Companies can’t escape the clutches of “technology” in today’s heavily digitized business atmosphere. It has become inevitable for organizations to incorporate technology in their everyday operations. However, experts have speculated that technology-related challenges arising at the workplace contribute to declining productivity in the business industry.
From slow-paced internet connections to internet-caused distractions, organizations face several challenges that diminish the workforce’s overall productivity. In this article, let’s be aware of the obstacles to productivity caused by technology:
While technology is supposed to make companies more productive, its adverse outcomes undermine all the benefits of becoming digitized. Let’s explain some of them and how employers can prevent technology from attacking productivity:
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Customer relations:-
Technological advancements always accompany escalated demands from customers who need their problems resolved quickly. How to ensure the 24/7 availability of people to respond to the questions posed by your clients? Technology created this problem, and itself serves as the solution! Today, we can see companies investing in chatbots to provide a personalized experience to their customers.
You can read this Landbot review written by experts that explains some critical features of this easy-to-use and customizable feature. It allows non-coders to interact with clients effectively and offer the much-missed “human touch” technology has eliminated. Now, customers can access trained chatbots to resolve their problems anytime without a hassle.
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Data loss:-
Data loss remains a disastrous technology challenge to your workforce’s productivity today. Since an employee losing vital data will waste their time retrieving it. If the data isn’t retrievable, they’ll have to waste their time recreating it. So, what’s the solution here? Companies are investing in cloud technology to create backups in case important information gets missing/stolen. This technology also helps save your data if a power outage causes an unexpected shutdown. The cloud makes people productive.
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Weak cybersecurity:-
The business industry must revamp its cybersecurity measures to maintain productivity and prevent needless interruptions in the workflow. It’s estimated that a single data loss may cause a small-sized company to collapse after six months! So, you should hire experts to ensure the safety of your customers’ information. Don’t allow cybersecurity vulnerabilities to harm this productivity.
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Always-on lifestyle:-
Our dedication to incorporating technology in the workplace has led to creating an always-on lifestyle in which we remain constantly connected. A 2011 survey shows that people daily exchange 109+ messages on average. This dedication merely causes your workforce’s productivity to decline. Employers must explain the importance of separating your work life from private affairs. Also, teach them the value of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Don’t let tech hurt their mental health!
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Frozen computers:-
Outmoded operating software (OS) may cause computers to crash/freeze. Moreover, workers often let too many programs operate simultaneously and crash the workstation. An employer must ensure that all workstations are updated and have the latest versions of application software programs installed in them. These tweaks can prevent frozen PCs from disrupting hardworking employees anymore. They deserve updated versions of company-provided technologies to combat tech-related challenges.
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Gadget addiction:-
Technology, when used excessively, can negatively influence people’s mental health, thereby causing a decline in the workforce’s productivity. Your workers may become addicted to gadgets and adopt a compulsive behavior that compels them to check their messages frequently. This addiction causes a rise in people’s GABA levels as this chemical decelerates their brain signals. We suggest employers apply the 20-20 rule in offices that states: “After looking at the screen for 20 minutes, you must look at something else for 20 seconds.” This simple strategy prevents your eyes from getting exhausted. Moreover, your employees should often take breaks to avoid developing a sedentary lifestyle.
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Email spam:-
Are workers ignoring emails at work? Surveys indicate that over 60% of employees admit ignoring at least some emails work-related emails in their inbox! But why do workers tend to ignore some work-related emails? Some experts believe that companies aren’t implementing proper filters, which sometimes causes important emails in the spam folder! So, workers find it taxing to dig into the spam folder and manually determine which emails are from a trusted source.
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Slow broadband:-
Slow internet and slow computers – these two tech-related problems are a nuisance for modern-day workers. Many workers often cite “slow office broadband” as the primary tech-related issue facing their team and harming their productivity. You can’t afford to have slow-paced internet connections at offices when your workforce’s productivity relies upon them heavily! Ensure that workstations are scanned for malware and other viruses to avoid needless disruptions. Moreover, you should ensure that the underlying hardware’s also intact to prevent faulty wires from causing an “internet blackout” at the workplace. That’s how you can maintain the workforce’s productivity in 2022.
Conclusion
How does technology negatively influence workplace productivity? Experts believe that technology today distracts people from being productive! Moreover, surveys indicate that slow-paced broadband, crashed computers, and outdated software applications are some major tech-related issues facing organizations in 2022. These technology challenges make workers lose 22 minutes every day, resulting in an enormous two weeks of lost productivity annually. The solution lies in implementing safety measures to ensure that your employees have the best facilities to prevent tech-related problems. That’s how people can stay productive despite being surrounded by technology while not finding it distracting anymore.
