Embrace technology or lose out…

?Productivity? was the buzzword of the summer budget and it continues to make its way up the government agenda. But experts have warned that a workforce ?disengaged? from technology will lead to worryingly low levels of productivity in workplaces across the UK.

Technology is now vital in ensuring productivity, primarily by streamlining processes, which would take longer and slow employees down if the tech to complete tasks wasn?t there, Paul Statham CEO and Founder of Condeco Software says.

Based on some measures, Britain is now around a fifth less productive per worker than the G7 average and 40% below the US. But each company can help improve this by implementing measures that allow for both collaborative and flexible working.

By 2025, 75% of the workforce will be millennials. In order to attract and retain this talent, businesses will need to embrace the technological tools these members of staff have grown accustomed to using. The culture of the workplace is also changing, with more people demanding flexible working than ever before so offices must be managed with that in mind.

Statham, comments: ?The way the office is managed can help dictate the culture of the office and make it a truly modern workplace.

?Not only can technology help with the day to day running of businesses, but it can also improve its output. The best ideas come from staff when they work together, so empowering collaborative working will increase productivity, drive growth, and in turn increase revenue,? he added.

According to research from TowersWatson, more than 60 per cent of employees are ?unsupported, detached or disengaged? from technology, so half of a workforce can be disengaged at any point in time. Changing that and adapting could make a huge difference to a firm?s productivity levels. Likewise, not helping employees who aren?t as technologically adept as the rest of their colleagues will have an equally as damaging effect on productivity.

Read more on technology and office productivity at bit.ly/1edHQ8H