Does technology make us more or less productive?
Having the best legal tech in place is only the first step to solving the productivity puzzle. Ongoing training, upskilling and continued engagement are fundamental to ensuring you and your firm are working productively, writes PracticeEvolve
Microsoft have recently launched new AI tools designed to improve business productivity. Meanwhile, a recent Gartner report found that two-thirds of legal leaders plan to increase legal tech investment over the next few years. So in our latest blog post, we’re asking: Does technology make us more or less productive?
This may seem a strange question coming from us at PracticeEvolve since our objective is to help law firms to unlock their full potential by adopting new technology. Our solutions are, by their very nature, specifically designed to enhance productivity by making it easier for users to do every part of their job.
Technology is just one piece of the productivity puzzle though. Having the best legal tech in place is only the first step. The next ones — ongoing training, upskilling and continued engagement — are fundamental to ensuring you are actually more productive.
Consider this scenario
Your firm implements a new case management system (CMS) but you have no idea how to use it. You’ve received a couple of hours of training, but then you’re on your own. Chances are your productivity will now, at best, stagnate or, at worst, drop off a cliff. You and your colleagues may feel disillusioned and frustrated. That could lead you to look for a new job with another firm that perhaps uses the CMS you previously used.
Your firm’s aim to increase productivity has fallen flat — and it’s led to employees jumping ship to work for a competitor. Epic technology fail.
Competency, competency, competency
Of course, we’ve outlined an extreme scenario to illustrate a particular point. Everyone in that firm should feel wholly competent when using the new CMS. Involving employees from the outset and ensuring your supplier includes a comprehensive, ongoing training schedule and educational materials are imperative for any legal tech to not only exceed, but also to deliver that required increase in productivity.
Our client success programme and ‘evolve community’ is all about educating and empowering users to maximise the full potential of our software — all the skills they need to succeed at their fingertips. If you’re not offered something similar simply move on, because you risk becoming less productive in the long term.
Consider your audience
Taking into account who is actually using the software is also vital. Technology is something millennials have lived with all their lives. They can take a switch to a cloud solution in their stride, and (most likely) be up to speed with how it works within a matter of days. Meanwhile, while many gen Xers are perfectly competent with tech (to a degree), but many are also still getting to grips with it. They may be nervous when it comes to an all-singing, all-dancing CMS — and to change itself.
Law firms everywhere comprise both these generational cohorts and can ill afford to leave either of these groups behind. With the right training, support and encouragement, each can excel and play their own role in embracing technology to become more, not less, productive.
And another word of warning: Too much tech can get in the way. It’s not the answer to improving productivity. Consolidate and simplify wherever possible, and your team will thank you for it.
Making the most of the technology
One of the most frustrating things we see is individuals using only a small percentage of the applications and features offered by the software. Even millennials can find it a bit overwhelming to fully explore the functionality of certain software and cloud solutions. But all these features exist for a reason. You just need to understand exactly why and how they work to take your user experience to the next level.
One-to-one and peer support can really help to turn this around, as can a continually updated cache of short, informative ‘how to’ videos that users can watch in their own time. Talking to each other is also a good idea. Chances are if you’re struggling with a feature, your colleagues are too. Speak up and tell someone it’s affecting your productivity. Any supplier worth working with should bend over backwards to help — after all, it’s in their interest for your firm to succeed.
The power of productivity
What does more productive look like for your firm? Have a long hard think before you implement any new technology. Once you’re clear, you can trial some of the products out there and see which one fits best and is robust enough to support the enhanced productivity you demand.
Harnessing the full power of any technology to become more productive needn’t be a challenge, but it won’t happen overnight. Let’s face it, economic revolutions driven by increased productivity take time. We may not fully understand the true impact of today’s technology for many years. Don’t let this put you off though.
The sooner you get started, the sooner you can start to see the benefits, both operational and financial. Technology absolutely can make you and your firm more productive when it’s done right.
We’d love to know your thoughts: Has technology helped, or hindered, your firm and colleagues to be more productive?
