Introducing new workplace technology to employees

As a security leader, you know that a well-managed tech stack can keep your company safe from threats. Doing a workplace technology assessment is the first step to achieving that. The real challenge comes when you take action to improve your technology ecosystem. If you need to add, change, or remove tools, you should be aware of the impact that can have on the employees who use them. Employees need to feel like they have a voice in the process and understand what changes are being made and why. With the right approach, you can win the hearts and minds of even the most skeptical employees.

Communicate early and openly

Employees depend on all sorts of different tools to get their work done. Be aware that introducing new technology to employees can impact their workflow in a big way. Communicate your plans ahead of time so you don’t catch anyone off guard when you make changes. Employees should know why changes need to be made and have the opportunity to ask questions. Don’t forget to explain the benefits of the new technology. If employees spend less time switching between tools, they’ll have more time to do their actual work. For remote workers, new technology can improve collaboration and communication. Getting employees to see these benefits will make the changes feel less daunting.

You improve the chance that employees see the message and apply the learnings by sharing updates in the context of when employees will need the information.  For instance, if you roll out a new policy or process for who can enter the workplace, share the update in the app they use to access the workplace in addition to the usual channels.

Educate and create helpful resources

Don’t just announce changes. Provide resources to help employees learn more about your strategy and goals. You can share this information in the form of knowledge base articles, wiki pages, shared drives, and video tutorials. Don’t forget to distribute these resources far and wide across your organization. Your workplace team can help you decide what to communicate and the channels you should use to share these resources. Dedicated training sessions can help with introducing new technology to employees and getting them to feel excited about using it. Set up times to meet with individual teams, walk them through the technology, and answer their questions. If you don’t have the resources to host smaller groups, consider an all-company workshop.

Ask for feedback and iterate

Technology reform will impact everyone at your company at some point. Be sure to ask employees to share their thoughts on the new systems and tools you’ve implemented. It’s in your team’s best interest to ensure this technology meets your company’s needs. If it doesn’t, employees may find ways around using it, which could pose risks to security.You can collect feedback via online surveys or in-person conversations. Cast a wide net to ensure you have a balanced list of responses. This will ensure your team doesn’t make decisions based on the feedback of a few people.

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As a security leader, your role is to ensure business continuity and security. While it may seem unnecessary to get employee buy-in on technology changes, it’s important. People will be more receptive to change if you communicate with them early and often. Their willingness to comply with your team will help keep your company safe.For more tips on how to manage changes to your workplace technology, check out our ebook, the security leader’s guide to the connected workscape. This guide will help you prioritize security and quickly put new technologies in place to support a hybrid work environment.