PEOPLE OVER TECHNOLOGY FOR PRODUCTIVITY
IT'S TIME to knock technology off its pedestal and put people first in business, says technology commentator and OneHQ’s CTO, Warren Hughes. “People are the business, and people prefer communication that is face-to-face rather than some over-hyped collaborative software platform that promises productivity but delivers complexity.”
Technology should not be front and centre in your business, says Hughes. “I know from experience that technology is marketed for its productivity. However, the things that really contribute to productivity are less tangible like, for example, happy people, flexible hours and flexible workplace locations.”
As an example, happy salespeople are 37 percent more productive than unhappy salespeople, he says. “The primary driver of productivity in business is engaged, happy employees and you achieve that by putting people first. There has been huge hype around collaboration and productivity software like AI digital humans and chatbots – but they're of no value unless they're actually making communication better for staff and customers – the two should not be inseparable.”
Hughes says employees prefer face-to-face or telephone communication because it's personal and straightforward and improves comprehension. By installing additional channels of communication you are more likely to cause fatigue and burnout than improve productivity. The net result is an always-on workforce, which has been catastrophic to productivity, mental health and family relationships.
“It's bizarre that we have people working in the same office communicating with each other via email or chat apps. It is far more productive to get up off your butt and talk to the person. The problem with technology is that it eliminates all the non-verbal signals like expression, tone and body language; how does that contribute to better communication and collaboration?”
Hughes says technology can be a costly middleman if not employed correctly. “It is okay if it is successfully applied to create more flexibility in the workplace, or better communication provided it is only one of two or so channels for the purpose.
“Realtime chat tools provide better immediacy, but they haven't reduced emails. They're just another channel that employees need to manage, and they're also an interrupter. Unless you are good at managing your time, you get constant interruptions from real-time alerts, and they are inconsiderate of the other person's time. Emails you can at least manage on your terms.”