Syed Ali is the CEO of Ezo. Ezo asset management and intelligence solutions increase agility and decrease business costs worldwide.
For decades, technology has been presented as the ultimate catalyst for productivity, promising breakthroughs in efficiency, creativity and innovation. From Automation of AI to Cloud Computing, these tools have reshaped entire industries and transformed our way of working. However, the overall productivity growth has been slow.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, productivity gains in the business sector are only averaged 1.3% per year Between 2005 and 2019, with little sign of improvement despite the deployment and adoption of multiple advanced technologies.
Why are these technological advances not up to their productivity potential? From my point of view as a founder and CEO of a technological company, it is clear that the problem is not the technology itself, but instead, it is how we integrate and use it.
Productivity is not only to have the latest tools; It is a question of using these tools in a way that really improves workflows and authorizes employees.
Technology as a tool, not a panacea
McKinsey reports how many organizations do not fully capture The value of AI tools, often faced with important implementation challenges.
Advanced technologies such as AI and automatic learning are not plug-and-play solutions for productivity. It is a question of incorporating these tools within the organization in a thoughtful way, by ensuring that they complete rather than complicate the work.
Take the development of AI -assisted software, for example. Although AI tools can speed up coding tasks by generating platforms, they can also introduce a new layer of complexity, often leading to unforeseen breakdown and debugging problems.
In a case, our development team found itself spending more time correcting the code generated by AI than if they had done so manually. The lesson? The integration of tools like AI must be approached with prudence and objective, by ensuring that they are used for tasks where they really add value rather than adding to the workload of employees.
Occupied is not constructive
An important problem with productivity is the false idea that being occupied often is equivalent to efficiency. In many organizations, employees are flooded with tasks and deadlines, creating an environment that favors activity on results.
For example, a recent survey has reported that 58% of time Passed to work is always lost in “work coordination” rather than for strategic work. This leaves less room for impactful contributions.
To solve these problems, it will be important for managers to pass their objective of measuring the completion of tasks to the measurement of results. By moving away from monitoring daily activities and focusing on the results obtained, my company noticed a marked improvement in the team’s performance.
Although I think you should continue to encourage employees to use automation for repetitive tasks, managers should ask questions such as: “Do our productivity measures simply follow agitation, or are they aligned with significant results?”
Approach professional exhaustion in the era of the change in constant technology
The relentless pace of the adoption of technology can have a serious number for employees, especially those who occupy them. Professional exhaustion is not only the result of long hours, but it is often motivated by the mental pressure to follow the tools and systems constantly evolving. To really take up this challenge, I believe that leaders must cultivate a workplace culture that enhances mental well-being as much as technical growth.
This means defining realistic deadlines for technological implementation and prioritizing training that not only shows employees how to use new tools, but also explains why and when behind them.
Build a culture of using intelligent technology
In order for technology to really improve productivity, it must be integrated into a first approach. While a recent KPMG report indicates that 70% of workers are “open to delegate as much as possible to AI to reduce their workloads”, showing growing comfort with technology, managers should invest in training that goes beyond technical skills to include decision-making and critical thinking. It is important to help employees understand when and how to take advantage of the technology most effectively.
Encourage employees to use the right tools for good tasks – while giving them the freedom to experiment and adjust their workflows – helps create an environment where technology is a catalyst, not an obstacle.
Tools like chatgpt can be ideal for brainstorming, but may not be as effective for structured and high precision tasks. Managers must guide the teams to be demanding in using tools to maximize productivity.
Kiss technology with a human touch
I believe that the future of productivity does not only reside in technology, but in the way we use it to amplify human potential. This means creating workplaces where technology is used as a tool to improve – not to replace – human creativity and problem solving. Emphasis should be placed on thoughtful strategic integration which considers the needs of employees, training and well-being.
By going from an approach to technology first to an approach to people, we can unlock productivity gains that are both significant and lasting. The objective is not only more work in less time. It is a question of creating environments where employees can work smarter, with tools that really support them. It is only then that we will achieve the real potential for productivity of modern technology.
Forbes Business Council is the most important growth and networking organization for business owners and managers. Am I qualified?