It’s easy to point the finger at technology when you’re not as productive at your AV integration firm as you otherwise could be. After all, technology can’t usually talk back, although with the increased used of data and metrics, it can give a fuller picture of the actual culprit. [related]
AVI Systems recently asked its newsletter subscribers and blog readers to share the areas where they see the most productivity loss in their offices. It’s probably not surprising that “technical issues” were seen as the biggest problem, with a 38 percent response.
A lack of training was the second-biggest trigger for productivity loss, with about 35 percent of people blaming that for the workforce slump in their companies. Inadequate resources rounded out the top three answers at about 27 percent.
It’s probably not surprising that work/life balance isn’t among the top three choices in the AVI Systems poll, but certainly the desire of today’s employees to have time for themselves, their families and friends outside of work can sometimes lead to less productivity.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’d certainly prefer a world where parents get to see their children’s school plays or coach them in soccer to one where the boss expects them to get to the office before the sun comes up and to leave long after their children are sleeping.
Procrastination, plain and simple, is another symptom of a lack of productivity, but who in their right mind would ever admit they’re doing that?
The productivity paradox
I’ve tried to distance myself from my phone and my work email on weekends in an effort to keep some separation between my work life and my personal life, but it’s not always easy. The same is true when I’m on vacation—even when that vacation takes me overseas and I’m paying for international access.
We’ve all become addicted to our technology to some degree and that’s created an around-the-clock, instant gratification mentality when it comes to getting a particular task done or meeting the needs of a client who has a problem that just can’t wait until the next morning.
I understand it—but I don’t love it.
This makes it sound like I’m a lazy person who doesn’t like to work hard, but that’s definitely not the case. I’d like to think I wouldn’t have been hired here in the first place if my bosses thought that was true and I certainly wouldn’t have been promoted twice since then if I proved that to be the case.
While even AV integration firms can’t do too much to solve overall technical issues that plague today’s workers, see if you can cure the problems with lack of training by making certifications and other educational opportunities available to your employees today.
They may not come right out and thank you for it, but they’ll appreciate it more than you realize. Don’t assume someone can just do a job they’ve never done because they’ve been with the company for a while. Get them the proper training to ensure they know what they’re doing.
