Tech is super important for making businesses run better, faster, and stand out from the crowd. For small businesses, updating their tech can be a big chance to grow, but it can also be tough. A lot of small businesses aren’t updating their tech. In fact, more than 30% haven’t made any updates in over four years.
Why? Well, some reasons include not having enough money, not knowing how to update their tech, or just thinking the old ways are good enough.
But, updating your tech can bring a lot of good stuff. One study showed that 45% of businesses that updated their tech saw better returns on their tech investments. Other pluses include keeping employees around longer, lower risk of cyber attacks, and getting more work done in less time.
How to Start Modernizing Workforce Technology
Want to make your small business’s tech better? Here are some ideas to help you start.
Assess Your Current Technology
The first step to modernize your workforce technology is to take a good look at the tech you’re using right now. Figure out what’s working well and what’s not. Spot any old or outdated stuff and think about where new tech could make things better. Knowing where you stand with your tech is super important. It’s the first step to making a plan that really works to update and improve everything.
Make Your Tech Goals Match Your Business Goals
Tech shouldn’t just be its own thing, it should help you achieve your business goals. So, figure out how tech can make your business better, like helping you connect with customers more or making your work smoother and reaching more people. Make sure that updating your tech helps you move towards your big business goals.
Consider Adopting the Cloud
The cloud is a big deal for businesses, big and small. It can help small businesses grow, be more flexible, and save money. So you should at least think about moving your important apps and information to the cloud. It makes it easier for people to work together, keep data safe, and even makes updating software simpler. Plus, it saves you time and effort for other big projects.
Get Tools That Help People Work Together
Talking and working together well is very important for small businesses. Get tools that help your team work together easily, no matter where they are. Think about using things like video calls, project planning apps, and tools for sharing files. These can help your team work better together and get more done. Plus, they’re great for keeping everyone connected, even if they’re working from different places.
Boost Your Cybersecurity
With more online threats popping up, keeping your business safe online should be a top priority, especially when you’re updating your tech. So make sure when you modernize your workforce technology that you have strong security steps in place! This means looking after sensitive data, keeping customer details safe, and protecting the main parts of your business.
Some key security steps are:
- Use firewalls (and make sure to configure them right!)
- Installing next gen antivirus software
- Updating your systems regularly
- Training your team on security
- Being ready to spot and deal with threats
Mobile Friendly Solutions
While not every business they don’t fit with every business strategy, mobile solutions can be very valuable. In today’s fast-moving world, mobile-tech is everywhere, which makes support for it important. Make sure your business tools work well on phones and tablets. This lets your team work smoothly from any device, anywhere. It makes things more flexible and meets what your employees expect – being able to work while on the move.
Consider Remote Work Options
As more and more businesses modernize their workforce technology, more and more people are working from home. So it’s a good idea for small businesses to get ready for this change by making work flexible. Update your tech so your team can work from anywhere easily. This helps everyone stay connected and keep being productive, even when they’re not in the office.
Use Automation to Work Smarter
Automation can make a big difference in how smoothly your small business runs. So look for the tasks that you do over and over again and take a lot of time. Oftentimes, you can use automation to handle these tasks more quickly. Think about using chatbots for answering customer questions or systems that automatically send out bills. Using automation helps save time for your team and can cut down on mistakes in everyday jobs.
Keep Training and Supporting Your Team
When you bring in new tech, it’s important to keep teaching and helping your team use it. Make sure your employees know how to use the new tools well. You might need to run some training sessions, make easy-to-understand guides, and have a way to help them with any problems they run into as they’re learning.
Keep Up with New Tech
Tech changes all the time. So to stay on top, you need to keep an eye on the latest tech trends and be ready to change with them. Check out what’s new in tech often and talk to your IT folks. They can help you find new tools that might be good for your business. Staying proactive with technology can often help your small business keep up with the competition.
Need Help Modernizing Your Workforce Technology?
Upgrading your team’s tech isn’t just about picking something off the shelf, it’s about making a plan that fits your business just right. With the right approach, small businesses can really make the most of new technology, improving how they work and setting themselves up for long-term success in today’s digital world.
Looking for a hand with updating your team’s technology? Let’s talk! Book a quick call to set up a time to chat.
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