In today’s competitive recruitment market, leaders understand they must focus on pay, progression and culture. Yet one of the most overlooked levers of retention and employee satisfaction is technology choice and support. It’s not enough to hand out shiny new laptops or roll out enterprise software; if your people can’t access the tools they need, can’t get timely help or feel forced into rigid systems that don’t suit their roles, trust erodes, morale dips, engagement falters and ultimately staff leave.
The Reality: Poor Tech Drives Dissatisfaction
The figures are stark. Research shows 94%* of UK employees are frustrated by inadequate workplace technology. Over half report that poor tech causes them stress and almost half say it directly harms their mental health. Around a third list bad tech among their top reasons for job dissatisfaction and more than 30%* admit they’ve considered leaving purely because of their digital experience at work.
The financial impact is significant too. Employees lose nearly an hour every week dealing with tech issues, which translates into billions of pounds in lost productivity across the UK economy. Beyond wasted time, frustration chips away at trust in leadership and contributes to a cycle of disengagement.
Expectations have shifted since the pandemic. People became used to intuitive, consumer-grade tools at home and now expect the same ease of use at work. Four out of five business leaders agree employees demand more user-friendly technology than before and three-quarters of staff say they would consider leaving if they didn’t have access to the tools and information they need.
Why This Matters at the Top
For CEOs and senior leaders, this isn’t merely an IT problem. It touches strategy, culture and employer brand. Poor tech and poor support directly affect:
- Retention – Losing skilled people is expensive. Recruitment, onboarding and knowledge loss drain resources. If tech frustrations are prompting exits, that’s avoidable churn.
- Productivity – Time wasted on clunky systems is time not spent serving clients or innovating.
- Wellbeing – Stress and burnout linked to tech issues damage morale and increase absenteeism.
- Reputation – Candidates and customers notice. Your technology experience becomes part of your employer value proposition, for better or worse.
From Perk to Imperative: Managing Employee Choice
Getting this right means more than occasional upgrades. It’s about giving employees a sense of choice and empowerment in how they work, backed by robust support and consistent investment.
Start by listening. Regularly ask staff where technology helps and where it hinders. Use pulse surveys, focus groups and helpdesk data to build a true picture of the digital experience. Without this insight, leadership risks assuming systems are “good enough” when they’re quietly driving people away.
Next, offer controlled choice. A single, rigid system rarely works for every role. Provide a curated set of options – a good quality laptop based on persona (standard performance and high performance), a wireless headset with choice of monaural or binaural (one earpiece or two), a monitor that has a USB-C dock integrated into the back so they can plug in with one simple cable.
Let teams trial new tools and involve staff in decision-making. When people feel they have a voice, they’re more engaged – and the tools are more likely to fit the job. Working Groups / Steering Groups are ideal for this (e.g. an AI Working Group that trials the free Microsoft Copilot Chat tool and shares learning and tips via a Teams channel).
Support is just as critical as the tools themselves. A fast, visible and well-resourced IT support function tells employees their time matters. Delayed responses or unhelpful interactions send the opposite message. Investing here builds trust as much as it fixes laptops.
Infrastructure also needs active management. Outdated kit drags down productivity and morale and becomes more expensive to maintain over time. Build lifecycle planning into budgets and don’t let essential tools decay; don’t accept having legacy, on-premise physical servers – Microsoft 365 and Azure can replace all of this, with charity / nonprofit discounts.
Governance matters too but balance is key. Set minimum standards around security, make sure you are using all the Microsoft security features you’re probably already licensed for, remove duplicating tools or systems so you can avoid overly rigid mandates that stifle innovation. Staff resent being locked into inefficient processes but they also need consistency to collaborate effectively.
Finally, CEOs must lead from the front. Talk openly about technology as a strategic priority. Celebrate improvements. Acknowledge when systems fall short and explain what’s being done. Back this up with measurement: track employee satisfaction with tech, time lost to issues and retention rates and include those figures in board packs alongside financials.
Getting the basics right
If you use Microsoft, there are a few simple technology tools and features that really help improve the employee experience. We’ve set this out in our “Non-profit Modern Workplace” guide here: The Non-Profit Modern Workplace – How Smartdesc Can Help
Speak to us if you would like help in assessing and implementing any of this. Most of the tools and features are already included in Microsoft licenses, they just need configuring. There can often be cost savings here too; optimising around Microsoft 365 means you might be able to retire 3rd party systems and tools that cost you extra.
The CEO’s Call to Action
Employee Choice around technology is no longer optional. The evidence shows that poor tech and weak support are among the top reasons UK staff feel unhappy and consider leaving. Empowering employees with the right tools, responsive support and a sense of choice builds trust, boosts productivity and strengthens your employer brand.
In an environment where talent is scarce and expectations are higher than ever, CEOs can’t afford to treat workplace technology as a back-office issue. It is a frontline experience, shaping how people feel about their jobs and whether they stay. Get it right and you’ll gain not just efficiency but loyalty. Get it wrong, and your best people will walk.
For organisations wanting to put Employee Choice as a strategic priority, contact Academia to see how we can build an end to end Employee Choice programme that covers the entire lifecycle of the device including support operations.
* sources
UK Tech News, “Poor tech experiences drive over 30% of employees to consider quitting, Lakeside Software Digital Workplace Productivity Report confirms”.
https://uktechnews.co.uk/2022/06/27/poor-tech-experiences-drive-over-30-of-employees-to-consider-quitting-lakeside-software-digital-workplace-productivity-report-confirms
The HR Director, “Tech and digital experience woes lead to £2.1bn loss for UK PLC”.
https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/future-of-work/tech-and-digital-experience-woes-lead-to-2-1bn-loss-for-uk-plc
