Employee attitudes and involvement to technology changes

Organizations continuously experience changes in technology.The adoption of technology changes by individuals is largely based on their perceptions of how the technology will impact their jobs. Consequently, it appears that individuals who perceive that technology changes will improve their ability to perform their job tasks may be more willing to adopt the technology.

Employee reactions to change, in part, impact the success of change initiatives.It is easier to implement change that is viewed positively by employees than that which is viewed negatively. Therefore it is recommended that managing employee reactions to change when managing the overall process of change.

It is common that employees experience changes in job duties or other functions that were planned and implemented solely by leaders or managers that are not directly impacted by the changes. However, allowing employees to participate in making decisions related to a change initiative has a positive impact on the overall success of the change.In regard to technology, it is known that user involvement and participation in technology decisions is of paramount importance in the successful adoption of new technology. Failure to include employees in the process, however, can have numerous deleterious implications for organizations. These implications can range from resistance to outright sabotage. Further, numerous attitudinal implications are associated with employee participation or lack of participation. Specifically, failing to include employees in the process can lead to cynicism. Cynicism, in turn, is linked negatively to job satisfaction and commitment.