, and other pervasive problems—like a lack of growth or no upward opportunities—in the workplace. Luckily, there’s a way to get around that: employee recognition platforms.

It’s also important to remember that employee recognition does not happen in a vacuum. It has to be timely, specific, prompt, and highly personalized in order to be affected. It doesn’t make sense to simply send a shout-out to the entire team based on one person’s accomplishments. Instead, you need to focus on individually recognizing that person. It works the same way with setting up the platform to allow peers to recognize each other for a job well done.

By using a powerful cloud-based technology platform, you can get access to plenty of specialized features that might not otherwise be available on an in-house or other type of recognition program. These include (but aren’t limited to) social and peer-to-peer recognition, celebrating important milestones/anniversaries, virtual check-ins with management, reward programs, and much more depending on the platform.