Technology

Posted on June 9, 2016 by staff

Firms ‘making poor tech choices and harming business’

Technology

Poor tech choices by companies are damaging productivity and reducing profits, according to a new survey.

BT questioned 100 IT decision-makers at mid-sized UK businesses and found that only 10 per cent believed their employees had the correct equipment.

And 10 per cent of those questioned flagged this as a HR issue, given that it could cause staff to leave or put off prospective employees from joining the company.

Twenty-three per cent believed giving employees the wrong equipment would harm business.

Jamie Ford, managing director of digital, product and strategy at BT Business and Public Sector, said: “Having the latest device isn’t a case of keeping up with the Joneses – it’s all about having the best tool for the job.

“The impact of not having the right technology – particularly devices – in place can be far reaching and have a significant impact on businesses.”

Almost half – 44 per cent – cited cost as the main reason for not properly equipping staff while 27 per cent blamed integration challenges.

Digital Culture Clash, a separate study by Cisco and the Institute of Cultural Capital, found that a majority of people do not have access to appropriate tech at work.

It asked 3,000 UK workers about digital technologies in the workplace and found that 52 per cent “do not have access to” or “hold negative views of” digital technologies.

It also found that 64 per cent were not consulted about the deployment of new technologies while only a quarter had confidence in the digital vision of senior management.

A recent survey by Progress Software found that a majority of business leaders are worried that their companies are in denial about the need for digital transformation.