Technology Changes, Bad Habits Remain

By Sébastien Wiertz, April 21, 2025

Technology evolves, but old habits persist. We chase shiny tools without strategic alignment. We misuse basic systems. We fear what we do not understand. We cling to bureaucracy while innovation begs for speed. This article revisits those habits, not to criticize, but to surface what truly holds us back, even as our digital toolbox grows more powerful by the day.

This reflection isn’t theoretical. It started with something very concrete. I was reviewing all the posts in progress that are sleeping in my draft folder and found back one I started to write in 2014, but somehow never made it to my website. This article you are reading is that very piece, adapted and extended to reflect today’s context. Revisiting it now, I realize that much of what I wrote back then remains painfully true in 2025, despite the tremendous advances in technology, particularly with AI. I will probably set a reminder to revisit it again in another ten years, just to see if we’ve finally evolved or if we’re still collectively banging our heads on the same digital walls. Anyone willing to place a bet? I’m all in.

The Reality of Technology Adoption

Let me start with something that should be obvious but still needs to be said: Technology, on its own, does not deliver value. What determines impact is not the tool itself but its implementation, adoption, and long-term integration. Your competitors also have access to the same technologies. What will differentiate your organization from theirs is not what you have, but how you embed it within your workflows, processes, and culture.

As part of my continuous work in knowledge management, I recently returned to Orlikowski’s framework. Wanda Orlikowski, a prominent scholar in the field of Information Systems (IS), developed a perspective that remains highly relevant. Rather than treating technology as a fixed system with predetermined outcomes, she introduced the idea of “technology-in-practice.” Her key point is that technologies only take shape through the way they are used. Their meaning, influence, and even their effectiveness evolve through human interaction. It is not just about what the tool was built to do, it is about what people actually do with it in real contexts. This shifts the focus from features to practices, placing human behavior, routines, and everyday usage at the heart of technology’s real impact.

You don’t implement technology once. You shape it continuously.

We see this play out every day with our business tools, systems that were once helpful but gradually drift into irrelevance. Whether it is a project management app nobody updates, a file share where critical documents are lost during a migration. And once that explicit knowledge is gone, good luck recovering it.

From BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to Bureaucracy: The Back-and-Forth Dance

In the early 2000s, there was a noticeable gap between personal and corporate tech. My home computer often outperformed my machine at work, I had the latest versions of Windows and Office (still almost true today), and even my internet connection was better. Meanwhile, some companies were still limiting email access for employees or restricting internet connectivity ( with web filtering) altogether. That contrast was jarring and it marked the early signs of a shift.

Later, with the arrival of smartphones, the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) movement gained momentum. It allowed employees to stay connected to work using their personal devices. a win-win that brought flexibility and productivity. But that freedom didn’t last. For security reasons, organizations started rolling back BYOD policies, reinforcing the digital fortress. It is a logical move for risk mitigation, but it comes at a cost: a loss of agility, autonomy, and in some cases, innovation. The pendulum has swung again.

With the pandemic, a sudden, massive push for remote work that forced companies to adopt tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Slack at a scale and pace never seen before. It should have been the great leap forward. And in some ways, it was. But it also revealed something far more anchored in the organisation bad habits: the belief that giving people the latest tools doesn’t mean they will figure out how to use them properly. 

We now live in a world where Teams meetings fill calendars, but basic calendar hygiene is still a mystery. Presence indicators like ‘in a meeting,’ ‘away,’ or ‘do not disturb’ seem to be ignored entirely. Somehow, for some people, you are always available. Disruptions happen not due to urgency but because we still treat digital calendars as optional rather than essential. And no, this is not about generational gaps, it is about shared digital discipline. Just this week, I declined a meeting because the colleague requesting it hadn’t checked that I was already busy. Minutes later, I received an email asking if I was available on other dates—something that could have been answered in two clicks by simply looking at my Outlook calendar. How many times have I been asked, “Are you free on that day at that time?” despite my calendar being accessible to my colleagues? Many still do not know how it works, and this is a feature we’ve had since the early 2000s. It’s 2025. We’ve built copilots and LLMs, yet people struggle with tools we’ve had for decades. Some people still struggle with searching the web effectively, and we’ve had Google for over 25 years. That gap in digital fluency says more about learning habits than it does about technological complexity. This isn’t a tech limitation, it’s a training failure and sometimes, a lack of curiosity. Too many people wait to be trained rather than take initiative. While HR can and should support digital upskilling, you also need to take ownership of your development. Curiosity matters. Train yourself. Be proactive. Yes, organizations must invest in employee training, but employees must also recognize that adapting to change comes with a personal cost. It is not only about being more efficient for the company, it is also about your own growth and independence. Reading a book about technology or project management will not kill anyone. It might just make your workday easier. 

This has never really been about the tools. It is about training, culture, digital fluency, and more than anything, mindset. Technology is continuously evolving, and the tools we now have are scaling at exponential speed. But habits don’t keep up. Or worse, new habits formed without any guidance. Misuse is the norm, not the exception. The winners in this new era will not be those with the fanciest tech, but those who adapt faster and more intentionally than others. And please, let’s stop using “I am close to retirement” as an excuse. Society will not wait for you to catch up.

At home, we explore cutting-edge AI. At work, we wait for IT to approve an access to a software. The fear of the unknown, particularly when it comes to AI, is holding back organizations. But fear is not a strategy. Learn it. Test it. Integrate it. If your company can’t spin up a local LLM demo in a few weeks, it’s not a lack of technology. It’s a lack of courage.

Today, we have more freedom and options in our personal digital environments than in our professional ones. That imbalance needs to be addressed, not just for productivity’s sake, but for competitiveness. Because the real threat isn’t external innovation. It’s internal hesitation. A sort of digital hibernation, where motion is confused with progress, and disruption becomes the norm not because it is urgent, but because we’ve normalized ignoring the systems meant to protect focus and flow.

The AI Wave and Its Challenges

The 2023 AI wave made something previously niche suddenly mainstream. Generative models, copilots, and automation agents landed in our browsers, inboxes, and workflows. The technology is now available at our fingertips for better or worse. But having access is not the same as knowing what to do with it.

Many companies have reacted to this new wave not with curiosity but with caution. Some are even blocking access to AI tools due to data security concerns. While the risks of data leakage are real, outright bans often reflect a deeper issue: the absence of a strategy. Education should be the first response, not prohibition. Train your employees, not just to use the tools, but to use them wisely.

And once again, the paradox reappears. Employees often have more power on their smartphones at home than on their company machines when it comes to AI. Tools like ChatGPT, AI-powered note takers, and automation apps are just a tap away in our personal lives, while professional environments continue to limit access or hesitate in the face of the unknown. It is not about the tool, it is about knowing how to use it and having the courage to embrace it.

Regulatory approaches vary widely across the globe. The European Union’s cautious stance has slowed adoption, while China has surged ahead by prioritizing speed over privacy. Both extremes come at a cost. Organizations in other regions must find a middle path, balancing innovation with responsibility. And let’s be clear, this responsibility should not be outsourced to IT departments alone. Business leaders need to step in, because integrating AI is not a technical task. It is a strategic one.

Before launching into AI, define your objectives. Speak with your peers. Analyze real use cases. Brainstorm internally. Start with a proof of concept, something that takes days, not months. AI should not be used to follow trends. It should be used to create business value. Customers first ! should be the moto.

Bureaucracy: Still the Greatest Threat to Innovation and Digital Adoption

Let’s be honest: bureaucracy has killed more innovation than bad code ever did. Many organizations still apply traditional approval frameworks to emerging technologies. If starting a proof of concept requires a four-step approval chain, your AI journey is already dead on arrival.

We still see companies hoarding massive volumes of poorly structured data, obsessed with protection but incapable of utilization. Protecting sensitive data is essential, yes, but so is unlocking its value. Intelligent automation is not a nice-to-have anymore. It’s your only way forward.

The Two-Week Rule

If your company takes more than two weeks to build a prototype that demonstrates a real AI use case, you are either in denial or you are already late to the game. And no, it is not a question of budget either. I installed a small LLM on a Raspberry Pi 5 for less than 100 euros. The barrier is not financial. it is mindset, motivation, and execution.

Adoption should not start with massive, top-down deployments. It should begin with small wins. Focus on employee education. Empower teams to solve real problems. Do not try to please everyone. A niche use case, executed well, is worth more than a hundred theoretical discussions. Quick wins ignite the spark. That spark builds momentum. Lead by example.

Yes, be curious. But also be strategic. The temptation to always chase the latest LLM or the most hyped-up model is strong, but ultimately misleading. Today’s best model will be outdated tomorrow, just like the newest phone or app. What matters is not having the most advanced version—it is how well you integrate and apply what is already available. The real edge comes from your internal ability to turn tools into outcomes. It is not about the features of the tool, it is about the impact it delivers in your context.

From Customization to Transformation

Too many organizations are using AI to replicate old processes faster instead of rethinking them entirely. AI should not be used to automate inefficiencies. It should be used to reinvent them. But beware, AI should also be applied where it makes sense. Not every process needs a complete overhaul. In fact, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) remains as relevant as ever. When applied correctly, classical automation still brings tremendous value. AI should augment and complement these efforts, not replace efficient systems that already work well. 

Employees are clinging to their favorite legacy tools. It is understandable. Comfort zones are cozy. But manual data entry, document duplication, and copy-pasting will not survive the decade. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) did not reach its full potential because it lacked context. AI, by contrast, understands and adapts. It is not about removing jobs. It is about evolving roles. 

This is why I always refer to AI as “augmented intelligence,” not artificial. It can amplify human capacity, but only when guided by expertise and purposeful use. Without intelligence behind it, there is nothing to augment.

Leadership: The Critical Missing Link

Leadership matters. Too many executives still believe that younger employees are naturally tech-savvy or that consultants  and IT departments hold the silver bullet. Spoiler alert: neither assumption holds.

Leaders must educate themselves. They must understand what is possible and what is not. They must learn how to align digital tools with business goals. And above all, they must stop underestimating internal talent. Your employees know more than you think. Tap into that potential before looking outside.

Conclusion

We are in the middle of a technological revolution. The technology is here. The bottleneck is no longer access. It is adoption. And adoption is about mindset, not tools.

Organizations must:

• Move from discussion to experimentation. Stop planning. Start prototyping.
• Invest in education at every level.
• Embrace agility over rigidity.
• Bridge the digital literacy gap at the leadership level.
• Build cross-functional teams that collaborate beyond silos (and please, do not leave this in the hands of IT geeks alone).

The pace is relentless. We are facing a tsunami of technology, and the future will not wait. The winners will not be those with the shiniest tools, but those who know how to use them wisely, quickly, and collaboratively.

And this raises an even deeper question—one I will explore in the next post: how must we rethink knowledge management in an era of AI-powered work? Because storing information is no longer enough. We need to activate it.

The shelves are full. The race has started. Build your engine and drive. Do not just watch the race.