Comment: How technology plays a vital role in supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce
Audiovisual experts Universal AV share how technology can support an inclusive and diverse workforce and why inclusion is important for business as more roles move into hybrid working environments…
From improving communication to ensuring wellbeing of employees, there are multiple benefits to implementing the right solutions, which has become even more important with 24 per cent of workers adopting to hybrid working as of May 2022.
Inclusion is important for any business, no matter the industry. Recent changes such as the Covid-19 pandemic and technological advancements have meant that technologies now play an essential role in providing an inclusive environment.
Communication
Whether it is internal or external, communication is critical for promoting inclusivity in businesses. Mark Atkinson, Sales Manager at Universal AV, commented: “Implementing the right tools is imperative to ensure continued communications, especially with remote and hybrid workers.
“To ensure an inclusive and efficient workplace, technology should be implemented that allows both private and open communication. This will ensure employees can communicate with ease and feel part of the team, whilst having a safe communication channel for private matters.
“Video conferencing from the likes of Microsoft Teams, which seamlessly connects users no matter their location, can really help in boosting communication and therefore inclusivity across the business”.
Equality
Workplaces need to be adaptable to ensure equal opportunities for workers, no matter their requirements. Mark adds: “Assisted listening devices and induction loop systems are just one of the ways to make the workplace more accessible for those who have hearing impairments, for example”.
It is important that employees feel supported, and tools that track employee progress and achievements can assist in driving inclusion and equality, which can make applying for promotions and roles within the company easier regardless of background and requirements.
Wellbeing
Hybrid working has seen a rise since the pandemic, almost half of people working at home in some capacity also reported improved wellbeing, with 52 per cent of hybrid workers found it quicker to complete their work at home, mostly because there were fewer distractions.
Whilst this way of working is becoming the norm, it is key that businesses have the right set up to facilitate hybrid working to ensure continued wellbeing.
“For employees working remotely support can be provided through the right technology. Video conferencing can be fantastic for involving everyone in wellbeing events or company socials, which they otherwise may have missed. ” Mark commented.
Productivity
Following the pandemic, many business owners were forced to look at the technology they use to facilitate home working effectively, and since then it has been crucial to adapt the workplace and ensure continued productivity.
Approximately 41 per cent of workers have reported increased productivity since adopting hybrid working, proving its effectiveness, Mark adds: “The right setup is vital. Hybrid meetings, which participants can easily access, will help ensure increased engagement and efficiencies, whilst also ensuring an inclusive environment.
“We’ve seen businesses adopt the ‘bring your own device’ approach which means users can join seamlessly from wherever they are, using their own phone or laptop and hardware, without the need of additional equipment.”
As businesses continue to adapt to the changing ways of working, it is important to ensure an inclusive environment for employees. This is not only imperative for wellbeing and diversity but also allows people to work productively.
With hybrid working becoming more popular, companies such as HP have released new devices and solutions specifically for hybrid work environments.
