Safety Technology

Employees Want Technology at Work to Match Personal Technology

Feb. 6, 2019

Outdated processes and technology make their job more difficult according to 30% of manufacturing employees in a new survey.

EHS Today Staff

Nearly half of employees (48%) wish their workplace technology performed just like their personal technology, according to a recent survey by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated.

“Once upon a time, workplace technology was far more innovative and superior to anything that was available for consumer use,” said Joyce Maroney, executive director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos. “However, the tables have turned and the opposite is true today. The proliferation of the on-demand and gig economy apps that now dominate our everyday lives should prompt organizations to walk a mile in their employees’ shoes."

This lack of technology is having an effect on the employee experience according to some of the conclusions of the study below:

-- More than a third of employees surveyed worldwide (35 %) feel their job is harder than it should be because of outdated processes and legacy technology.

-- Fewer than a quarter of employees in the U.S. (22%) feel their workplace technology is more user-friendly than their personal technology. This sentiment is echoed globally: Germany (24%), Canada (20%), France (16%), Australia and New Zealand (13%), the U.K. (13%), and Mexico (8%).

-- Outdated processes and technology makes their job more difficult .as reported by employees in contract and field services (38%), logistics and transportation (33%), and manufacturing (29%).

--Younger employees in the U.S. are less tolerant of poor workplace technology than older employees. While just a fifth (20%) of Boomers think outdated processes and technology make their job harder than it should be, that figure steadily increases for Gen Xers (34%), older Millennials (38%), younger Millennials (40%), and Gen Z (39%).

To further drive the point home, 53% of contract and field service workers – who often don’t report to a central office – say it’s easier to talk to personal digital assistants like Alexa, Cortana, and Siri than to their manager.

“Those who empower employees with intuitive, responsive solutions that match the ease of use and real-time nature of their favorite apps will gain an important advantage in their efforts to recruit and retain top talent,” said Maroney.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.