There are various factors that can inhibit an employee's acceptance of new technology in the office, from fear of change to skepticism that it will improve efficiency, The Wall Street Journal reports.
In the healthcare industry, some physicians viewed having to enter data into EHRs themselves, instead of their nurses doing the work, as "demeaning," according to a 2005 Association for Information Systems study. These resistors to the new technology held the EHR responsible for creating "grunt work that should be handled by others," according to the WSJ.
For other resisters struggling with new technology, individuals may worry about looking incompetent or losing status among their coworkers. To combat employees' concerns, organizations should implement the following actions to help strengthen their workplaces' adoption of new technology, according to the report:
1. Show empathy to employees who ask for help using and learning about new technology.
2. Provide individuals struggling with new technology step-by-step instructions on how to use it.
3. Ensure employees understand how the new technology or tools can help improve their jobs.
4. Offer verbal coaching, hands-on practice or video tutorials tailored to the individual's learning style to help them understand how the new technology works.
5. Allot for time in the employee's schedule to help them learn and master the new systems.
6. Anticipate productivity slow downs until all employees learn the new systems.