How to use Technology to Improve Efficiency in the Workplace

The concept of work is constantly changing and, in a major sense, this is down to technology. We are part of what many consider the infancy of the fourth industrial revolution and can already see how much it affects the majority of the things we do, both in our personal & social lives and at work. Technology has the ability to fundamentally change how we conduct our work. If we simply think of the amount of jobs available today that didn’t even exist ten years ago, we can very quickly see the impact technology has had on the world of work.

Well, the same is true, not in terms of new jobs, but in terms of how we can approach the already existing ones. Technology is a tool, and it is one that every workplace should be making the most of. In fact, if you or your small business don’t make use of the technologies available to you, you can presume that your competitors are, and ultimately, you risk being left behind.

We have compiled this article to look at four ways to use technology to improve your efficiency in the workplace. So, let’s get started…

Production Scheduling

If you were to conduct a survey asking businesses for the one thing they wish they could do, making their production process more efficient would be on the top of a lot of lists. Fortunately, thanks to technology, there are a number of fantastic options available.

Production scheduling software, such as Katana, allows you to collect data, directly monitor your production processes & sales orders, and all from one user-friendly dashboard. Ultimately, it ensures that you know exactly how much stock you have and therefore when you should place new orders, it removes the need to manually update spreadsheets and it does all this in the name of efficiency. To put it simply, it allows you to focus on what is important by removing the need to spend large amounts of time keeping track of your manufacturing operations.

A Fluid & Unified Communication Network

At the end of the day, you want your business to function as a network. You want every employee to know one another, to feel part of a team and to be able to reach out to anyone they may feel it would be beneficial to interact with. Communication is at the heart of every successful team and technology has an abundance of options to choose to improve it.

There are a number of fantastic communication options, including Slack and Skype, that allow your workforce to communicate, collaborate, and get to know one another all in the same place. A smooth communication network will save your workforce a huge amount of time and will improve workflow almost instantly.

Make Technology Work for You

Like with most things, when there are positives, there are usually negatives. Despite the negative aspects of technology being highlighted, the problem still remains in terms of actually counteracting or removing them. It might seem strange, but this is one scenario in which the best option is to fight fire with fire. To confirm, we recommend using technology to solve the potential issues technology can cause.

A sedentary lifestyle can be described as the type of lifestyle that involves little or no physical activity, which increases all causes of mortality. A contributing factor to this is that people are often required to sit down while engaging with their work tasks. A business needs to realise that in the 21^st century, it is imperative that your workforce is as happy and healthy as they can be if you expect them to perform at their optimal level.

When it comes to digital technologies, we fully recommend two things. Instead of simply having notifications as reminders to complete certain tasks or attend certain meetings, set up notifications to remind you to take a short walk or do some stretches. We can often get lost in our work and this is the perfect opportunity to use technology to remind us to take a break.

Another suggestion is to use technology to create a strict work-life divide. For example, turn off social media notifications when you are at work and then make sure you are not bombarded with work emails on your day off. At first, this might prove difficult to do, but in the long run, it will increase efficiency at the workplace and make for a better life.

Autonomy & Self-Service

This is where you need to trust your employees, after all, that is part of the reason you hired them in the first place. This is where using shared access points, such as Dropbox or Google Drive, should be utilised. This is beneficial for two reasons, it stops employees from having to get up from their desk and visit another department in order to access something. In addition, it stops them from interrupting and possibly distracting another person from their work in the process.

One of the biggest benefits of technology is that it can allow individuals to complete certain tasks on their own instead of in teams. If you make the most of this aspect of technology, it gives your workforce more opportunities to use technology to work together when needed, increasing the overall efficiency of the company.