We’ve all had our (un)fair share of technology issues, whether it’s a slow internet connection, outdated equipment or software incompatibility. But did you know staff members spend more time waiting for their dated technology to work than they do on vacation?
Updating your agency’s tech tools can help to improve staff morale. Not sure how to get started? We share the benefits of better tech, along with a few tools, tips and branded tech gifts to help make your employees more efficient—and happier.
Create better communication
Whether staff members work down the hall from one another or in different parts of the country, often it’s the quick clarification that saves time and prevents rework. Messaging tools like Microsoft® Teams, Slack® and others make it easy to:
- Get questions answered quickly.
- Share screens instead of trying to explain issues verbally.
- Collaborate in teams.
- Contain conversations with easy-to-follow threads, rather than multiple emails.
To help everyone feel like they’re “in the room” during conversations, give each team member branded tech gifts, like a webcam cover, a ring light, and headphones with a microphone.
Cut down on wait time
Everyone’s heard the saying “time is money,” but few people take the time to think about how much money, even if it’s surprisingly easy to calculate. Consider this: Switching to an internet connection that’s four times the speed of your current one will save everyone 10 minutes per day. If you have 100 employees, you’ll save two days of lost time over the course of each business day.
Eliminate repetitive tasks
Automated data entry, appointment setting and messaging can free up time that would be better spent elsewhere.
To take one example, chatbots can answer 80% of standard questions. Configure your website or social media pages with a chatbot and you create a win-win situation. The staff members who service your citizens directly will be able to spend less time answering repetitive queries and more time assisting people with complex issues, while the citizens you serve can quickly find answers to their questions at any time, day or night.
To ensure your tools are getting used, send citizens a sticky “note” in the mail that tells them where to go when they need self-help services.
Make searching more efficient
Too often, files end up scattered across multiple computers, drives or even paper files, making it difficult for staff members to get their hands on the documents they need—especially when working from home.
To put a stop to these frustrating hunts:
- Find a cloud-based storage solution—or start using the one your office already has in place.
- Create a standard storage-tree solution so people know where their projects should reside.
- Have staff upload all past and current files where everyone can access them. It may be necessary to have an “upload day” where everyone moves their files and can access a help desk if they have questions.
- Scan and upload all old paper documents into a searchable format.
To thank everyone for their digitizing work, consider entering them into a prize drawing for a smart writing set that can convert handwritten notes to digital ones.
A faster future and improved staff morale await
Then next time your internet gets sluggish or your printer procrastinates, remember that every one of your staff members is losing precious minutes to these same struggles. Then consider how every hardware and software upgrade will both boost productivity and improve staff morale.