# How to take the pain out of technology change
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2020-10-29
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: How New Technology Can Solve Employee Problems
Meta Description: Discover expert insights from Sophie Cavanagh on overcoming challenges and embedding technological change with employees for long-term success.
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-to-take-the-pain-out-of-technology-changehtml

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_By **Sophie Cavanagh,** Director of Consulting, Pollen8_

Today’s workforce is overwhelmingly positive about the potential for technology to improve their lives. But they also have concerns about how it can be used. When [PwC](https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/tech-at-work.html) asked if artificial intelligence is making the world a better place, for example, while 88% of the C-suite agreed, only 48% of staff felt the same.

As digital transformation (DT) sweeps through all sectors from financial services to retail to construction, a big challenge within organisations is embedding technological change with the buy-in of every employee. Risk of DT failure was the number one concern for CEOs and top executives last year, according to the [Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2019/03/digital-transformation-is-not-about-technology). Leaders are well aware of the [importance of employees committing to change](https://www.financedigest.com/popcorn-containers-market-important-changes-in-industry-dynamics-during-2017-2027.html "Popcorn Containers Market  Important Changes in Industry Dynamics during 2017-2027"), despite the inevitable disruption required.

**What’s your problem?**

My belief is that new technologies are redundant when they aren’t seen to be [solving a real problem](https://www.financedigest.com/solve-a-problem-you-know-and-live.html "Solve a Problem You Know and Live") in employees’ eyes. If, from the start, technologies are addressing a ‘good problem’ everyone will understand the long-term vision of making life better.

For [successful technology](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-establish-a-successful-technology-strategy.html "How to establish a successful technology strategy") change, I advocate allowing employees to be part of the process of coming up with the solution. That way, the technology will be fit for purpose, and the employees won’t feel like it’s being forced upon them.

**Problem-solving process**

We need to [move beyond](https://www.financedigest.com/the-high-fiber-feed-market-to-move-beyond-the-monotony.html "The High Fiber Feed Market To Move Beyond The Monotony") the ‘us and them. It’s possible to develop a business-wide culture of experimentation, innovation, intrapreneurship and growth through empowerment of the workforce. [Insightful ideas from within can become impactful projects](https://www.financedigest.com/future-market-insightss-detailed-report-on-cat-litter-market-offers-projections-of-potential-impact-of-corona-virus-outbreak.html "Future Market Insights’s Detailed Report on Cat Litter Market Offers Projections of Potential Impact of Corona Virus Outbreak") – which could give your company a much-needed competitive boost.

Leadership, culture, training and workshops play their part in instilling this problem-solving mindset. You also need the tools to make surfacing, discussing and sharing ideas and flagging up problems part of everyday [working life](https://www.financedigest.com/redefining-what-it-means-to-have-it-all-how-to-make-work-fit-into-your-life.html "Redefining What It Means to Have It All: How to Make Work Fit into Your Life"). At Pollen8 we’ve helped businesses set up bespoke ‘ideas capture’ processes through our innovation platform, to encourage [innovative thinking](https://www.financedigest.com/maximising-the-opportunities-available-from-marketing-technology-and-innovation-focused-thinking.html "Maximising the opportunities available from marketing technology and innovation focused thinking") among workforces.

Always looking ahead, [global bank ING](https://www.ing.com/Newsroom/News/ING-combines-all-innovation-activities-into-new-business-area-ING-Neo-1.htm) has just announced the launch of ING Neo to consolidate and reinforce its innovation activities. “Our ambition is to increase the pace of innovation to stay a step ahead of the changes and evolutions in the world,” [says](https://www.financedigest.com/fund-nature-protection-now-or-face-huge-losses-says-world-bank.html "Fund nature protection now or face huge losses, says World Bank") the finance giant. After all, [innovation is more than just launching](https://www.financedigest.com/cavai-global-leader-in-conversational-advertising-announces-innovative-launch-of-conversational-video-to-maximise-engagement-and-impact.html "Cavai, global leader in conversational Advertising, announces innovative launch of conversational video to maximise engagement and impact") the right ideas. It’s about developing a system that you can embed in your [business to deliver benefits](https://www.financedigest.com/how-choosing-the-right-mtd-for-vat-software-can-maximise-business-benefits.html "How choosing the right MTD for VAT software can maximise business benefits") continuously.

**[Managing the challenges of change](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-at-forefront-of-fx-management-change.html "UK at Forefront of FX Management Change")**

With technology adoption, there should also be [scope for employees at all levels to raise concerns as new systems](https://www.financedigest.com/automotive-active-safety-system-market-2015-scope-of-current-and-future-industry-2025.html "Automotive Active Safety System Market 2015 | Scope of Current and Future Industry 2025") bed in. [Frontline staff](https://www.financedigest.com/how-the-latest-microsoft-365-updates-are-helping-to-empower-frontline-staff.html "How the latest Microsoft 365 updates are helping to empower frontline staff") often see first-hand where small problems are arising that may disappoint customers or slow employee productivity. Give them the voice and the confidence to speak up and recommend further changes or tweaks to a new tech system, and benefits to the [bottom line](https://www.financedigest.com/how-high-performers-can-increase-a-bottom-line.html "How high performers can increase a bottom line") are likely to be delivered far more swiftly.

![Sophie Cavanagh](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/pollen8-sophie-cavanagh-1-450x538-1736838757744-compressed.jpg)

Sophie Cavanagh

Suggestions from within are more likely to be anchored in the day-to-day [reality of operations](https://www.financedigest.com/augmented-reality-ar-virtual-reality-vr-to-dictate-the-growth-of-mobile-operating-tables-market.html "Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) to dictate the growth of Mobile Operating Tables Market"). And there can be quick wins when small glitches are sorted out.

**Who owns the change story?**

Clear communication is [critical during a digital transformation](https://www.financedigest.com/critical-learnings-in-digital-transformation.html "Critical learnings in digital transformation "). Many firms [adopt an internal ‘change story’ to help employees understand where the organisation is heading](https://www.financedigest.com/croatia-heading-to-enter-euro-zone-adopts-first-budget-in-euros.html "Croatia, heading to enter euro zone, adopts first budget in euros"), why it is changing, and why the change is important. According to [McKinsey research](https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-organization-blog/mobilize-your-organization-with-a-powerful-change-story), organisations that follow this practice are more than three times more likely to achieve a successful transformation.

I feel strongly that a change story makes much more sense if it began at grassroots level – by the very [people who flagged a problem and suggested the need](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-says-6000-more-people-needed-for-trial-of-merck-covid-pill.html "Britain says 6,000 more people needed for trial of Merck COVID pill") for change in the first place.

The story must not [end abruptly](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-germany-prepares-crisis-plan-for-abrupt-end-to-russian-gas-sources.html "Exclusive-Germany prepares crisis plan for abrupt end to Russian gas – sources") either. It’s essential to continue demonstrating to colleagues that their ideas and recommendations are [valued and being utilised for the good of the organisation’s future](https://www.financedigest.com/microbial-rennet-market-overview-2022-2029-top-manufacturers-cagr-value-future-scope-revenue-growth-rate-and-forecast.html "Microbial Rennet Market Overview 2022-2029 (Top Manufacturers, CAGR Value, Future Scope, Revenue, Growth Rate and Forecast)"). [Innovation must be an open](https://www.financedigest.com/open-finance-can-help-unlock-innovation-across-the-financial-ecosystem.html "Open Finance can help unlock innovation across the financial ecosystem"), ongoing dialogue across the business.

**Encourage honesty**

A common roadblock when engendering a culture of problem-solving, is that people often find it difficult to be candid about existing problems. Is it safe to flag up things that aren’t working as well as they should? Would it look disrespectful to management to suggest opportunities that might have been missed?

This level of caution can be detrimental to progress. So leaders need to facilitate a culture of honesty. It will help to host regular forums where ‘hard’ conversations like these are surfaced and acknowledged by management. These behaviours should be used as an example by leadership for the wider company to adopt. Having a permanent platform for this level of collaboration, ideas sharing and feedback should also ease the pain of [technology change](https://www.financedigest.com/how-technology-is-changing-the-game-in-construction.html "How Technology is Changing the Game in Construction").

**Celebrate the creativity**

Staying competitive means continuing to evolve as an organisation and making changes to both process and technology to [gain a competitive edge](https://www.financedigest.com/using-cloud-based-communications-to-gain-a-competitive-edge.html "Using cloud-based communications to gain a competitive edge") over the competition. To do this well, I  believe we need every employee to take the initiative, suggest ideas for improvement, and truly care.

Finding ways to use that creativity has never been more significant, as we [face unprecedented change](https://www.financedigest.com/the-changing-face-of-financial-advice.html "The changing face of financial advice ") in our working lives. [Digital transformation](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-create-value-in-digital-transformations.html "How to create value in digital transformations") is a given, but it’s about so much more than technology.


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