Technology can help your business grow from a small, homegrown company to a large corporation. However, technology has a more immediate impact on your employees. Regardless of where you implement new technology in your organization, employees throughout your company will be directly affected in plenty of positive ways.

Efficiency

Technology can improve the way your employees do their jobs, making them more efficient and free from the burden of tedious, repetitive tasks. Technology simplifies many job functions, which in turn strengthens performance and improves job satisfaction. For example, configuring Outlook to send personalized messages to a large group of email addresses can shave hours off the job of sending individual messages. Also, when used efficiently, technology improves accuracy – rather than typing and proofing individual messages, the sender can create one message, proof it and know that each addressee is receiving the same message. For more complex tasks, such as extensive reports, spreadsheets and presentations, technology can considerably reduce the time to create documents.

Communication

Remote employees benefit from communication technology. With VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), employees who telecommute don’t need to rely on their cell phones since the same type of multi-line office phone can be connected to an ethernet cord in a home office mirroring the typical office setting, assuring remote employees they're part of a team. Future employees can attend job interviews that are outside reasonable commuting distance with video conferencing technology, which is particularly helpful for those who are looking to relocate.

Strictly using technology for all workplace communication can be problematic if employees begin to avoid in-person or face-to-face interactions. All workplace conversations should not be conducted electronically, especially for sensitive topics, such as performance evaluations and disciplinary actions.

Training

Technology can dramatically change the landscape for training within your organization, for new technology itself or ongoing professional training and personal development. For example, webinars are an effective way to provide training at different times for employees who work outside the typical 9-to-5 schedule. Also, using technology for on-demand training may be less costly than hiring in-person facilitators to conduct learning sessions. The cost savings may be better utilized to incentivize training options.

When you provide training in new technology or for professional development training, you are conveying the message to your employees that you’re interested and invested in providing them with opportunities to perform at optimal levels, and committed to preparing them for potential future career opportunities.