We all know that we live in very tech-heavy times. No matter where you are and what time of the day it is, you will see things like driverless vehicles, the latest mobile apps, social media platforms and so on. Even though 90 per cent of people believe that technology is good for your society and lives, some just don’t like it. There are quite a few people who are just not comfortable with it and they feel lost in the rapid technological changes. Since we are so used to everyone around us being accompanied by technology, we tend to forget and disregard that being disconnected is absolutely and completely normal. So, instead of ignoring and being annoyed by your employees who are not that tech-savvy, here is how you can help them deal with tech-related problems.
Create A Culture Of Support
When it comes to employees that are not that tech-savvy, in most cases they will be afraid to speak up. That is why the first thing that you need to do is to create a supportive environment. Not being comfortable speaking up about what is not familiar to them or clear will hold them back, and when you are working, there is nothing more frustrating and demotivating than being held back. Strive to create an environment where those employees will be accepted no matter how tech-savvy they are. The best way you can create a supportive culture is by recognising any issues publicly in daily or weekly meetings as well as adding a tech-support segment to the agendas. You can also create user guides that all employees can access if needed.
Find Your Technology Heroes
Sometimes providing formal training to your staff is just not an option, in those occasions, you will want to turn to your employees who are comfortable with the technology and have them available for help. Choose a couple of really experienced people who will be accessible to the rest of the team. But when you are doing this, you always have to be mindful of their capacity. You can also have a chat system that will make not so techy employees feel less embarrassed as it will be a one on one conversation rather than having to ask in front of others.
Make It Fun For Everyone
The tech that we indeed use to work efficiently will often come across as very boring, dreary and annoying. But we have to get through it no matter what. When you have an employee that is not tech-savvy it makes the whole situation ten times worse. But that doesn’t need to be the case. Instead of having your employees feel like a burden or like they are being made fun of, try to create an environment where they will be able to ask all the questions they need. You can also hire an IT support service that they can contact such as Platform 24. Sometimes hiring a professional company is the best option as your employees don’t feel like a burden and like they are annoying employees that are more tech-savvy. Another fun thing that you can do is hold little competitions that will demonstrate the usage of the system that you are using so the less tech-savvy can see how it’s done and it will be a fun and engaging way to learn.
Share Details In Advance
The simplest and best thing that you can do to have your less tech-savvy employees is simply letting them know when there will be changes implemented. The first thing that you want to do is send an email that will be explaining what the changes are and how they will affect the system and programs they are using. This will allow them to have enough time to learn about the changes and how to use everything without feeling lost and stressed. Make sure that you are also providing them with sources they can learn from to avoid learning about the wrong thing and feeling demotivated. Be there to answer their questions and give clear instructions without using too much tech terminally that they might not understand.
Don’t Focus On Only Using Tech Terms
When it comes to tech terms, even the most advanced tech person can get confined. If you are trying to explain something to a person who is not that tech-savvy, using tech terms will only confuse them more. But on the other hand, you don’t want to dumb it down that much that they are feeling like they are stupid. Something that you can do that will help along this journey is providing them with a way they can learn the meaning of the terms that are most commonly used in the company. Ensuring that everyone is speaking the same language and understating what is being talked about will help your employees not feel lost and discouraged because they don’t know what is being talked about.
Nowadays, technology is what drives the world, but it is also something that drives people crazy along the way. If you haven’t been blessed with a tech thumb, you will need to do your best to manage the technological wonders. Even though not all will be able to be the best at managing technology, you should learn just enough to go by and not drown in the world of technology.
