When it comes to technology, most business owners want their employees to know how to use the devices and applications that are available. That’s important, because you can’t get a good return on investment from your tools if your team isn’t taking advantage of them.
However, what your employees know about tech shouldn’t begin and end with simple tutorials. To get the most productivity – and avoid expensive problems – they should have some context as well.
To give you a sense of what we mean and why it matters, here are four things your employees should know about your company’s tech and tech policies…
#1 Their Personal Responsibilities
There are probably dozens of things around your office or business that team members use as part of their daily work. The more complicated or expensive these items are, the more important it is that employees know what they can and can’t do with them.
For instance, you might have guidelines that prohibit personal use, require regular cleaning (or even disinfectants in today’s world), or specify that they not attempt repairs on their own. You may also want certain piece of expensive hardware to be “off limits” to most of your team. These are all things that should be spelled out and agreed to in writing.
#2 Your Company’s Policies
Most businesses of any size are going to have a tech and social media policy that should also be signed by employees. These could cover rules about confidentiality, password strength, or even which apps can be downloaded to company-owned equipment.
The goal of these policies isn’t necessarily to be restrictive, but to ensure that everyone on your team understands what’s acceptable. These rules can help you stave off cyber attacks and other issues that can become expensive very quickly.
#3 Where They Can Direct Suggestions
On the other side of the coin, your employees see things you don’t. They may work more directly with customers, attend trade shows you can’t, or have access to information through professional associations.
As a result, they might spot a need or opportunity you wouldn’t be aware of. You should have some way for them to pass along their tech -related observations and suggestions. You might not always act on them, but you don’t want to miss out on a chance to save or make money because one of your employees wasn’t sure where to turn.
#4 Who to Call and Trust
Whether you have an in-house IT team, and outsourced vendor, or both, your employees should know who to call for problems and requests. They should also know what sort of information they should or shouldn’t give out to others.
Few things are as frustrating as finding out one of your team members gave away passwords or other critical information to someone who shouldn’t have had access to it. You can prevent that by setting up a clear chain of communication for everyone in your company.
Is Your Business Using Tech Effectively?
Technology can be an expense, a necessity, or an advantage depending on the quality of your vision and information. If you feel like you haven’t been getting as much from your IT budget as you could be, this is a great time to speak to the Fantastic IT sales team to schedule a free consultation. You might be amazed at what we can do for you!