Digital technologies renew employee confidence
Technology offers functional and psychological benefits for employees, but continuous upskilling is needed to use its benefits fully.
Pros and cons of increased technology usage at work
On a societal level, the COVID-19 pandemic is recognized as a digital tipping point and that it has contributed to a steadily growing usage of technology. However, it remains unknown and of considerable interest how these may affect the development of the new work life in the near to long term.
There are many benefits of rising technology use. Functional advantages like productivity, efficiency, and flexibility are critical for companies and 58 percent of decision-makers have noticed that the digitalization of their work has made them more agile and flexible. Other benefits can be described as emotional or psychological, such as a sense of empowerment and authority, satisfaction and confidence, or the ability to show one’s experience using social media and other digital platforms. Our results show that along with factors like a high salary, economic compensation and flexibility, 1 out of 4 employees consider having the ability to make decisions about their work one of the top job requirements when selecting a new job. From the decision-maker’s perspective, 64 percent of them firmly believe there will be more empowered employees in the near future.
Another positive aspect of technology is the raised confidence experienced by those who leverage digital tools in productive ways. With greater use of technology, employees have more power, increasing their satisfaction. For instance, people who feel they can influence policies on workload are generally happier at work.
As we see higher technology usage, it is vital to highlight its challenges as it can quickly become a double-edged sword. Key challenges include increased levels of stress and the fear of being tracked by the employer.
Technology aids employee upskilling
Fast-paced technological improvements require continuous employee upskilling since they must maintain their digital skills to benefit from these advancements. Interestingly, technology will also support employee growth through training and learning tools, according to 52 percent of employees.
Digital training tools are also important for ensuring employees remain valuable to their present employer and to the labor market at large. They offer the potential for skill development without the need for travel to classes or time away from work, making it time and cost-efficient. Over 7 out of 10 decision-makers anticipate using online platforms and services to upskill and train workers in the future. The knowledge and ability to leverage technology for one's benefit distinguish employees with positive experiences with technology from those who feel negatively.
However, our research demonstrates that when we use technology more frequently, the positive effects will increase while the negative effects stay the same. Negative feelings like stress or feeling overwhelmed by technology do not grow with more intense usage (Figure 1). Additionally, employees who claim to have access to appropriate technology at work report feeling twice as good when using technology than those who do not.
- Chief Talent Officer, Hardware manufacturer, USA
