You bought new technology to streamline your business, be competitive, improve your company and its bottom-line. You wanted to bring your business into the 21st century.

Now? You've got an employee mutiny on your hands.

If you’re thinking of getting new software, think first about getting employee buy-in. Software can only be as effective as the people who use it. Learning new software is rarely a pleasure, so it has to be worth it. It has to make employees' lives easier, their work more efficient and their contribution more effective. So, when you go to buy new technology again in the future - and you will - work through these steps.

7 keys to getting employee buy-in around software and/or technology changes:

1. Clearly inform employees why it’s important to purchase and implement new software or technology.
2. Garner employee feedback and input about what’s working well with the current software and if they could wave a magic wand, what features/capabilities would they like to see in the new software. What are "nice to haves" vs. "have to haves." Ask if they’ve worked elsewhere and if they worked with a software they really enjoy.
3. Communicate each step of the process in the selection process – it’s important that your employees believe in the product being purchased and the company who will do the training/support - (Did the CEO get schmoozed by a sales person at a trade show? Or is it her brother’s company? Or were there multiple vendors who were well vetted…).
4. When vetting a software/technology company talk to their current clients about the training process for employees – how effective is it? How engaging are the trainers? Energizing/engaging and effective or Powerpoint/kill me now presentations?
5. If you can’t train everyone, set up proximity mentor relationships around the training – meaning people learn the most from the people who are physically closest to them. (When you have a question on how to do a task, you’re likely to turn to your closest office mate and ask them how to do it. They tell you. You do it. “On the job” training at it’s best.)
6. Express how important their role is in making this transition a success. You want to hear from them – the good and the ugly. Ask them, and provide a venue, to share new learnings, best practices and lessons learned around the software as well as frustrations, errors and concerns.
7. And then listen. And adjust. And then prioritize and resolve the pain of glitches and bugs as quickly as you would resolve the pain of a customer.

Looking for more helpful leadership, culture and management tools? Check out our articles in our Culture Tips section and take a look at Culture Works, a training manual to improve employee happiness.

photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/90846117453967808/