Losing your temper with technology? Cascade can help!

With modern working life now intrinsically linked with technology, the UK has seen an inevitable rise in the number of workers growing increasing frustrated with the limitations that a reliance on electrical equipment can bring.

A recent survey of 2,000 employees found that 32 per cent can lose patience with workplace technology after just 30 seconds. The top three issues sighted were slow internet (50 per cent), frozen computers (47 per cent), and slow computers (40 per cent). A further fifth (or 21 per cent) also reported los

ing their temper over equipment at work at least once a week.

London, Belfast and Sheffield also emerged from the study as the cities with the most short-fused employees, with people becoming irritable after just 54 seconds.

Time spent waiting for a slow computer is very frustrating, and can quickly add up. The average person loses valuable time waiting for their PC to start functioning again, as well as becoming distracted and not returning to their tasks immediately once their PC is working.

Outdated IT systems can be particularly troublesome for multiple teams trying to work together across different locations, leading to frequent breakdowns in communication.Much of this stems from poor planning, changing priorities, immediate lack of resources and the failure to actively track technology depreciation by senior management.

So, how can HR help?

HR can actively support and encourage colleagues who are dealing with poor quality technology – ensuring that they understand the process for reporting tech issues, and escalating them to senior management as urgent cases for change.

Suggest setting up and chairing frequent ‘technology management meetings’ between IT and senior management, on a monthly or bi-monthly basis depending on the scale of both your organisation itself and the intricacies of your IT systems.

Examine your HR system setup – you may well be able to set up triggers or alerts to remind yourself and the IT team when certain software or hardware licensing expires, when server maintenance is due, or when specific products reach ‘end of life’ and need replacing altogether.

Encourage technical Health and Safety awareness within your business – ask employees’ to remain vigilant and report any potential hazards such as trailing wires/cables and out of date PAT certificates.

Setup a regular ‘technology feedback’ survey to be conducted at set times. This should ensure that all employees’ views are heard, and could also be a helpful way of identifying any common problems or issues within your wider technology infrastructure.

Having the right HR software at your fingertips can help to alleviate the frustrations that working with technology can bring.

 Whether you’re considering investing in your very first HR and Payroll system, or you’re looking to upgrade from an existing package, why not join us for a FREE Masterclass in London or Leeds this September, and find the perfect HR software provider for you?