Nearly half of employees (48%) wish their workplace technology performed just like their personal technology, according to a recent survey by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated.
“Once upon a time, workplace technology was far more innovative and superior to anything that was available for consumer use,” said Joyce Maroney, executive director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos. “However, the tables have turned and the opposite is true today. The proliferation of the on-demand and gig economy apps that now dominate our everyday lives should prompt organizations to walk a mile in their employees’ shoes."
This lack of technology is having an effect on the employee experience according to some of the conclusions of the study below:
-- More than a third of employees surveyed worldwide (35 %) feel their job is harder than it should be because of outdated processes and legacy technology.
-- Fewer than a quarter of employees in the U.S. (22%) feel their workplace technology is more user-friendly than their personal technology. This sentiment is echoed globally: Germany (24%), Canada (20%), France (16%), Australia and New Zealand (13%), the U.K. (13%), and Mexico (8%).
-- Outdated processes and technology makes their job more difficult .as reported by employees in contract and field services (38%), logistics and transportation (33%), and manufacturing (29%).
--Younger employees in the U.S. are less tolerant of poor workplace technology than older employees. While just a fifth (20%) of Boomers think outdated processes and technology make their job harder than it should be, that figure steadily increases for Gen Xers (34%), older Millennials (38%), younger Millennials (40%), and Gen Z (39%).
To further drive the point home, 53% of contract and field service workers – who often don’t report to a central office – say it’s easier to talk to personal digital assistants like Alexa, Cortana, and Siri than to their manager.
“Those who empower employees with intuitive, responsive solutions that match the ease of use and real-time nature of their favorite apps will gain an important advantage in their efforts to recruit and retain top talent,” said Maroney.