Every business in the world currently is employing the use of technology in one aspect or another of its operations. Technological development is designed to help improve productivity in business while eliminating human inefficiencies. To understand the digital impact tools have on the productivity of workers, you need to understand what these tools are. Digital tools are programs, websites and online resources that are implemented by businesses to ease task completion at work. Most of these tools can be remotely accessed on mobile devices without having to go to work.
There are several studies that have been set up to try and answer the question of how digital tools influence the productivity of workers. Here are some of the findings that have been reported.
Employees working in organizations that have digitally transformed have been found to be more productive and highly motivated and achieve high levels of job satisfaction. These studies also showed that these workers find it easy to balance between their work and personal life.
Most of the workers working in a digitized organization were highly motivated towards achieving their company’s goals through the use of digital tools.
Here are a few aspects of the business that you can look at to come up with a conclusive opinion on the impact of these tools. We can cover both the positive and negative sides of digital transformation.
Revenue growth
Most of the digital tools are designed to reduce the workload while increasing the output from every worker. For example, when a monitoring and evaluation officer is set to prepare a study report that has been running for a year, there are chances some of the data may be entered and interpreted wrongly. However, when the officer decides to use tools such as Google Analytics or even OCR scanners to convert the written documents into a digitized form, they are able to minimize the errors that may arise from their data. If the use of these digital tools is incorporated in other departments of the organization, then employees can be well equipped to deliver on their mandate with minimal hitches. From this, we see that the level of productivity is significantly improved among the workers.
Communications on the go
Communication has always been an integral part of any business or organization. A few decades ago, the modes of communication were limited and could not be accessed round the clock, something that slowed down some areas of operation. Digital tools such as social media apps, website builders and communication channels such as Zoom and Skype have enabled business executives to communicate with partners and employees at their convenience.
Through unlimited access to communication channels, the business is also able to provide customer care services and answer queries from clients to increase customer satisfaction. In the digital age of today, most people appreciate being in the know, and the ability to have their questions correctly in time can have some positive impact on the reputation of the business.
Scheduling Tasks
A business with a huge workforce or several branches can prove hectic when it comes to manually allocate and tracking duties and tasks to every individual employee. There are several tools that a business can employ to help them monitor tasks. Without keeping a close eye on the important tasks in a business can lead to losses in case the deadlines are not met. An example is if your company was supposed to release a consignment at a given time, but you are unable to deliver at the agreed time because of other duties. This could have a negative impact on your reputation.
Integrating the task management tools in your business will help you and your employees organize and keep track of your important tasks. Aside from that, they will help prioritize your tasks and even alert you when they are due.
Securing data
Information relating to any business or organization is regarded as private, and access should be limited to a few individuals. With an increase in security breaches and hackers releasing sensitive data to the public, most businesses and organizations are taking serious measures to protect their data. Data loss can also cause a major setback for businesses. Digital tools such as cloud storage, dropbox among others, have become an integral part of every business. These tools not only provide security but also prevent loss of data through system failures.
Networking capabilities
Networking has always been an important part of businesses for them to be able to grow. With the use of digital tools, networking has been made easy. Businesses and organizations can now connect and interact with other businesses operating in the same field as well as potential approach clients. One of the most widely used tools is LinkedIn, which has been instrumental in expanding the network for any business.
Through these tools, the business r organization can connect and communicate with influencers and other key individuals in the specific field without having to incur extra costs of meeting the individuals, that is, if they live in different countries.
Remote access to PCs
Businesses are fast adopting IoT in their businesses. This move has made it easy to manage several devices from a remote location. There are IT companies that have been providing businesses with software to help them access virtual desktops from any location without having to worry about maintenance or cooling equipment.
Being able to access your computer from any location is a good way to increase productivity. This is because, from any location, you can continue to work and deliver on your mandate.
The use of digital tools has had numerous positive influences on employees, increasing their productivity significantly. However, some of these tools have been misappropriated, interfering with workflow and productivity. An example is an employee visiting a social media platform for their own leisure and entertainment. As a business, before integrating technology in your operations, you need to research the best options to avoid distracting your employees, which in turn can hamper productivity and workflow.