In today’s fast-paced business world, keeping up with changes in technology is incredibly important - with new technology, you can create a more efficient and cost effective atmosphere. You can also keep ahead of the competitive curve. However, adopting new technology into your law practice may not necessarily be a breeze.
Persuading your team to adopt technology takes more than just a new system and a training manual. It takes the right leadership, a solidified process, transparency, and most of all, a culture suited towards change and innovation.
How do you know if your practice has the right culture for technology adoption? Here are a few signs to look for in your firm.
3 Signs That Your Law Firm Is Ready for Technology Adoption
Change is Welcome
This may seem like a no-brainer, but having a culture where change and innovation is encouraged (and relatively frequent) is the perfect ingredient for success with new technology adoption. If employees and leaders aren’t afraid of change and they’ve seen the positive results of change within their company already, they will be more willing to listen, engage and help implement a new system.
If you work in a culture that doesn’t fear change, it will be easier to share your new ideas and implement new technology - such as a document management system - that will improve the efficiency and productivity of the law firm. Technology adoption is never a simple process but lack of fear and the presence of innovation within your firm will make it much easier.
Employees Know the Value of the Company Mission
Your practice’s specific goals and clear mission statement drive every decision on a daily basis. Having the right culture for technology adoption means your employees understand the company mission and have a strong understanding of how their work fits into the big picture. Employees that know the value of the work they do and how they help to achieve the goals of the practice are happier, more productive, and more adaptable to change.
If you’ve already established a transparent culture where the “why” of a new system is shared and accepted, then technology adoption will come that much easier.
Your Culture is Collaborative
If you’ve ever worked in a practice where communication and teamwork were not valued, then you know how powerful it can be to have a culture that promotes those qualities! A truly collaborative team of people is one of the essential markings of a culture ready for technology adoption. Not only does adopting a new system take a lot of work and learning, but it also takes more than one person. In order to achieve great things, such as implementing a system that will improve company efficiency, it’s essential to have a great team of hardworking people behind you (there’s a reason why superheroes always have a sidekick!).
These three signs can certainly act as a greenlight for you to suggest new technology for your firm and have the confidence of knowing the change will go smoothly.
However, if you feel your culture isn’t quite there yet, we have a couple tips on how to gear your team towards acceptance of new technology.
Tips to Improving Company Culture to Encourage Technology Adoption
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
If your team is balking at the thought of adopting a new system or technology, it may be because they aren’t sure what the goal of the change is. Having open communication and transparency to address any confusion or concerns about a new system can help to alleviate the fear of change. Your team needs to know why this new system is an improvement from the old system and how it will benefit their work and the practice as a whole.
If your employees can see the benefit and value of the new technology, they will be more willing to embrace it. If your team can see how this new system makes their jobs easier, it will also promote a positive attitude around technology adoption. Not only will this new process create a positive morale, but it will also prove to your team that you care about their needs and leading them in a positive direction.
Note: Not all employees will benefit from new technology, especially if they’re one of the few that’s perfectly happy with the current systems. Take extra time with them, sit them down for a one-to-one to help them see how it could be useful to them, or at least help them understand that it serves a greater purpose. They will be much more likely get on board and support the change effort.
Get Your Leadership On Board
Speaking of leading your team in a positive direction, one of the things you can do to help steer your culture towards technology adoption is by persuading your leadership team to support a new system. Having managers who understand the value of the new system is essential in conveying that value to the team as a whole. Managers are there to support, encourage, and lead - if employees feel that their leaders see value in implementing a new system and they have their support, they’ll be more likely to engage in training and adopting that new system.
Gaining help from your leadership team and being united in your goals for the practice will ease the way towards technology adoption.
Implementing new systems, and having the right culture to do so, takes planning and a great team of people. Technology adoption can help lead your practice towards greater efficiency and success, and we hope these tips will get you started on your journey towards positive change.
