Digital Workplace Tools: How Can You Ensure Rapid Adoption?

In today’s digital era, new workplace technology and innovation have drastically changed how we work. Despite this disruption, companies across the globe still struggle with digital adoption. 

Here’s the surprising reality: it isn’t this new, sophisticated technology that’s getting in the way. Most times, it’s about how companies approach the adoption process. 

Ironically, the successful implementation of digital workplace tools depends more on the people adopting them than the technology!

Let’s unpack this in more detail in the five sections below.

1.   Understanding resistance to change

If the digital workplace is a jungle, think of your team members as explorers. 

Some are enthusiastic adventurers, while others are more conservative in their approach. Getting your employees to embrace digital adoption organization-wide is key to its success here.

But why is there a discrepancy in how new workplace technology is received?

The answer lies in our psychology. 

Our brains are designed to keep us safe, and change is often perceived as threatening to this equilibrium. This is why we fear the unknown. And this is the reason your employees experience anxiety and stress during big change programs. Gartner’s Change Communication Management report shows that over 70% of change-affected employees report high stress levels! To address this reality, an open communication and efficient strategy is the only way.

2. Communicating the ‘Why’

Your employees need to know why change is happening. We’re not talking about simplistic communication like “here’s a new tool we’re adopting. Let’s start using it” in emails. Rather, it’s about communicating why the company is adopting the new tool and how it can enhance operational efficiency in the digital workplace.

Here are some best practices to follow:

• Craft a compelling story: The most compelling narratives are those that resonate with us. A McKinsey study reveals that a transformation is 5.8 times more likely to be successful when a CEO uses a compelling story. For example, a message like “use this tool, and you might not dread Mondays as much” is far more effective because it is relevant and relatable.
  
  
• Sell the benefits: Outline how this new workplace tool will bring value to professionals in the workplace. Whether it’s increasing their performance or reducing their workload, highlight the benefits to overcome any hesitations to adoption. 
  
  For instance, if you’ve adopted a digital signage solution, highlight how it can save time and energy by streamlining internal communication with real-time updates. This means your employees no longer have to dig through emails or miss important deadlines that will impact their performance.

3. Building a rollout plan

The next step in implementing your new workplace technology is building a robust plan. A well-thought-out rollout plan not only facilitates smoother adoption but also maximizes employee engagement and efficiency.

The details of your plan will depend on many factors, such as vendor timelines, ease of implementation, internal strategy, and more. However, we’ve addressed a few common factors below:

• Key dates: Set a timeline for key dates. These include when will your new digital workplace tool be ready, how long will it take, and vendor agreements with your timeline.
• Pilot before full deployment: Conduct a pilot program with a select group of users before a full-scale rollout. Test out the tool, highlight bugs, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments.
• Deployment: Here, address how your newly adopted technology will get deployed. Will it be done department-wise, team-wise or organization-wide at once? Finalize details like your go-to person in case of challenges, clarify the extent of vendor support, and training time. 
• Expectations: Think about incentivizing early adopters. Simultaneously, it's important to address those who are hesitant about the change. Adopting new workplace technology is a process — ensure your expectations are realistic to accommodate your diverse workforce.
  
  

4. Training that doesn’t bore to tears

Let’s face it: Nobody likes sitting through long, monotonous training sessions. Throw in potential resistance to change, general disinterest, and heavy internal marketing efforts, and you’ve got employees who’ve lost interest before you even start.

Yes, training is crucial, but the way it’s done matters. Besides hands-on training on how to operate the new tools, use training to garner excitement amongst employees towards the adoption of this innovative workplace technology. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Gamify the process: One way to make training (dare we say) fun is to gamify elements of the training process. Include points and badges to transform mundane training sessions into engaging learning experiences.
• Make interaction a two-way street: This will ensure that your employees are not just passive listeners but active contributors. Include quizzes, polls, surveys, and Q&A rounds to address any confusion or challenges regarding your new digital workplace tools.
• Incentivize participation: Incentives are a powerful motivator. Who doesn’t love some freebies every now and then? Whether it’s a tangible reward like gift cards and coupons or intangible ones like public recognition or leaderboard perks, incentives can ignite a spark of healthy competition and enthusiasm. 
• Show real-time application: Share how these new digital workplace tools can streamline employee tasks, automate the mundane, and boost overall workplace efficiency in real-time.

5. Taking feedback for continuous improvement

Finally, recognize that you can’t improve what you can’t measure. That’s why a continuous feedback loop is your secret weapon for addressing and fixing any operational snags.

The first step is acknowledging that a rollout isn’t ever really ‘done’ — even if all (or most) of your employees are using the new workplace technology. It’s crucial to reevaluate your strategy at different intervals to ensure smooth operations.  

Post-launch, a follow-up check unveils crucial insights into whether additional training is required, identifies challenging processes, and addresses common operational concerns. Subsequent follow-ups further delve into less evident yet vital challenges that might not have surfaced initially.

6. Looking ahead

The success of any digital adoption initiative depends intrinsically on company culture. Building an equally customer and employee-centric culture creates an ethos where your people matter most.

A culture that celebrates innovation and change is where digital adoption will flourish. It’s really about instilling an innovative mindset in your employees where experimentation is welcomed, not penalized. 

If your current company culture lacks this innovation-centric approach, it's worth contemplating a paradigm shift as part of your strategic planning. And guess what? It's all about the higher-ups—your leadership crew team needs to lead by example. Once they're into it, the rest of your employees will follow suit.

Remember, company culture and business strategy go hand in hand. If you’re looking for employee engagement when adopting new workplace technology, kicking off the change within your company culture is one of the effective ways to go.