Technology gap may be bigger than we think

With the onset of so much new technology that seems to be erupting into the markets daily, I often wonder if we are ready for all of this change within our communities and workplaces?

Can we truly grasp how to use all of these new gadgets, apps and computers coupled with our inability to already manage an increasingly demanding schedule?

I’ve watched my cellphone turn into a smorgasbord of “thingys,” as my grandmother so appropriately calls them, which are constantly notifying me to pay attention to them. I’ve watched my personal computer attempt to compete

in the same manner. Even my car, I can’t even check my oil with a dipstick anymore.

Technology is here, and fully here, and changing so fast it’s difficult to comprehend. It’s truly amazing. Every task is faster, easier and more convenient. I can pay all my bills, including the local parking meter, from my cellphone. Even our own community, thanks to EPB’s high-speed internet, has become a harvesting ground for new technological concepts and ideas that many hope will benefit us here in Chattanooga. So how can any of it be bad?

It’s not a bad thing at all; it’s just a different thing. A thing that takes time to understand through occasional failures and repeated practice. A new way of daily operation all made possible by silicon. However, the lingering question for me lately is, how are we preparing our society for these rapid changes, specifically our workforce?

I’m considered to be a member of Generation X, which is variously defined as someone born between 1961 and 1984. Recently, I read an article that explained I’m now considered to be a Xennial, a cross between a Gen-X and a millennial (circa 1977-1994), which means I was born in an analog world but have somewhat mastered the digital world. Interesting concept, and while I can appreciate a good coined phrase to help me identity with others, I can see we are forgetting something. What about the folks who came before me (baby boomers), who are still at the heart of our operations and who are still contributing to business and industry?

I’ve witnessed my mother and her struggle with technology. At first, I was critical of her and would poke fun because she refused to drink the smartphone Kool-Aid. She got an older model desktop computer but refused to use it. I often was providing tech support from afar with questions regarding how to left or right click the mouse and how to handle an email about an inheritance from an overseas ambassador.

Baby boomers who didn’t have the advantage to be born into technology don’t understand “there’s an app for that.” These folks do understand they can go build, inspect or fix something; and while using a computer isn’t a new concept, there is still a significant gap in what I call “comfort level” or confidence of how to interface tech with traditional hands-on work. Similarly, the younger generation that may be in charge of an operation, especially in Silicon Valley, may not understand that figuring things out meant getting your hands dirty. While neither way of thinking is wrong, using our heads is just as important as using our hands. We need to link them together with clarity and patience.

Some questions to consider if you’re in a position of leadership. Are you preparing your workforce to not only embrace a new way of working but also how to integrate tech into their work? Are the workers developed in simple areas such as computer basics? How to rightclick, left-click or maneuver around a computer desktop? Can they read a spreadsheet? Are they able to change passwords or call tech support to adequately describe a problem with a computer? Is there an easy, respectful way to ask for help? Are you prepared to be patient, willing to answer questions and provide development?

While these seem like simple questions and easy solutions, I’m learning it’s not. Here are some early warning indicators about a workforce struggling with tech: I’ve witnessed folks walk away from performing a task, make an excuse not tied to the task and create so much havoc over something as simple as not knowing how to submit a form. I’ve even had a worker come forward stating he didn’t know how to read the work instructions given to him because there were boxes and lines around the words, and it confused him. It was an Excel spreadsheet.

Here is a call to action. It’s important to consider that there are many tools available online to help transition workforce members when their work scope changes. One simple technique is a skills matrix. Without awareness, however, this topic may be overlooked. Provide support and explain that while the way of the world has changed drastically, there still will be needs for technicians, inspectors, maintainers, mechanics and troubleshooters. These skills are needed and will always be needed as everything man made eventually will fail at some point. Let’s prepare our workforce now and develop its members’ skills before we transition into more new “thingys.”

Sabrina L. Butcher is the chief executive officer and founder of Chattanooga-based LUCY, which develops executives/leaders on the human element of change management. Email her at Sabrina@ lucydoes.com.