A ‘reimagining’ if workplace technology could provide the solution to ongoing concerns about stalling workplace productivity.
Amid reports that Britain is in the grip of a “productivity crisis”, Norma Løvhaugen of IT firm Neat argues that forcing employees back into the office is “hardly likely” to be the solution. Instead, she argues, attention should turn to the technology that people use every day – to arrest the productivity slowdown or even reverse it.
Løvhaugen notes that low productivity should be given serious consideration – as it could be the driver of lower wages, job losses and reduced economic growth. However, she believes that putting the blame on remote or hybrid working is somewhat misguided.
Writing for Techradar, Løvhaugen argued that it isn’t being away from colleagues and collaborators that leaves people feeling disconnected, unmotivated or unproductive. Instead, these feelings come when their technology lets them down.
She went on to note that AI developments are bringing the virtual environment closer to the real world than ever before, with tech solving everything from background noise capable of derailing a meeting to ways in which all participants feel involved in a discussion.
It can even solve the ‘double-talk’ issue, where the sound cuts out or gets jumbled when two people speak at the same time.
Of course, simply having the technology is only half the solution. Companies must also ensure staff members are comfortable and confident using it. To go one step further, Løvhaugen called on businesses to encourage a culture of “innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement”, as this will empower employees to not only support any workplace transformation but help drive the change themselves.
Løvhaugen argues that, if the right collaboration technology is deployed and used correctly, remote or hybrid working practices can boost morale and even help usher in “a new age of productivity in businesses”.
