Workplaces Falling Behind Today’s On Demand Culture: User-friendly Technology a Top Priority for 2019

LOWELL, Mass.--()--Consumer technology is intuitive and intelligent, which is likely why an overwhelming majority of employees surveyed worldwide by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated wish their workplace technology was as easy and powerful as their personal technology.

The final installment in the three-part Engaging Opportunity research series from The Workforce Institute at Kronos (view part one, part two) conducted with Coleman Parkes Research surveyed more than 2,800 hourly and salaried employees across a variety of industries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. to explore the impact existing and emerging technologies have on the employee experience.

News Facts

  • Back to the drawing board: Workplace technology fails to meet employee expectations
    • Nearly half of employees (48 percent) surveyed worldwide wish their workplace technology performed just like their personal technology. Fewer than one in five (18 percent) do not want their workplace technology and personal technology to function similarly.
    • Employees in Mexico are least at ease using their workplace technology: a scant 8 percent feel their workplace solutions are more user-friendly than their personal technology. The sentiment is similar around the globe, as fewer than a quarter of employees in Germany (24 percent), the U.S. (22 percent), Canada (20 percent), France (16 percent), Australia and New Zealand (13 percent), and the U.K. (13 percent) feel their workplace technology is more user-friendly than their personal technology.
  • A growing gap: Consumer apps far simpler to navigate than business processes
    • More than half of all employees surveyed worldwide (55 percent) agree it is easier to search for new movies on Netflix than to check the details of their employee benefits. In the U.S., employees in public safety (58 percent), education (55 percent), retail (53 percent), healthcare (51 percent), and manufacturing (49 percent) all find Netflix simpler.
    • It’s not just Netflix that’s simpler. For the U.S. financial sector, 51 percent of employees say shopping on Amazon to quickly find what they need is easier than asking their manager to take off a sick day, while 53 percent of contract and field service workers – who often don’t report to a central office – say it’s easier to talk to personal digital assistants like Alexa, Cortana, and Siri than to their manager.
    • In an ironic twist, just under half (43 percent) of logistics and transportation workers feel it’s easier to book a car through Lyft or Uber than to find out how many vacation days they have left.
  • Making work more difficult: Poor technology damages the employee experience
    • More than a third of employees surveyed worldwide (35 percent) feel their job is harder than it should be because of outdated processes and legacy technology. This attitude is most prevalent in Mexico (45 percent), France (43 percent), and the U.K. (40 percent).
    • For U.S. industries, employees in state and local government (55 percent), public safety (53 percent), and finance (43 percent) feel most strongly that outdated processes and technology makes their job more difficult. Employees in contract and field services (38 percent), logistics and transportation (33 percent), retail and healthcare (both 30 percent), and manufacturing (29 percent) do as well.
    • Younger employees in the U.S. are less tolerant of poor workplace technology than older employees. While just a fifth (20 percent) of Boomers think outdated processes and technology make their job harder than it should be, that figure steadily increases for Gen Xers (34 percent), older Millennials (38 percent), younger Millennials (40 percent), and Gen Z (39 percent).1
    • Just a quarter of employees surveyed worldwide (25 percent) disagree with the notion that their workplace technology makes common activities more complicated by adding extra or unnecessary steps.

Supporting Quotes

  • Joyce Maroney, executive director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
    “Once upon a time, workplace technology was far more innovative and superior to anything that was available for consumer use. However, the tables have turned and the opposite is true today. The proliferation of the on-demand and gig economy apps that now dominate our everyday lives should prompt organizations to walk a mile in their employees’ shoes. Those who empower employees with intuitive, responsive solutions that match the ease of use and real-time nature of their favorite apps will gain an important advantage in their efforts to recruit and retain top talent.”
  • China Gorman, managing director - America, UNLEASH; advisory board member, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
    “Employees from all demographics are beginning to expect – and in many cases demand – workplace technology to be as easy to adopt as their latest consumer applications. Workplace technology needs to be intuitive and easy. No more manuals. No more classes. Adoption as easy as learning the latest online game.”
  • John Frehse, senior managing director, Ankura Consulting Group; advisory board member, The Workforce Institute at Kronos
    “Fair or not, employee expectations are set by the likes of Apple and Google. Those expectations are applied to all parts of their lives. Workforce management tools must provide the same ease of use, access to information, and level of value employees enjoy on their iPhone or Android device.”
  • Ian Parkes, director, Coleman Parkes Research
    “Mobile technology continues to radically reshape expectations. We no longer wait in line at our favorite coffee shops – with mobile ordering, our espresso or latte is ready when we walk in the door. Yet employees must still wait days or even weeks for a time-off request to be approved, creating unnecessary stress and anxiety. Our survey of nearly three thousand individuals in eight nations demonstrates employees are eager and ready for organizations to elevate their employee experience with a consumer-style approach to workplace solutions.”

Supporting Resources

About Kronos Incorporated
Kronos is a leading provider of workforce management and human capital management cloud solutions. Kronos industry-centric workforce applications are purpose-built for businesses, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and government agencies of all sizes. Tens of thousands of organizations — including half of the Fortune 1000® — and more than 40 million people in over 100 countries use Kronos every day. Visit www.kronos.com. Kronos: Workforce Innovation That Works.

Survey Methodology
Research conducted on behalf of Kronos Incorporated by Coleman Parkes Research, an independent U.K.-based research company. Survey data was collected between November 2017 and January 2018 from 2,807 employees using an online quantitative methodology. Survey participants were sourced from eight different markets, including the Australia, Canada (English and French-speaking), France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. Survey participants included both hourly and salaried employees from organizations of all sizes across a variety of industries. For further questions about survey methodology, contact Daniel.Gouthro@Kronos.com.

Footnote 1: Generations are defined as follows: Gen Z, 18-20; young Millennials, 21-27; older Millennials, 28-37; Gen X, 38-54; Baby Boomers, 55+.

© 2019 Kronos Incorporated. All rights reserved. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks and Workforce Innovation That Works is a trademark of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. See a complete list of Kronos trademarks. All other trademarks, if any, are property of their respective owners.

Contacts

Dan Gouthro
Kronos Incorporated
978.947.7310
daniel.gouthro@Kronos.com

Release Summary

Workplace technology fails to meet employee expectations and lags behind popular consumer apps, according to a Workforce Institute at Kronos survey

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Contacts

Dan Gouthro
Kronos Incorporated
978.947.7310
daniel.gouthro@Kronos.com