Our status with tech at work: It’s complicated

Leaders think they’re choosing tech to get great work from employees—yet our global survey of more than 12,000 workers shows a disconnect, in which leaders and staff see things differently. When it comes to the digital tools people use in their day-to-day jobs, that relationship status is best described as “it’s complicated.”

We know from a decade of research on the value of digital investments that companies are not so much falling behind as struggling to move faster with what’s next. Understanding how experiences and attitudes shape workers’ willingness to adopt tech at work can go a long way in helping you build great performance.

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Why putting people at the heart of your tech solutions creates a more motivated, energetic and productive workforce.

Leaders say they’re choosing tech with their people in mind, but employees don’t agree

90% of C-suite executives believe their company pays attention to people’s needs when introducing new technology, but only about half (53%) of staff say the same. Sure, you have your own tech annoyances—65% of C-suite executives say they’re often frustrated by technology at work. But when tools don’t function the way the boss thinks they should, there’s usually someone to delegate the problem to. Your people, however, have no choice but to muddle through. While 92% of C-suite execs say they’re satisfied with the technology experience their company provides for making progress on their most important work, only 68% of staff agree.

That experience gap matters. When you don’t have a clear and accurate understanding of how your people use technology in their jobs, and what they need and want from those tools, their overall experience at work can suffer. A subpar employee experience can have a ripple effect across the organization, shaping everything from how engaged people are to their enthusiasm for delivering a superior customer experience.

So what do your employees really want from the tech they use on the job? From choosing devices, to picking apps, to opting for voice over text, employees look for options that help them do their best work. For example, changing work environments mean more people want greater mobile capabilities, but only 60% of employees say they’re satisfied with the mobile options available to them at work. Others want to gain a stronger sense of control by having more input before leaders choose the systems they will use regularly.

Employees value the human touch at work...

People don’t want interactions with machines to fully replace the valuable human connections they need to have a genuine sense of belonging at work and to provide customers with what they feel is missing—a human touch. 40 to 45% of employees prefer face-to-face interactions for tasks like performance reviews, getting help with difficult problems and asking questions of their Human Resources (HR) team.

About the same number of people prefer many of these same tasks to be partially or fully digitized—a signal that digital assistance does have a place when it’s seamless and unobtrusive, or where it can enhance people’s work experience. For example, while most employees prefer face-to-face interactions for performance reviews, they also like the immediate and continual validation they can receive through digital means (think social media “likes” and comments).

Finding the balance between bots and humans means business leaders have to ask important questions about technology choices. To what extent will technology choices lead to the isolation of your employees from one another? Is automation limiting the time people have for thinking or creating together? More than half of employees think that could be true now—56% say they feel technology is taking them away from human interaction at work.

Efficiency and status drive interest in advancing digital skills

Attitudes and behaviors can shape people’s willingness to adopt new technologies, and most people in our survey are motivated by two distinct incentives: improved efficiency and rewards that improve their status. This split holds true for people in all levels of the organization, in every function and team and from every generation.

Knowing what shapes people can help you connect with them. It’s a chance to link communications strategies, rewards and performance and development to better match what drives them.

For a third of the workforce (34%), the motivation to use technology comes from curiosity and the promise of better efficiency and teamwork. This group wants to solve problems and have more efficient ways to do their work and collaborate with their teams. They’re most likely to invest in using technology if and when it helps them accomplish those goals. This group is the most open to having more tasks or processes digitized, and is also willing to invest more time per month in training (20 hours in an average month). Because they value teamwork and collaboration, this group is more likely to champion the value of using new tech to their co-workers.

Another third (37%) are more likely to adopt new tech if it helps them advance their careers or gain status, such as the opportunity for promotion or other external recognitions. This segment of the workforce is more likely to have more frustrations with technology than other groups and they’re more skeptical about how today’s technology is helping them achieve their goals. They prefer the fewest number of programs and apps to do their work and they say they have too many to use right now. Surprisingly, they don’t believe that their company values people who are technically savvy. And because status drives their interest, they may pass up opportunities for skill building if they can’t see how they’ll be valued for it. Still, they say they’re willing to give 17 hours in an average month on digital skill development. Encourage their interest in using digital tools by showing them how these skills will benefit them and their career progression.

The third segment (29%) prefers individual achievement within a predictable environment. They like to stick with established routines and they’re more likely to say they care about the well-being of their co-workers. That doesn’t mean they aren’t open to new things, but they’re less apt to have strong motivations toward efficiency or status; as such, finding common motivations to encourage this group around tech may be more difficult.

Above all, this segment is the least likely to see the importance of digital skills for their work. Only 47% agree that their employer does a good job communicating about the importance of digital skills for the success of the company. That’s far lower than the 82% of status seekers and 77% of those motivated by curiosity, efficiency and teamwork. Because this segment is more likely to include people who are reluctant to embrace technology, they may need additional communication and training to help bring them up to speed on current technology before they’re introduced to new tech. And they still want to learn. They’re willing to devote 10 hours in an average month to developing digital skills. Emphasize how using new technology can distinguish them from others and help them link their personal work to your company’s purpose and ways of creating value.