How to Engage Your Team About Process & Technology Changes

As a business owner, you understand that changes are sometimes needed for your company’s long-term success. Implementing changes, however, can be difficult, especially if employees are used to doing things a certain way.

Whether you’re changing a process or updating your technology, there are steps you can take to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Educate Your Team

Make sure your team knows why the change is needed and how it will improve their work lives. If they’re confused as to why you’re making these changes, something isn’t right. Your staff should know they’ll be gaining something – whether it’s more convenience out in the field or new tech in the office – and not losing something. If they understand how the new element will benefit them, they won’t be averse to it.

Educate Them Early

Don’t spring a new change on your team right before it’s implemented. Engage them from the planning phase. If they feel they have some input, they’ll be more on board, and it also gives you time to collect any feedback. Don’t be afraid to ask their opinions. After all, they’ll be the ones dealing with these changes day-to-day.

Choose the Right People for Training

It’s crucial that the person in charge of training fully understands the new process or technology, whether that’s you, someone within your company, or someone external. Give them time, if they need it, to understand the changes themselves. If you begin training fully prepared, it will make a huge difference in the delivery.

It’s also important to have someone as a go-to for questions throughout the training and implementation stages. Make sure the go-to is informed, available, and approachable and that your staff knows who that is.

Hands-On Approach

Working in the portable restroom industry is a hands-on job, so if you’re changing something out in the field, there’s no point doing training in the office. Go out to the yard and show specific examples of how to use the new process.

Follow-Up Training Is Essential

Continued training exercises are important and more effective than one-time training. Plan top-up training sessions within a couple of weeks of your new change, and then monthly until the new process becomes standard practice.

Create a Culture of Improvement

Don’t view training as a waste of time or money. In the long run, you’re improving efficiency, so there’s no point doing it half-hearted. Likewise, change shouldn’t be seen as a negative thing by your team. Over time, you want to create a culture of improvement, where your staff is confident with changes and satisfied that they’re working with the best and most recent tools, technology, and processes to make their lives easier.

Your team relies on their jobs for financial stability, happiness, and fulfillment. Changes that improve their work are good for them in the long run. Take changes seriously, plan them well, and engage your team throughout the process, and you shouldn’t have any issues.

Looking to Take Your Portable Restroom Business to the NEXT LEVEL? Download our FREE Guide: “Your Guide to Operating A Portable Restroom Business.”

Thinking About GETTING INTO the Portable Restroom Industry? Download our FREE Guide: “Your Guide to Starting A Portable Restroom Business.”