Paper Sample on The Digital Revolution: Managing Change in Corporations

Introduction

In the modern era, frequent technological changes and advancements have continued to accelerate. These developments affect organizational policies and strategies as business corporations try to adjust to the new changes. Factors such as advanced technology, competition, enhancement of employee efficiency, new management and leadership, and repaid growth are some of the critical issues that generate challenges for firms to solve. The behaviors and attitudes of employees must be meet the acceptable standards for organizations to achieve the expected and desired performance from them. The appropriate use of modern technology with responsive corporate leadership has a great potential to motivate employees’ performance.

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The Role of Technology within Companies

Technology is very crucial in businesses in today’s world as it plays a significant role in determining the productivity of a business. Maintaining the relevance of the organization and good customer relations are enabled by technology. It also helps in the maintenance of data flow about the company as well as employee records. It further aids in the management of contacts and the tracking of processes. Technology plays a significant role in the running of organizations by promoting efficiency and effectiveness with minimized workforce use. The minimized workforce saves money for the organization through a reduction in the cost of business operations, which leads to increased profits. Through technology, organizations are also able to keep in contact with suppliers and consumers. It also influences the quality of services given by organizations through conducting thorough research and identifying gaps in the market, which helps in beating competitors.

Opportunities and Challenges for Companies to Use Technology

Organizational behavior provides an understanding of the employee’s behavior and performance in an organization. It helps organizations identify areas that need improvement to establish and maintain a strong relationship with the employees and improve their performance through proper motivation. Just as technology influences our everyday lives, it also influences the modern workplace with effects on every aspect of an organization. Therefore, companies need to incorporate technology in fostering good relations as well as boost productivity.

One of the opportunities for companies to use technology is in the empowerment of employees through the provision of freedom to plan their schedules, procedures, and operations with minimal supervision from their supervisors or managers. Many programs are available for companies to use in enhancing the coordination of teams without availing themselves at the workplace. The employees can plan themselves accordingly and can work remotely. The freedom bestowed on them influences a sense of responsibility when carrying out their duties. Moreover, freedom enables employees to have a balanced life through proper management of their professional and personal lives, which leads to efficiency and productivity.

An organization can also use technology to conduct the training and development of its employees. Online training eliminates the need to cancel or workaround many schedules. The employees can learn during their free time, thus not affecting their work. It also provides more in-depth insight into the employees, for example, their organization and multitasking skills. Another benefit technology offers to an organization is improved communication. Companies can use technology in enforcing teamwork by enhancing interdepartmental communications. Electronic communication also reduces time wastage, moving from one office to another. The employees are also able to communicate and consult each other when they are not working from the office.

However, the use of technology in organizations comes with several limitations. Firstly, it causes employee burnout. The fact that employees are supposed to attend to arising issues even when they are not at work brings frustrations and burnouts. Their schedules are interrupted when they have to reply to e-mails from clients or to help their colleagues or when conducting team assignments.

Electronic communication does not bring out real emotions as compared to face-to-face communication. The manager or supervisor is not able to assess the employees accurately. Technological failure, for instance, internet breakdown, can also halt the operations in an organization. Such incidents are unavoidable and unpredictable and can have a tremendous negative impact on the running and productivity of an organization.

How HR Managers Can Overcome the Challenges Associated With the Use of Technology by Employees within a Company

Human resource managers have a challenge of handling the personnel, and with the technology emergence, it becomes more complicated. The twists technology has introduced the managers with strategies to overcome the combined challenge. It is then upon managers to realize the problems and solutions for the smooth running and motivation of employees.

Technology in any organization brings change from all angles. The changes imminently affect the employees so much that they create behavioral changes, and even the way work is done. Employees, therefore, develop a resistance to change as the technology use will mean various ways of handling the work. Because jobs handled without technology is different from the technology-driven post, it means a shift in dynamics and paradigms within an organization. The change threatens positions and disorients the work, and this is where the HR manager comes—the manager then devices how the challenge is treated positively and is used to motivate employees. The employment of motivation in acceptance of duties related to technology is a score for the HR in both encouraging skill-set and use of technology among the employees.

Information technology is dynamic, and its introduction to the organization puts the employee on toes. Considering the skills possessed by employees and the experience over the past, it is a risk to continue with the same tradition. Technology needs a prepared employee to use it with comfort. The HR manager has to handle the challenge by developing a training plan for the employees. This training includes a set of goals that are t be met by the employees and also to beat the future possibilities of technology transformations. To ensure the challenge is overcome, the training manager and HR should evaluate through experimental work or surveys. This evaluation will also meet the criteria in which HR will enable us to see the motivation and attitude towards technology. By the end of equipping all people with technological tools, HR will be able to not future changes, the flexibility of employees, and what to improve.

HR managers face a generational mixed up workforce in any organization. The difference in the generations is so much an impact when it comes to technology use among the employees. There are four sets of generations, and the oldest one is fixed towards a choreographed work plan and believes systematically in handling work. The mid-range generations play in the middle of the technology and the old way of working. While the last generation, the millennials fully embrace the technology and, by no doubt, is attested. With this set of a challenge in mind, the HR would never want to put all eggs in a basket as it may be catastrophic in technology use. It is important then not to merge the generations in terms of training and evaluation, but instead, the HR device a method where separate sessions are held for respective generations. This generation separation will help the “baby boomers” generation to have ample time in grasping and implementing technology and reduce the risk of intimidation by the fast generation.

In a situation where the technology sets in, structural changes and priorities differ in the organization, but the goal will remain. Embracing technology entails new plans and ideas, including managerial changes. The changes are implemented by the departments in the organization and need approval. The proposal on tools, budget, what technology to use cost are considered. These proposals may seem to favor a group much and raise the conflict of interest internally. The top management, including HR, is presented with a plan to analyze the attributes and strategies towards tackling disputes. It is important to note that the role of HR is more inclined in employees’ affairs, and a challenge on conflict is on the heart of the management to resolve.

The approach of landing things in surprise is never welcomed, and technology is news that some of the staff feel impacted. Communication is vital and passed to employees via the HR desk. For the team to develop acceptance of the technology, a clear message should be given as to why there is a need for new technology and what benefits it will accompany. The managers can use different methods in passing the information, including mailings, briefings, and memos. Open communication is vital between the managers and employees and will foster a ready mind towards the changes to be made. In this case, the relationship triggers the organization as a whole to talk about new ways, capabilities, and contributions. Communication is an initial step towards the mind preparedness and acceptance of what is not seen. This preparedness will ease the challenge of managers in technology implementation.

Conclusion

Change is the biggest challenge in terms of technology, and most people stay rigid towards change. In the process of use of technology, HR should device ways and methods to motivate employees in the event employee gains loyalty to technology. The motivation is also dedicated to the commitment of work, and in turn, will shutter the challenge. The right way to ensure the technological challenge is capped.

The human resource department needs to develop strategies to combat challenges brought about by new technology systems to ensure successful integration in workplaces. One significant problem that can hinder the implementation of new technology in a firm is resistance to change. Employees often see technology as a threat to their roles in the company. The human resource department can tackle this problem by assuring employees of their worth and importance to the company. The human resources department should ensure employees’ job security to avoid resistance for fear of being replaced by machines that are considered faster and more reliable. It is vital to help employees realize that technology is just an aid to make workflow much more manageable and not interfere with their tasks. Firms should also avoid making drastic changes; instead, they should implement change gradually so that employees can find it easy to cope.

Initiating new technology can be affected by the unavailability of skilled labor. The human resource department should incorporate training programs, seminars, conferences, and education programs to keep their employees on par with new technology. Employees should be encouraged and motivated to learning and bettering their skills in line with the latest technology. Training of employees on new technology helps a firm develop its existing employees into crucial assets that the company can rely on long-term.