Hyper-personalisation: The key to successful workplace tech adoption

When it comes to consumer experience, personalization is a top priority for many organizations.

Take Netflix for example, who have become masters at personalized recommendations for films and TV shows that keeps their customers engaged, or even Spotify and their newly released personal ‘DJ’.

Whether you like it or not, personalization works. This is because it enhances the overall user experience, and in turn, leaves customers coming back for more.

But when it comes to workplace tech, personalization is often neglected, and it’s impacting adoption rates significantly.

The current state of workplace tech adoption

It’s estimated that a whopping 3 out of 4 digital initiatives are unsuccessful, which is pretty scary when you consider the huge costs involved in a digital transformation project.

There’s not just the software purchase to think about, but deployment, infrastructure and personnel costs, too.

So, when a workforce isn’t adopting new tech, the return on investment quickly diminishes.

As well as ROI (or lack thereof), unsuccessful digital transformation projects can negatively impact both your employees and the organization as a whole. This might include:

• Decreased productivity
• Reduced efficiency
• Missed opportunities
• Increased costs
• Frustration and disengagement
• Competitive disadvantage
• Security risks
• Compliance issues
• Employee resistance
• Incomplete data and analytics

Despite this, many organizations are still keen to adopt new technology as a means to keep pace with competitors and maintain their growth.

Causes of poor tech adoption

Poor user experience

Tech that doesn’t prioritise the needs and preferences of end-users is more likely to face resistance.

Your employees are more likely to adopt tech that aligns with their workflows and makes their job easier. If a tech tool is clunky, unintuitive, or fails to address specific user needs, adoption rates will plummet.

Insufficient training

Inadequate training and support often leaves employees feeling overwhelmed and ill-equipped to use new tech effectively, and when an employee isn’t trained properly, they’re less likely to embrace it.

Comprehensive training programs are essential in bridging that knowledge gap.

Lack of buy-in

Not involving employees early in the implementation journey will only frustrate and disengage employees from the onset.

Employees are often resistant to new tech because it disrupts their routines, or doesn’t align with their preferences, so making them feel involved in the decision is paramount.

In some cases, employees may even fear job displacement so ensure you make objectives clear.

Similarly, if your leadership team is not fully supportive, it will send mixed messages to your employees, so get their buy-in from the onset.

The importance of personalization

Working from home really emphasized the need for a personalized workspace, and how a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t work anymore.

Flexibility is key

If you work from home, consider your physical workspace for a moment.

Just being able to choose whether you sit, stand, listen to music, sit in silence, light a candle, or when to take a break will significantly boost your productivity and well-being.

Personalizing your digital workplace shouldn’t be any different.

Sadly though, many organizations continually force their employees to consume tech and information in a way that suits them, not the individual employee.

Take a typical SharePoint intranet, for example.

Yes, you might be able to access information most relevant to you, but it will only ever be in a way that your organization has designed it.

What about if you could tailor it to exactly how you wanted it? From how it looks, the layout, or what quick links you wanted.

Chances are, you’ll be more inclined to use it.

And let’s not forget the additional benefits that hyper-personalization brings, such as tackling issues around diversity and inclusion.

How to personalize your workplace technology

Whilst personalization is a powerful feature of workplace technology, developing and implementing it isn’t always easy, but there are steps you can consider:

Customizable interfaces

Allow users to tailor their tech interfaces to their liking, such as choosing preferred layouts and widgets.

Relevant content delivery

Use algorithms to curate and deliver content that’s most relevant to each employee’s role and responsibilities.

Adaptive learning

Provide personalized training paths and resources that are most relevant to each role.

User-centric design

Involve your employees in the design process to ensure your tech aligns with their needs.

Data-driven insight

Leverage data and analytics to understand user behaviors and preferences.

Continuous feedback

Encourage employees to provide feedback, and use it to refine and enhance your tech.

Training and Support

Offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to help employees make the most of their tech and how to personalize it.

Start small

Don’t overwhelm employees with too many personalization options at once.

Communicate the benefits

Clearly convey how personalization can enhance their work experience.

Monitor and iterate

Continuously monitor engagement and iterate on personalization features.

Stay flexible

Be open to adjusting personalization options as your employee’s needs evolve.

The missing puzzle piece

Personalization really is the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to successful workplace tech adoption.

By tailoring tech to an individual level, organizations can significantly increase adoption rates, enhance productivity, and ultimately boost the bottom line.

So embrace personalization in your digital transformation journey, and watch your employees thrive.