The IT department as translator with Paul Butterworth

Those moments when you arrive at your computer and it takes you 15 minutes to get into anything productive… And not because you’re distracted by a coworker. But because your computer is stuck for 15 minutes on loading, hand-offs and sign-ins that seem to need to go around the planet 365 times before you’ll be allowed to use your productivity tools…  Pure pain.

Technology in the workplace is so much more than a convenience, it is a critical tool that makes the difference between success and failure. People who want to get things done want tools that will support them to do that. Happy people at work have tools that work for them. It’s that simple.

We all know that functioning technology goes hand in hand with productivity. But when it comes to the modern workplace it can be hard to get that technology in place.  

Paul Butterworth joined me on the Workplace Makers podcast to share from his decades of experience about what makes technology tick in a modern workplace program.

“IT departments obviously are working very hard behind the scenes to hide all those complexities from the business. In a sense, most people who are having to work from home or work or combination, want to spend as little time on setting up and using the tools as possible. And as much time as possible on doing their job, whatever their job happens to be.” – Paul Butterworth

Key moments

1:35 – Paul’s career to date from IT in a telco, to consultancy and onward to NineDots in 2012/2013

3:58 – Finding a common language between IT and the business

6:10 – How are people spending their technology budget?

7:57 – What is “unified comms”?

10:33 – Challenges from a technology point of view for workplace programs

13:00 – How to get the tech department to support the people experience of your workplace program

18:52 – How to get IT to notice your concerns

20:23 – Ways to effectively influence

22:50 – What does a really good IT supported workplace program look like?

Resources mentioned in the show

NineDots – https://www.ninedots.co.nz/

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Steven Covey –  https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/

Workplace Makers – the podcast about people building workplaces that attract a crowd

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