Technology Integration and Foundations for Effective Leadership

Nika GoddardFreelancer
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The revolutions brought on by the integration of advanced technology into the workplace cannot be underestimated. In the course of a couple of decades, IT has reshaped the way that we conduct business. These developments have brought on a surprising amount of changes in the way leadership is viewed.

Thanks to social media and the prevalence of smartphones, it’s now taken for granted that workplace leaders are able to contact employees at any hour of day or night. However, with this great power comes great responsibility.


For good leadership, it’s essential that employers understand that their employees are no longer on the company dime once they have left the building. While it may be possible for many workers to continue their work outside of the office, that is by no means what should be expected of them. If your employees are comfortable putting in extra time outside of the office, don’t take it for granted, and certainly don’t expect them to just because they can. 


Further to this, it’s often tempting to use social media such as Facebook as a means of communicating with employees. Unless you’re using it in relation to something social such as an event, this is definitely not a professional way of going about things. Work email addresses exist for a reason, and many people would much rather maintain some kind of separation from their workplace, rather than have it permeate every aspect of their life.


Increased Flexibility Is Changing the Way We Work


As far as technology and leadership within the workplace go, it’s worthwhile considering investing in a respected and effective system for communicating with your employees. There are many such programs on offer, and they make workplace communications and projects far simpler. They’re also a great way to quickly and conveniently delegate when necessary, and keep track of work carried out. 


One of the best things about these systems is the fact that you can easily remove the need to actually pull people up on various things. For instance, most programs are able to set deadlines [EE Editor: Watch out for browser focus stealing popups!] and remind employees when they are overdue. This is effective, and removes the need for an employer to complain and cause problems.


Ensure Time Is Being Spent Wisely


While the benefits of technological innovation in the workplace are evident, they are not always a great alternative to actually sitting down face to face. That said, it’s all too easy to fall into a habit of endless meetings when they aren’t actually necessary. 


Many people in the workplace feel obliged to make an account of themselves at such meetings, and unnecessary questions can drag out a meeting that is already superfluous. It’s worthwhile considering how much you actually need to bring together your employees in a room. Further to that, technological innovation has allowed for massive flexibility when it comes to an actual physical presence in a workplace. 


As workplace leader, you may want to consider making the most out of this newfound flexibility. Increasing studies have shown that many employees perform far better when they aren’t constricted by a working week that puts them in front of a computer for five days in a row. Technology is able to facilitate changes in workplace culture that are long overdue. You may want to consider consulting your employees to find out how they feel about taking on a certain amount of working from home, or flexible hours. 


Even if they don’t feel the need to take you up on it, the knowledge that you are prepared to allow them can make major changes. Flexibility, more than anything else, ought to be one of the biggest developments brought about by technology integration in the workplace.  [EE Editor: Watch out for browser focus stealing popups!]  It has become almost a joke how general technological advances are heralded as labor-saving when they generally turn out to be nothing of the kind. Today, with the advent of automation, major changes in the way we view work are needed. 


These are just a few of the best ways you can integrate technology into your workplace for more effective leadership. Automation and ever more sophisticated programs can be a genuine blessing if they are managed correctly. If not, we can look forward to nothing more than increased wasted time in front of a computer monitor. Workplace culture seems set to change for the better, and it could be worth your while ensuring that you are ahead of the curve.



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