You know that spreadsheets aren't the best way to record data and report on your impact as a charity, but how do you persuade your team that's the case too?
Spreadsheets can be a joy and a pain. For some people, spreadsheets give complete flexbility and the ability to create bespoke reporting facilities. For others, they are difficult to navigate, messy and difficult to track. For the latter in your team, they are likely to already see the problems spreadsheets create and by showing them a whizzy demo of a new system, they would be easily persuaded that cloud based data collection and reporting is the way to go. Here are some more tips for engaging team members like this, whatever stage in the journey you’re at.
For the others, they will need a bit more persuading, so here’s five top tips to bring them on board.
Make them feel part of the decision making
For those who are comfortable with their spreadsheets, as soon as you implement a new system and something doesn’t quite work as they expected, they will revert straight back to their spreadsheets (trust us). To avoid this, work with these team members in perticular to feed their needs into finding a new system. Them feeling heard and listened to is their best chance of success. Read here how you can do this, whatever stage in the journey you’re at.
2. Help them to understand their needs
For these people, they actually probably love data. The fact that they love spreadsheets means that they are the most likely to keep good records well in the future. They will be your future super users to help you record and report on good quality data. But they may see a new system as a hassle as, for them, spreadsheets are the easy option. To help understand where a new system can help, as questions like:
“What are the tasks you do on a daily basis that take lots of time?”
“What insight about your service users you’ve always wanted to know that can help us improve our services to them?”
“What do you want to be doing less of and what do you want to be doing more of in your role?”
“What systems have you used in other roles in other organisations that helped you do your job more effectively?
Helping them to understand what’s tricky and takes time in their data collection at the moment will help them to see how a new database could help.
3. Help them to feel a part of your growth
One of the main reasons people want to hang onto their spreadsheets is that they’re probably the main users of them. For them, this is the most simple and effective way of collecting and reporting on data. However, as soon as more people need to access these systems, things get tricky. Help them to see how your growing teams will benefit from having the data in one place; from being able to collaborate on projects and report on data collectively and ultimately-help more service users as a result!
4. Let them see the system in action
Give them as much access as possible to the systems you’re shortlisting. Invite them along to the demos. Encourage them to ask the tricky questions (we’re ready for them!) so they can see how their existing processes can be replicated and improved upon. If they can see how their life and role will change for the better, they’re more likely to be excited by the change.
5. Finally, reassure them that they won’t lose their jobs
This fear is actually more common than you think. Security is in human nature and quite often, digital improvements make people anxious-what will they do with their time? Is their job no longer required? Help them, in line with their personal development plans, to see how the time-saving features that a new system will bring will help them to grow into other areas.
We’re always happy to chat. If you want to share about your plans for a new system and get some more tips, book in a time with our team.