{"id":7075100,"date":"2026-10-04T02:37:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T02:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7075100"},"modified":"2026-10-04T02:37:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T02:37:20","slug":"how-to-increase-adoption-of-technology-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7075100","title":{"rendered":"How to Increase Adoption of Technology in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Finding better ways to successfully integrate technology in the workplace is top of mind for many leaders today. Yet too often, organizations still fail miserably on this challenge by rushing in without being strategic. The result? Frustrated employees and lasting cultural damage throughout the organization.<\/p>\n

The good news is there are a lot of lessons learned and best practices to lean on for leaders looking to up their game. One of my favorite pieces of wisdom comes from a recent point IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna shared with author Malcolm Gladwell: \u201cThe biggest change is not the technology. It\u2019s getting people to accept that there\u2019s a different way to do things.\u201d<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t agree more with Krishna. Technology adoption is essentially about people and culture change<\/a>. I\u2019ve seen it time and again in our work with Fortune 500 clients. Very frequently, the most important piece is ignored: employee buy-in for how the new technology not only improves the company\u2019s bottom line but makes their daily work life seamless, efficient, and rewarding.<\/p>\n

What Is Technology Adoption?<\/h2>\n

As a formal definition, I define technology adoption as leaders using digital tools as superpowers that can unlock creativity, learning, and human potential. The focus should be on leaders asking how they can transform technological change from a challenge into an opportunity for growth.<\/p>\n

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Why Does It Matter to Get Technology Adoption Methods Right<\/h2>\n

If there\u2019s one thing we\u2019ve learned after decades of consulting with top leaders, it\u2019s that change is inevitable. We\u2019ve helped organizations of all sizes complete major turnarounds, transform to stay on top, and manage through the unthinkable. While no single trait defines lasting organizational success, the ability to manage change successfully<\/a> repeatedly tops the list.<\/p>\n

At the same time, change fatigue among leaders and employees is at record levels, especially when it comes to adoption of new technology. A recent national study<\/a> we conducted with The Harris Poll underscores this. We found that organizations are at a pronounced change tipping point. While most employees can expect to absorb just one or two major changes per year, more than 50% of leaders in 2025 expected to implement three or more changes in the next couple of years.<\/p>\n

Further, our study found that AI is clearly adding additional pressure to the change fatigue phenomenon. 83% of leaders in our study said they expect AI to play a major role in future change, and yet 1 in 4 say it\u2019s the hardest change to implement. <\/p>\n

What are the costs of poorly rolling out new technology in business? As you can imagine, the costs are high on a variety of levels. Technology deployments notoriously fail when employees are poorly trained, poorly communicated with<\/a>, and ill-prepared. Among the most common leadership mistakes is that the projects are rushed and the tools themselves become the focus of the change rather than employee adoption. This can lead to employee burnout<\/a>, dissatisfaction, and turnover.<\/p>\n

Recent research also connects psychological safety to the success of AI technology adoption. Psychological safety is about leaders creating an environment where employees feel safe to speak up, take risks, and be themselves as they work to adopt new technology. A 2026 whitepaper<\/a> from a research consulting firm found that psychological safety strongly predicts whether employees even try AI tools, and that an employer\u2019s emphasis on the use of AI as a learning process leads to stronger performance and higher adoption rates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How to Help Employees Adopt New Technology (Step-by-Step)<\/h2>\n

Based on our experience advising companies with technology and organizational change in general<\/a>, here are our top best practices for technology adoption in large enterprises. We call this the \u201c5 Ss of Managing Change.\u201d<\/p>\n

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  1. Scale.<\/strong> Organizations need to know the size, scope, and sequencing of any change to ensure that it\u2019s manageable for teams, especially considering what other changes may be taking place. Unfortunately, many employers underestimate the degree of behavior change, mindset shift, and skill-building required for employees to successfully adopt new technology in business. Smart plans receive proper input from employees and managers so organizations can identify the gap between how the team is feeling about the change now and where they need to go.<\/li>\n
  2. Story.<\/span> Your technology change story needs to be written well, with a clear, consistent message explaining the \u201cwhy\u201d behind the change, even when all answers still aren\u2019t known. When CEOs communicate a compelling, high-level change story, they\u2019re 5.8 times more likely to see a successful transformation within their organizations, according to an extensive McKinsey & Company study of corporate transformations<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  3. Strategy.<\/span> To succeed, organizations need a clear roadmap for success that aligns business objectives with a communication plan<\/a> that delivers the right tactics, timing, and resources. Communication is especially critical to enterprise technology adoption, as many organizations and researchers frequently point out. Our recent study<\/a> in partnership with The Harris Poll found that organizations are three times more likely to succeed in major change when employees are fully bought in. On its own, clear and credible communication doubles success rates.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  4. Stakeholders.<\/strong> Leaders need to engage all stakeholders in the change process, including potential change \u201cchampions,\u201d employees willing to enthusiastically adopt the change, and educate their peers along the way. Everyone who touches the change needs to be brought into the discussion on why and how the change will unfold and what role each team member plays in order to succeed.<\/li>\n
  5. Sentiment.<\/strong> An essential best practice for technology adoption is the feedback loop among all the stakeholders. From start to finish, leaders need a clear eye on how employees are experiencing the change, what questions and challenges they face, and the support or resources needed to ensure success. Without this evaluation of sentiment, many changes fizzle or outright fail because necessary adjustments aren\u2019t made along the process.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Best Communication Approaches for Successful Technology Adoption<\/h2>\n

    Communication and strategy are inexorably linked for successful technology adoption. For this reason, communicators need to get communication right from the earliest stages of change. Here are some of our best practices for enhancing organizational communication during a major technology change.<\/p>\n

    Get managers engaged early and often in enterprise technology adoption.<\/h3>\n

    Our studies, as well as many others, repeatedly demonstrate the critical nature of the manager\u2019s role during any time of organizational change. A recent Gallup study on Artificial Intelligence<\/a> found only three in 10 employees strongly agree that their manager supports the team\u2019s use of AI, a factor in discouraging AI use and adoption. The recent Exceptional Leadership study<\/a> of employees, conducted in partnership with The Harris Poll, also found communication-related skills to be among the most essential traits of exceptional leaders.<\/p>\n

    Communicate with context.<\/h3>\n

    Effective communication<\/a> isn\u2019t just about what leaders say \u2013 it\u2019s about how well they connect their message to what matters most to their audience. In this way, leaders can help increase adoption of new technology. While leaders often focus on crafting perfect messages, choosing the right words, or mastering delivery techniques, they may be missing the gravity of a critical aspect of communication \u2013 context.<\/p>\n

    When leaders communicate with context, they help employees understand not solely what\u2019s happening, but why it matters to them personally and how it connects to the bigger picture. The best communicators<\/a> consistently demonstrate an ability to frame messages in ways that resonate deeply with their audiences.<\/p>\n

    Demonstrate transparency.<\/h3>\n

    Whenever there\u2019s new technology coming, transparency needs to be a core value for leaders. I recognize this can be harder for some leaders than others, especially for leaders who prefer keeping things close to the vest. But in my experience, the benefits far outweigh the risks. When you\u2019re transparent as a leader, you build trust<\/a>. You show your employees you respect them enough to tell the truth. You then create a culture of openness and authenticity that can be transformative.<\/p>\n

    So, communicate to your team that open, honest communication is expected and valued as the technology innovation gets underway. Then, look for opportunities to put transparency into practice:<\/p>\n