Accessing the most recent technology was difficult back when I was a newspaper reporter.
We were not able to use laptop computers until the late 2000s, when we were able to write and file stories from anywhere other than our desks. (This is a very important feature for reporters).
We had to share an Apple PowerBook Duo Dock at one point in 2005 when we were writing stories from the field. Although the Duo Dock was a useful device, it was at least a decade old at the time and did little to improve employee productivity or morale.
The results were predictable when we received much-needed reinforcements in form of shiny new MacBooks. We were able to produce better-quality content more often and more efficiently.

It’s not a luxury to equip your employees with the best technology. It’s a necessity if you want your small business to remain competitive and viable.
Imagine a professional baseball team buying all their bats at a thrift store or a NASCAR team having its cars tuned up at the nearby service shop.
They wouldn’t be as competitive as businesses with inferior technology.
Effective employees need effective technology
According to a Dell and Intel study, 44% of employees worldwide feel that their workplace is not smart enough. 46% also believe that tech-related issues are their biggest time consuming problems at their current job.
According to the 2016 Staples Business advantage Workplace Index, 34% of respondents said their employers don’t give them access “to the latest technology to help their job more efficiently.” Even those who feel productive at work, they say they could do more with the right tools.
Your employees will know when they are using outdated technology. If you expect them not to use a new laptop at home when they have one at home, you could lose them to the competition.
Helen Poitevin, Gartner research director, stated that “the need to use emerging technologies in most jobs has accelerated rapidly.”
Her advice?
Business leaders “must bring together people and technology to build tomorrow’s platforms, businesses, and ecosystems and to prepare employees to thrive in them.” (Complete Gartner report available to Gartner clients).
You’re putting your entire company at risk by using outdated or inefficient tech to save money and avoid having to lead your organization through the changes that new technology requires.
As a small business leader or project manager, it is your responsibility to provide your employees with the technology they need to be more productive and help your company succeed in the future.
Use cool tech to increase the effectiveness of your employees
This article will look at the latest technology from Gartner’s Cool Vendors Series. It doesn’t mean that you have to invest in these solutions. But you should be aware what’s coming up so that you can spot any technology gaps that could be hindering your employees’ effectiveness.
This technology is far beyond the capabilities of traditional project management tools. It leverages new innovations to blur the boundaries between software categories. As you can see, the variety of solutions highlighted below reflects this.
What are Cool Vendors, you ask?
Gartner has been identifying and researching standout vendors in different markets since 2004, from advertising to supply chain.
What makes a vendor “cool”? It’s more than wearing their baseball cap backwards or listening to bands that no-one else has heard of.