Dive Brief:

• At a time when many are working remotely, 68% of workers surveyed by The Harris Poll on behalf of Yoh said they face "at least one challenge" concerning the software they use to do their jobs, according to Oct. 28 results.
• Problems include companies adding software regularly, having too much software technology, not having the right software for the job and difficulty learning how to use the software. 
• "As the workplace has become more reliant on technology, it’s clear that today’s American workers are increasingly frustrated by the constant changes, upgrades, updates and outdated software they’re forced to use on a daily basis," Emmett McGrath, President of Yoh, said in a statement. "To prevent these frustrations from reducing productivity and creating job fatigue, today’s companies must have a strategic approach to how they purchase and deploy workplace tech and training."

Dive Insight:

Employers may be overestimating the support and training they offer to employees regarding workplace tech, a September report from IBM Institute for Business Value said. While nearly three-quarters of employers said their organizations helped employees learn the skills needed to work in new ways, only 38% of employees said the same.

This disparity could create a trust issue for organizations, IBM said.

Even before the pandemic, employees were uncomfortable asking their employers for help, research from edX published June 2019 showed; 40% of workers surveyed said they didn’t feel comfortable asking their employer for assistance with a learning solution.

But the pandemic has sped up adoption of workplace technology — and that includes learning tech.

"We know that nearly 85% of L&D functions have shifted their in-person training to virtual, and they have had to make significant changes to all of their programs and offerings — including onboarding, manager development, and HIPO and leadership programs," Sari Wilde, managing vice president in Gartner's HR practice, previously told HR Dive.

One way to ensure learning programs can continue successfully — as well as adoption of any other tech — may be to source employee input. Employers may be forgetting that crucial step, a May Eagle Hill survey showed; 13% of employees surveyed said they were "completely unaware" of tech changes at their companies. And only 29% said their employers introduce technologies to help them do their jobs.