NextMapping: Anticipate, Navigate and Create the Future of Work<\/em> (Motivational Press, 2019).<\/p>\n“There are so many new systems being introduced, and companies are still struggling with integrating multiple systems,” Cran said, “and this causes workers to tune out.”<\/p>\n
Moreover, it doesn’t help matters when a program\u2014or the hardware needed to run it\u2014isn’t working correctly.<\/p>\n
“IT leaders and CIOs are all too aware of the\u00a0stress of technology not doing\u00a0what it should and faulty equipment,” Cran said. “That’s the nature of being a technology-reliant culture. IT teams are working tirelessly to solve technology challenges for workers, and it can be incredibly frustrating for the worker and for IT. Companies are recognizing that they must provide stress management and support to workers as technology continues to increase the speed and nature of work.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Help on the Way?<\/p>\n
There’s a movement among companies to educate workers on how to troubleshoot the most common laptop or Internet challenges, use artificial intelligence to automate IT support for workers, and increase access to tech support through online chatting and screen sharing.<\/p>\n
One promising trend, Cran said, is the advent of touch- and voice-activated technology, which can make the task of remembering multiple usernames and passwords simple. “In the\u00a0future,” she predicts, “that problem will be gone completely as fingerprint tech is used for all app access.”<\/p>\n
Nearly two-thirds of workers say they want a single communication platform that would integrate many of the separate apps they now use, according to the RingCentral survey.<\/p>\n
But there are impediments to that. For instance, the RingCentral survey found that 44 percent of senior leaders are content with their current tools, “revealing a disconnect with the cultural shift to newer communications and collaboration solutions,” the report authors wrote.<\/p>\n
Moreover, even though voice-activated assistants like Siri and Alexa often\u00a0can simplify tech tasks, many workers have grown resistant to learning yet another new tech platform.<\/p>\n
“The only solution for firms that want to dominate is to cherry-pick those workers that learn quickly, work fast and adapt to changes really fast,” said John Sullivan, professor of management at San Francisco State University. “Unfortunately, those workers that can’t handle the complexity will be left behind because robots will do most of the routine work. Those that can’t adapt will be the first to be laid off.”<\/p>\n
Do You Really Need It?<\/p>\n
In fact, company leaders and IT departments may want to consult with workers before signing up for the next new IT program or tool, and guard against adopting new technology just because it’s the latest shiny thing and other companies are using it.<\/p>\n
“It’s key that employees speak up if they’re overwhelmed with technology and finding it challenging to get work done, as this has a direct impact on customer satisfaction and the company’s bottom line,” Mirchandani said. “With the plethora of workplace apps available, workers need to be clear about what works for them and partner with decision-makers in IT and other departments to identify solutions that will enable greater productivity.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
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