Freshworks, a software company that enables employees to exceed customer expectations, today reveals new research on workplace technology. This research shows that companies worldwide are facing a potential crisis in the workplace due to inadequate technology. This is detrimental to employee productivity and mental health and the ability to retain talent. While the global shift to hybrid work has caused the largest increase in technology investments in history, an overwhelming 91% of employees report being frustrated by inadequate technology to do their jobs.
Technology is not keeping pace with employee expectations
During the pandemic, companies according to KPMG spent the equivalent of $15 billion extra per week on technology to enable remote work. Despite the rapid changes in our way of working that resulted from this, Freshworks found that employees reported widespread failures in the workplace technology they use daily. Key complaints include slow speeds (51%), long response times from IT teams (34%), lack of collaboration between departments (30%), missing key features/capabilities (28%), and a lack of automation (25%).
In their efforts to get employees to embrace new technology and tools, leaders say their biggest challenge is difficult-to-use applications with a steep learning curve (68%). More than two-thirds (69%) of leaders feel that employees do not get enough time to learn how to use new software and that the benefits are often not adequately explained to employees (67%).
Good technology provides a strategic advantage in the battle for talent
As the battle for talent rages on and half (44%) of employees worldwide are still considering changing jobs, user-friendly technology is a crucial factor for employee satisfaction. While salary and benefits are the main reasons for changing jobs, the lack of flexible work options and innovative technology are in the top five. This is acknowledged by business leaders worldwide, 71% of whom recognize that employees will consider looking for a new employer if their current job does not provide access to the tools, technology, or information they need to do their jobs well.
Wider business implications of inadequate technology
The employee experience is not the only thing affected by inadequate workplace technology; it is also detrimental to the business in a broader sense. Freshworks' research shows that outdated technology limits company productivity, as frustrated employees struggle with daily IT challenges. More than half (57%) of dissatisfied employees say their current software makes them less productive. Almost half (44%) of surveyed employees say the time they spend solving technological issues has increased since the pandemic began.
Even more concerning is that employee stress levels are skyrocketing due to inadequate workplace technology; nearly half (49%) of surveyed employees say that inadequate workplace technology causes them stress and 48% claim it has negatively impacted their mental health. Business leaders agree, with 38% reporting that they feel stressed because they are failing to deliver adequate workplace technology to their stakeholders. And in an extreme indicator, nearly half of business leaders (48%) say they want to leave the tech industry due to stress from hybrid working.
"The software used in the workplace simply cannot keep pace with rising employee expectations," says Stacey Epstein, Chief Marketing Officer at Freshworks. "Our report shows that clinging to bloated, outdated platforms fundamentally harms productivity and the employee experience. This technological inertia could not come at a worse time, as organizations around the world fight to maintain control over both the talent shortage and economic uncertainty, creating threats on two fronts."
The research
Download part 1 of the 'State of Workplace Technology' series titled: 'Workplace Tech: The New Battleground for the War on Talent, Productivity & Reputation'.
Part 2, 'Bloatware: The Difference Between Love and Hate for Workplace Technology', will be available in July.
