The Consumerization Of IT And It's Impact In The Workplace

By: Guest Author, Kyle Lagunas

Consumer technologies are infiltrating the workplace. Employees have access to powerful tools, applications and networks at home, and expect that same access at work.

From employee and manager self-service portals to the growing number of social media elements in performance and learning management, the technology employees expect to find in the workplace is changing.

How will this shift--the consumerization of IT--impact the way an organization recruits, engages and manages its workforce?

I recently coordinated a roundtable with thought leaders across a range of Human Resources functions to participate in a discussion which sought to explore the challenges this trend poses--and to see what opportunity it presents to HR. Here are some of the highlights from that roundtable:

Lagunas: There’s a lot of conversation around the need for HR to position itself as a more strategic and consultative, rather than administrative and transactional, function. How might consumerization help (or hurt) efforts to that end?

Kevin W. Grossman, Chief Strategy Officer at HRMarketer.com: To me it’s obvious it’ll help, if it’s executed efficiently and effectively. Improved technologies, predictive data analytics, autonomy, impulse control and self-management—all of this means less employee relations nightmares, less time spent micro-managing, and more time freed up to guide and grow the enterprise into the 21st century. To be able to identify what needs to get done where and why and by whom and how soon, and then actually do it with individuals and teams all over the world—that's how consumerization is helping today.

Lagunas: Many organizations struggle with the unique challenges specific to recruiting and managing an increasingly mobile and tech-savvy workforce. How can HR tackle these challenges head on, and support leadership in these endeavors?

Bob Calamai, Director of HRM & Development at NYU/SCPS: We've come a really long way—from command and control management where if a manager didn't see you in your cubicle you weren't working. We're moving more quickly toward a workforce that is more scattered, and there are some basic management principles that leaders need to keep in mind. What do employees want? Targets, feedback—what's expected and how they're doing. If we ask, “How can a remote workforce linked to technology impact those things—positively or negatively?” that will spark some interesting conversations with your leadership.

Lagunas: There’s a widely-held view that access to consumer technology (social media, the Internet, mobile apps) will offer too many distractions, and negatively impact productivity. Do you agree or disagree?

Brandy Fulton, Vice President of HR Operations at Citrix Systems, Inc: The Internet, email, social media, mobile apps--all of those things that potentially represent a distraction from business are also enablers of business. Where would marketing be without social media? Where would people who do research and development be without the Internet? You have to remember that employees love to be treated like adults. They want respect and trust and they want you to enable them to be successful. And if you’re giving them all of the tools to do their jobs, they’ll appreciate it.

About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice—an online resource for buyers guides and comparisons of talent management and HRMS software. You can read Kyle's full roundtable discussion here.

Comments

The Benefits Of When Everyone Leads

It’s only January and the new book, When Everyone Leads , could likely be my pick for the best new leadership book of 2023. It’s that good. There’s still nearly a whole year ahead of us so we’ll see what other books debut. In the meantime, add this book to your must-read list. You’ll learn that: Leadership is an activity, not a position. Leadership is mobilizing others to make progress on the most important challenges. Leadership is interactive, risky and experimental. Leadership comes in moments. Leadership is always about change. When Everyone Leads , by Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride , presents a revolutionary approach to leadership; not based on position or authority, but an activity that anybody can undertake by learning to spot opportunities for improvement and taking the initiative to engage others. “It can be unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but in a culture where everyone leads, organizations start to make progress on their most difficult problems,” explain t

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

Five Must-Read Business Books To Read This Summer

Stumped for what business books to add to your summer reading list? Here are five must-read books for leaders well worth adding to your list: Lead With A Story -- A Guide To Crafting Business Narratives That Captivate, Convince, and Inspire . Author Paul Smith explains why storytelling has emerged as a vital skill for every leader and manager. In the book, you'll find over 100 ready-made stories you can use as templates to tell your stories. Stories are so powerful because they are simple, timeless, demographic-proof, contagious, easy to remember and inspiring. Most important, they put the listener in a mental learning mode. What's The Future Of Business? (WTF?) -- Changing The Way Businesses Create Experiences . This book, by Brain Solis, details the incredible transformation happening in business today, driven by new social and mobile technologies. And, he explains how experience design helps your business and how you can harness its power for business growth. This book

How To Make The Leap To Becoming A Leader

Here’s another must-read book to add to your list as you transition from manager to leader. It’s The Leap to Leader , by Adam Bryant . As the creator of the iconic “Corner Office” column in the New York Times , Bryant has spoken with more than a thousand leaders over the years about the challenges and nuances of leadership. Many of his discussions are included in his interview series on LinkedIn. “The goal of this book is to provide an intensely practical guide to making that transition by sharing insights, stories, and approaches from hundreds of leaders to build the skills you will need to make the leap to leader,” explains Bryant. He adds that the book is useful to everyone who is interested in leadership, regardless of where they are in their career. The book covers: The central paradox of leaders: selfless vs. self-centered. How to perfect the do-to-say ratio. Ways to navigate office politics. Tactics to making better decisions. The crucial art of compartmentalizati

How To Lead With Heart

Those who lead with heart consistently have discussions with their teams about their unexpressed needs, fears, desires, gifts, and sense of purpose , explain the authors of the compelling book, Leading With Heart . CEO coaches and authors John Baird and Edward Sullivan share that anyone can learn how to make an authentic connection with their teams in order to drive better outcomes. And their book provides readers clear and practical insights to help them succeed in making those connections. Be sure to read the highlighted key principles and takeaways at the end of every chapter. Baird and Sullivan further share that workers today want to feel respected, seen and appreciated for who they are. That’s why companies with the best retention, morale, and productivity are led by leaders with heart. As Alexander Den Heijer said, “ When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower .” “In heart-based cultures, people feel safe pushing back and

Eights Ways To Demonstrate You Value Your Employees

There are eight specific actions business leaders can take to show that they value their employees , according to Andrew Leigh , author of the book, Ethical Leadership -- Creating and Sustaining an Ethical Business Culture . Those eight behaviors are: Attention -- Pay attention to what people say to show your interest. Listen -- Make time to hear what colleagues, peers and employees have to say to show you care. Positive Language -- Find words and phrases to show employees they're needed. Examples are, "We couldn't have accomplished this without you," "That was really useful." Document -- Put praise in writing to increase its impact. Make clear where the credit belongs. Micro Sessions -- Create two-way communication sessions. Visits -- Schedule visits to teams and work areas. Stories -- Share stories that highlight unusual contributions and provide your personal response to them. Invite -- Ask people to contact you directly with their issue

How To Be A Go-To Person At Work

Bruce Tulgan ’s book, The Art of Being Indispensable at Work is all about how to win influence, beat overcommitment, and get the right things done in your workplace . Tulgan says that what truly sets “go-to people” apart is how they think and what they do, including: They understand the peculiar mathematics of real influence – doing the right thing for the long term. They lead from wherever they are – going vertically before going sideways (or diagonally). They know when to say no and how to say yes . They work smart – creating checklists, step-by-step instructions, and professionalizing everything they do. They finish what they start . They get better and better at working together . They promote “go-to-ism” – finding other indispensable people throughout the organization and building new go-to people whenever there’s a chance to do so. Other characteristics of indispensable people , are: Maintaining a positive attitude Doubling down on hard work Taking personal res

Seven Tough Questions To Ask Your Team

High-functioning teams can disagree and still produce excellent products and results. Team members can also disagree and still care about each other. And, they can challenge each other to think differently. Best-selling leadership book authors Scott J. Allen and Mitchell Kusy recommend that leaders ask seven tough questions of their teams to help maximize their results. Here are those questions to ask each team member: What are some obstacles affecting this team? What are opportunities we could take advantage of that we have been largely ignoring? Where can you take greater ownership on this team? Where have you let this team down ? Compared to other teams with which you are familiar, how are we doing ? When was the last time you complimented the team or one of its members? How open are you to giving direct feedback to team members?

How To Listen Effectively

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman 's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

How Leaders Can Move Teams From Isolated To All In

Here is a book that provides workplace leaders an urgently needed methodology for helping companies to reduce worker loneliness, and it delivers a blueprint for building strong, high-performing workplace teams. The book is, Connectable: How Leaders Can Move Teams From Isolated To All In , by Ryan Jenkins and Steven Van Cohen . “72% of workers suffer from loneliness. And, what was once a simmering problem shifted to a crisis when COVID-19 and the sudden transition to remove work isolated workers from each other as never before,” report the authors. “Loneliness is the absence of connection,” explain the authors. “Loneliness is not defined by the lack of people, because someone can be lonely even while surrounded by others. We require more than the presence of others. We require the presence of others to dream, strategize, and work toward commons goals.” Furthermore, “workplace loneliness is defined by the distress caused by the perceived inadequacy of quality connection to team

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog