Productivity tools are supposed to make you more, well… productive.
 
But if they’re not embedded properly within your business, tasks can actually end up taking longer than they should. That’s frustrating for employees and you. It wastes time, and it costs money – which is the opposite of being productive.

So how can this happen?

Often a lack of consistent training means everyone is using tools differently, or finding their own workarounds. Maybe the tools haven’t been properly integrated with other apps, creating additional work. Or perhaps employees simply don’t find some tools useful and give up on them.

Bringing new technology into your business can be a big step – so big that lots of owners try to avoid it completely. That might be because of understandable risk aversion, or because they simply don’t have enough information to choose the right solution from thethousands of available options. It doesn’t help that nearly all tools work differently and offer different advantages. 

What most business owners need is expert help. It’s easy to say you plan to introduce new productivity tools to keep employees happy and to gain a competitive advantage, but in practice it’s a lot more involved. 

One thing’s for sure. As AI solutions become more and more integrated into new solutions – and others in your industry start to benefit from the new tech landscape – businessesthat don’t keep up, risk being left behind. 

Working with professionals can not only help to identify the most suitable tools for your business…

But also to help get the most from them by ensuring all your people are fully trained. 

That means you’ll not only be getting all the productivity benefits you hoped for from your investment, you’ll also have a more engaged, better skilled and more productive workforce. ​

This is something we help businesses with all the time. Get in touch if you’d like us to do the same for you.
 
Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

AI chatbots have taken the world by storm in recent months. We’ve been having fun asking ChatGPT questions, trying to find out how much of our jobs it can do, and even getting it to tell us jokes.

But while lots of people have been having fun, cyber criminals have been powering ahead and finding ways to use AI for more sinister purposes.

They’ve worked out that AI can make their phishing scams harder to detect – and that makes them more successful.

Our advice has always been to be cautious with emails. Read them carefully. Look out for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Make sure it’s the real deal before clicking any links.

And that’s still excellent advice.

But ironically, the phishing emails generated by a chatbot feel more human than ever before – which puts you and your people at greater risk of falling for a scam. So we all need to be even more careful.

Crooks are using AI to generate unique variations of the same phishing lure. They’re using it to eradicate spelling and grammar mistakes, and even to create entire email threads to make the scam more plausible.

Security tools to detect messages written by AI are in development, but they’re still a way off.

That means you need to be extra cautious when opening emails – especially ones you’re not expecting. Always check the address the message is sent from, and double-check with the sender (not by replying to the email!) if you have even the smallest doubt.

If you need further advice or team training about phishing scams, just get in touch.


Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

It's a common misconception that all younger employees are tech-savvy, but recent studies have revealed that many Gen Z and Millennial workers struggle with "tech shame" in the workplace.
They may be proficient in using social media apps, but they lack the necessary skills to adapt to the digital demands of the office.

A recent study found that one in five employees aged 18-29 feel judged when they encounter technical issues at work, compared to just one in 25 employees aged 40 or over, highlighting the importance of providing better training for all employees, not just the younger generation. In addition, with many Gen Z workers starting their careers during the pandemic, it is essential to provide them with the skills needed to navigate a digital working environment, especially if they're working remotely or in a hybrid role.

Another solution to this problem is to ensure that your team has access to the right tools and devices. Younger workers may have less disposable income to spend on home office equipment and may be hesitant to speak up if they struggle. Employers should check in with their employees, especially if they're working remotely, to ensure they have the necessary resources to be productive and confident in their work.

If your company faces the issue of "tech shame" among its employees, it's crucial to address it head-on. Providing better training, sourcing the right tools, and checking in with employees can significantly impact employee engagement, productivity, and confidence. If you need any advice or assistance, we're here to help. Just get in touch.