Technology is influencing the culture of your work. The question is, will it create intended positive results or sidetrack the organization’s mission?
Powerful tools are giving leadership deeper understanding of their organization’s culture and work dynamics. They besides provide a way to get ahead of issues that could handicap success.
We see this as an emerging field of “culture technology,” a multidisciplinary, science-based approach to improve work culture. It seeks to help everyone — from senior leadership to cub workers — collaborate to build an intentional and purposeful culture.
We have seen Top works solicit feedback and drive meaty dialogue with workers in a way that builds trust and makes workers feel detected. For example, companies are exploitation short pulse questions in between annual surveys to track yearly progress.
Others have set up anonymous transmission where workers can provide feedback in a safe way.
Leaders of Top works know culture is the foundation of success, and they know how to use technology to create a better work environment. The challenge is looking past the apparent role of technology — efficiency and speed – and understanding how to engage the human spirit.
The new confluence of disciplines has the potential to well improve the key relationships that make up our work experience, from a person’s relationship with their work, their manager, colleagues — and the organization itself.
This requires going on the far side traditional internal communication theory efforts so much as town halls, executive videocasts, or IM-jams.
Rather, it involves setting up communication transmission workers can use to collaborate, build community, recognize one some other and provide candid feedback without fear of repercussion or exposure.
In the big picture, we know technology is a huge point of discussion and debate, from privacy issues to security issues. Still, we’re all slaves to our email and instant electronic electronic messaging transmission.
We’re getting a higher quality of life in the microinstant, but in the broader sense, it’s not clear what we’re getting accomplished, certainly in terms of work. The amount of time we spend communication and the amount of time we spend working influences productivity, which is not demonstrably going up.
Developing quality transmission of communication in the work focuses on positioning and copulative. Culture technology can provide a level of insight into your culture and shape how to make it better.
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When done right, technology brings people together. And that’s important, because alignment is a key pillar for any high-performing organization. But when done wrong, technology polarizes people.
So, how do you use technology for good in the work? Start with an approach that celebrates the positive aspects of your culture, and build real connections based on trust and appreciation. Constructively channel negative emotions that inevitably arise, and educate senior leadership to accept and act on the feedback.
If we are intentional about how technology impacts our culture, we can create more productive works, truly aligned teams, stronger connections, a better coaching job job environment, better effectiveness. Focus on a Top work culture as an outcome. That’s the best use of technology, and it drives better business results.
Doug Claffey is CEO and co-founder of Energage, a culture technology firm that specializes in worker engagement and work improvement research.