Is The Hyper-Connected Workplace Reducing Your Team Productivity?

Is The Hyper-Connected Workplace Reducing Your Team Productivity?

We know society has become heavily dependent on digital technology, especially how we communicate in work and out of it. But with global workforce productivity at its lowest for two decades, is the hyper-connected workplace actually damaging your teams’ productivity?

With the next tech-based innovation always just around the corner, the workplace now changes more rapidly than ever before.  Some believe this continual change negatively impacts workplace interactions and productivity, contributing to a growing chaos at work through a relentless series of messages, emails, conference calls and chats?

But can these new tools actually be aligned with business goals to boost productivity? By increasing focus on team management, goal-setting and employee development, it is possible for organizations to ensure performance levels grow and evolve as a ‘social enterprise’.

Aren’t Newfangled Technologies Just A Fad?

Anything but, actually. Industry leaders agree that it’s a phenomenon having a major impact on the modern working environment and practices, and is here to stay.

In fact, in its latest annual report, the 2018 Human Capital Trends report, Deloitte addressed the increasing use of technology in the workplace, stating that “new communications tools are rapidly entering the workplace”.

According to the report, 74% of respondents regularly use text messaging for personal communications. This is hardly surprising, with 18.7 billion text messages are sent every day worldwide, with 25–34 year-olds sending and receiving over 75 texts per day. Texting has become just as critical in work, and 32% of respondents expect its use to increase.

Deloitte highlights the high level of anxiety over whether these new tools can be aligned with business goals, with 47% of respondents saying the productivity of the “new workplace” is a very important concern.

Millennials, employees who are digital natives capable of adapting to innovation immediately, have played the greatest part in this shift. Since Millennials are set to represent almost half (46%) of the workforce by 2020, we need to accept and adapt to this change too if we are to harness the potential modern digital communication promises.

So How Can We Use Technology to Boost Productivity?

Deloitte has stated that “smart organizations are reshaping work practices, physical workspaces and leadership approaches to ensure that greater connectivity means greater productivity in a network of teams”.

So, what can we do to adapt effectively?

1. Use Technology Where It’s Needed– Identify the areas of your organization that are costing you the most in time and effort, and choose apps that can cut that time.
2. Use Automation Tools– Tools that automate processes can greatly reduce the time spent on mundane, repetitive tasks, like scheduling, bill paying and email responses.
3. Use Tools That Improve Interaction– Team members need to interact and collaborate while working on projects. So using a tool that helps interaction run as smoothly and effectively as possible is important.
4. Use Tools To Develop Teams– Technology can be used to help Team Development, with our own Quickfire and Go Team getting delegates interacting with one another, in turn boosting productivity.
5. Use Goal Reminders– Maintaining focus on business goals and productivity is sometimes dependent on receiving a timely reminder, be it daily, weekly or monthly.

At Orangeworks, we offer a range of tech-based team building experiences that get your team working better together through fun and engaging activities. Get in touch to tell us what your team needs, we create the experience. You be the hero.