There is no doubt that technology plays a key organizational function. It drives productivity and supports the business with reaching its bottom line. In today’s world, most organizations would be lost without technology. People, process, and technology – three words that are often referred to when starting or growing any business. Most business leaders would agree that each of these three areas require constant investment, development, and adjustment to drive successful results. The key word here is “constant” in order to keep up with change, which is the single largest challenge that we all face. Change can be daunting and unpredictable. However, change can also yield positive results if it is managed properly with employees invested in a successful outcome.
Each year, organizations build plans and budgets and hire employees to support their IT initiatives. So much time, energy, and resources are spent on an organization’s digital workplace. Often, that time and energy focus on the technology itself:
Assessment of incumbent solutions
Cost of new hardware, software, and implementation
Impact of new technology on the existing environment
These are all primary focuses in a technology change.
At the forefront of most organizations is a group of leaders who work to develop strategic IT initiatives that propel their organizations. Unfortunately, we often see leaders who are hyper focused on gauging their return on investment (ROI) – while simultaneously losing sight of the employees who use this technology daily. Overlooking important factors like effective change management, enablement, and training can result in failed projects, employee frustration, decreased productivity, increased help desk calls, high attrition, and a negative culture where employees do not feel supported by their employer.
“Many implementation efforts fail because someone underestimated the scope or importance of such preparation. Indeed, the organizational hills are full of managers who believe that an innovation’s technical superiority and strategic importance will guarantee acceptance. Therefore, they pour abundant resources into the purchase or development of the technology but very little into its implementation. Experience suggests, however, that successful implementation requires not only heavy investment by developers early in the project but also a sustained level of investment in the resources of user organizations.” - Harvard Business Review
