In today’s complex workplace, a workflow simplification program can offer a number of benefits – from increased employee productivity to greater satisfaction levels.
Below, we will explore these problems in depth, including:
- The factors that work to create today’s complex work environment
- The problems that an overly complex work environment can create
- How a workflow simplification program can help … and how to create one
To start off, let’s better understand the underlying factors that combine to make employees’ work environments more complex and, unfortunately, less productive.
The Problem: A Digital, Complex Work Environment
Today’s workplace is becoming more complex and fast-paced by the day, thanks in large part to the influx of modern technology.
Technology is not the only cause, of course.
Other factors can include:
- The complexity of digital tools
- The physical work environment
- Business process design
- Organizational communication systems
- Management and leadership styles
In short, the entire set of variables that impact the employee experience – alongside the exploding amount of information and content that we confront on a daily basis – combine to make already-complex work environments even more complicated.
There are plenty of problems associated with this complexity, including:
- Information overload
- Cognitive overload
- Inefficiency
- Fragmented workflows
- A lack of skills
- Low productivity
- Employee confusion
- Frustration and resistance
Fortunately, however, organizations can take deliberate steps to mitigate these problems and simplify the workplace.
The Solution: A Digital Workflow Simplification Program
A workflow simplification program, as the name implies, is designed to deliberately reduce complexity.
There are several benefits to such a program – especially one that leverages digital technology to achieve its aims:
- An improved, simpler employee experience
- Greater employee satisfaction levels
- Higher engagement
- Decreased confusion and frustration
- Boosted proficiency, productivity, and performance
Because a workflow simplification program improves the employee experience, it can also positively affect other employee metrics, such as employee retention and loyalty.
Also, implementing digital technology to streamline workflows is much less costly – and more scalable – than non-digital approaches.
The forward-thinking HR professional, training manager, or employee experience specialist would therefore stand to gain a great deal from a digital program.
Now, let’s look at how to create a digital adoption program that can help achieve all of these aims, and more.
Integrate digital onboarding and training practices into the employee onboarding process
Digital onboarding and training focus exclusively on software onboarding and product onboarding.
Today, the digital side of the employee experience is crucial. After all, the majority of enterprise workers’ time is spent inside a digital work environment.
Here are a few useful components to include in a digital onboarding and training program:
- Product tours that familiarize users with software tools, their features, and their capabilities
- In-app walkthroughs that help users learn workflows quickly and easily
- Fast access to technical support, in order to decrease productivity downtime and further improve the user experience
- Data and analytics that can be used to understand and improve onboarding efforts
These training approaches eliminate a great deal of waste inherent in most other training methods, such as classroom training or even online training.
However, to truly streamline employee workflows and maintain programs that are up-to-date and relevant, it pays to invest in the right training software.
Automate onboarding and training with digital adoption solutions
Ironically, technology can be used to simplify the work environment and solve many of the complexities associated with software.
Digital adoption solutions are employee training platforms that can automate a great deal of the training process.
They can be used to:
- Design walkthroughs and product tours
- Analyze user behavior
- Develop comprehensive, automated training programs
- Reduce software onboarding and training complexity
- Automate tasks and workflows
- Decrease technical support calls and costs
Naturally, these platforms are not a cure-all for workplace complexity.
However, effectively using a digital adoption solution – also known as a digital adoption platform (DAP) – can dramatically streamline the employee experience and reduce workplace complexity.
Make and manage organizational changes that align the workplace with a digital adoption strategy
A digital adoption strategy focuses on goals such as:
- Creating a digital workplace that is simplified, streamlined, and efficient
- Using platforms and technology for their intended purpose and to their fullest extent
- Increasing employee productivity by boosting proficiency, time-to-competency, and other performance metrics
- Maximizing software ROI
- Aligning the digital workplace with digital transformation efforts, digital adoption strategies, and the organization’s strategy
Ultimately, all digital training efforts lead to adoption.
And one of the main goals of adoption is to close the gap between workers and their digital tools, building a seamless and effective digital work environment.
In the digital enterprise, digital adoption is fast becoming a priority, precisely because this approach can streamline work environments, improve workforce productivity, and create a better employee experience.
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WalkMe Team
WalkMe spearheaded the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) for associations to use the maximum capacity of their advanced resources. Utilizing man-made consciousness, AI, and context-oriented direction, WalkMe adds a powerful UI layer to raise the computerized proficiency, everything being equal.