The One Trick To Convince Your Co-workers That Your Way Works

Bringing new technology into your workplace can bring on dramatic improvements in productivity, profits, and general employee satisfaction. In a recent study by MIT Sloan, 78% of respondents noted that “achieving digital transformation will become critical to their organizations within the next two years.”

So how do you bring your colleagues around to your way of thinking in this regard?

It’s very easy for people to get stuck in their ways when it comes to the systems they use and processes they follow. As the saying goes; “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. Right? Well… no. A system doesn’t have to be broken to be improved upon. If that was the case, nothing would ever change!

If you’ve just joined a new team that’s had the same processes in place for years that are working just fine — not great, but good enough to deter them from the upheaval of trying something new — you need a clear strategy for getting them on board with your ideas. If you already have a proven alternative that you can demonstrate to the team, you’re already one step ahead. But you still have to get them on board with making the move.

Explain the process and benefits

People can be set in their ways and most just don’t like change. Change usually sounds like “extra work” that people just won’t be on board with if they don’t see the benefit of it. In order to get your team engaged in the process, you have to make it clear how the changes you’re proposing will benefit each employee and not just the company as a whole.

“The job of a manager is to help people cross the bridge — to get them comfortable with the technology, to get them using it, and to help them understand how it makes their lives better.” — Didier Bonnet, co-author of Leading Digital

How will the changes you’re suggesting make their lives easier, i.e. will it cut down the need for overtime at weekends? How long will it take to adapt to this new way of working? What assistance will be available to them as they get used to the new system?

Get everyone involved

I reached out to entrepreneur and productivity expert Darius Foroux about the obstacles he’s encountered in adopting new tech and he places huge emphasis on getting the whole team involved;

“In my experience, the main obstacle is skepticism. ‘What is this? Why do we have to change our current process? Why, why, why?’ We’re all creatures of habit. So it’s not surprising we’re skeptical of new processes or ways of working.

That’s why I always involve the whole team in making the new processes. So instead of taking a top-down approach, we go the other way around. If we think about making a change, we start by involving the people who have to put it into practice. When we do that, the whole team feels involved. And all of a sudden, the ‘new’ process doesn’t seem new anymore.”

It’s important to make sure that the team feels like each decision is a group decision, and not something that’s being forced upon them. An anonymous survey is a really good idea here because it’ll allow each team member to honestly communicate their needs and what they feel needs to be improved in the current system. More importantly, make sure that you listen to their requests and address them when proposing the new changes. Once your colleagues feel like they’re being involved in the decision making process and their opinions are valued, they’ll be much more receptive to your proposal.

Find your ringleaders

Your ring leaders won’t necessarily be managers. Instead, think of them as influencers. They could simply be well-liked team players whom other staff look up to and tend to follow. These are the people on your team who are open to trying new tech and excited about change. The idea is to use these members of your team to demonstrate the benefits of the new system, rather than simply talking about it.

These team members are invaluable because they’re also a great source of information re: how the team in general is feeling about the new tech, and for feedback on any further adaptations that may be needed. If you can get your key ring leaders on board, the rest will tend to follow suit.

Gamify the system

Gamification is a proven means of improving productivity in the workplace, so this is an excellent time to apply it in order to keep your team engaged. Whether you offer rewards such as bonuses, prizes, or time off, the idea is to create a buzz in your team and keep morale at an all-time high to make the process fun and keep your team motivated.

Keep your colleagues updated with the improvements

You really have to highlight all of the “wins” you encounter from your new tech, regardless of how small they may seem. Did your sales team hit their quota a few days early? Brilliant! Why not reward them to demonstrate even further how this new system is working to their benefit. Are specific team members doing better? Send individual emails or weekly team updates that acknowledge the improvements in their work.

Digital transformation in your business should be an exciting time. Yes, it’ll be stressful, but it’ll be a lot less stressful if you follow these key steps in the onboarding process.

Remember, all your colleagues want is to feel included in and decision-making that happens within your organization. If you keep that in mind and take note of their suggestions along the way, your transition will be a much smoother one.

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