Tech for the Team

6 Tips to Improve Staff Buy-In

By Erica Rascón on Aug 6, 2019 in Technology

You’ve finally found your dream real estate management software. You’re pumped about the efficiencies that your organization will gain and the money that it will save. But before you can reach those results, you’ve got to get your staff on board.

Without proper employee buy-in, the implementation process will be slow, tedious, and less productive. The six tips below can improve employee buy-in.

1. Get leadership enthusiastic about the new technology. C-Level and mid-tier leadership need to understand the benefits that new technology will offer them and their teams. They also need to receive answers to their questions well before implementation begins. With those two factors in place, leadership is better able to present the change to their teams with confidence and gusto.

“Ensuring they’re informed and can provide input throughout the transition are essential in earning their support,” states Elizabeth Dukes, employee experience expert at Inc.com.

2. Pinpoint the administrative tasks that devour staff’s time. Understand the pain points around the current workflow. Explore any non-essential tasks that hamper productivity. Then explain how the new real estate management software will address those issue. Note how the technology will streamline day-to-day workflows, permitting staff to focus more on what matters most.
3. Identify inconsistencies in task execution. Inconsistencies are often a red flag. They indicate a point in the process that seems too time-consuming for staff to complete properly. Reiterate the importance and benefits of following protocols. Then show employees how the new software can make it easier for them to achieve consistency.
4. 4. Educate staff on role-based, flexible training software. Employees dread learning new programs for several reasons: Some trainings are too broad, wasting their time on information that is not applicable to their job. Most trainings cater to auditory learners, which make up only 30 percent of the population. That leaves 70 percent of the population, visual and kinesthetic learners, struggling to catch up (or stay awake).

Ensure employees will be able to access online training  that is role-based and integrates several teaching tools for different learners. Let them know that online training will also allow them to review content as needed. When employees know they will have the tools needed for success, they can approach change with less fear.

5. Enable employees to gauge their success and build confidence. New software brings a lot of simultaneous changes. Before implementation, set measurable, attainable goals in each department. Goals will encourage focus, decreasing the likelihood that employees feel overwhelmed. By attaining small goals, employees can see the benefits of the software and feel capable of using it competently.
6. Treat team members as an integral part of the change process. Create a system that allows employees of all levels to provide input on what could make the change process smoother. When employees make contributions, they feel that they’re a part of the change rather than a reluctant bystander.

“Get them to help chart the path forward. This creates the perception of choice, and with that, resistance turns into shared redesign,” suggests productivity expert Joe Robinson.

Change is rarely easy. But with the right group mindset, you can make the transition much smoother.