Editor's Note: Today we welcome our guest, Mollie Lombardi. This is the second part in a 3 part series about workplace culture under a microscope. Make sure to check out part 1 and part 3

In my previous blog post we talked about what a culture is and how to diagnose it. But the way culture comes to life for most people is through the employee experience. Organizations today are realizing that everything they do contributes to employee experience, from the physical work environment, to the processes, to the tools and technology. Today it’s more important than ever to ensure that your talent management and workforce management tools bring your culture to life. To achieve real value, technology must support the culture and enhance the employee experience. 

Tools and technology are important parts of the modern HR organization, and indeed, important parts of the fabric of our organizations as a whole. But technology alone isn’t enough to move your business forward. Technology decisions must be made with the culture and employee experience in mind. So, what should you consider if you’re looking to make technology decisions that support your organization’s strategy and culture?  

• Don’t forget the basics. It’s important to remember that technology maturity and strategic maturity both build on previous levels. You don’t stop focusing on administrative excellence when you’re ready to tackle engagement and experience. In fact, technology should enable you to streamline and automate processes so you can focus on the higher-value activities like strategy and culture. Make sure all of the gains you’ve already made stay firmly in place while you continue to move your organization towards deeper alignment and better business results. 

• It’s not about investment. Buying new technology that supports your organization’s culture can be very beneficial. But bringing the right mindset to your current technology can yield significant benefit as well. There may be capability in your current solutions that you’re not using, or ways to rethink how your technology is used to help reinforce those cultural norms and behaviors that make up your culture. Don’t use lack of funds for investment as an excuse not to move forward with supporting your culture. 

• Remember norms and expectations. All your technological and strategic decisions move your organization toward the ultimate goal of helping to align and deploy your employees to perform meaningful work that will deliver successful outcomes to the consumers of the goods or services your organization offers. This may be directly or indirectly, but it’s all about engaging your people in a purposeful way and aligning for results.  

Don’t let your technology disrupt your strong culture or thwart your vital employee experiences. Make sure your technology speaks to the needs of employees and continues to reinforce a culture of success. 

Mollie Lombardi is a researcher, writer, and speaker focused on the intersection of human capital strategies, technologies, and processes. Her work has appeared in such publications as Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, Inc. and other industry trade publications. Her main focus is primary research aimed at helping individuals and organizations blend efficiency, engagement, inclusion, and performance through the use of technology. She Is Co-founder of Aptitude Research Partners, and has held a number of leadership roles at industry analyst firms. 

Follow Mollie on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Be sure to check out her website.