“How can I help staff quickly adopt the new technology?” – the short answer is: planning, communication and adoption. Good visuals will help also. Let’s take a quick look at these key areas.
Planning
We all know the future starts with planning, and when we introduce new technology and systems, we need to plan for the success of our staff in adopting those changes. It is essential we consider how to best convey the benefits and importance of the changes and to well-prepare the IT support teams.
Communication
When communicating to staff about changes, we need to use multiple platforms and approaches to ensure we capture everyone’s attention. A key question is, “what will be the impacts on staff who rely on the technology?” They don’t need to learn all about the new technology, they just need to know how it affects the work they need to get done on a day-to-day basis.
Therefore, a key goal is to keep communications streamlined and to the point:
- Emails should be short and address actions to be taken by staff
- More in-depth questions can be answered in an FAQ document on the corporate intranet
- Provide a graphic like the one shown below to help staff see the bigger picture quickly
Adoption
Assisting staff with using and adopting the new systems must continue after migration day. We should not take a drop-and-run approach to introducing new technology.
We might send emails one day, one week, and even two weeks after the change – with the following goals:
- Remind them the support desk is trained in the new technology and is ready to assist
- Provide a few tips on getting the most out of the new system
Training is often a key element in adoption, but it doesn’t have to include a boring PowerPoint. We can set up hands-on workshops, Q&A sessions, and create short “how to videos” that are customized for your own environment.
And lastly, in the modern world of constant improvements and iterations, we need to let our staff know we’re are interested in their feedback – it could provide valuable information about minor course corrections that are needed to optimize workflow.
New Signature can assist you in all the areas above to help make the most of your organization’s investment!
