The Digital Workplace refers to the modern, virtual version of a traditional workplace. It offers employees personalized services, data, apps, and collaboration tools to allow them to work from anywhere and on any device. This is achieved through mobility services and digital technology that adapt to users' needs and boost employee engagement.
According to research firm Gartner, the Digital Workplace enables new and more efficient ways of working, enhances employee engagement and agility, and incorporates consumer-oriented styles and technologies. The term "Digital Workspace" was introduced in 2009 by Paul Miller, founder of Digital Workplace Group, to describe the comprehensive workplace technology ecosystem.
A digital workplace strategy, which is a continuation of workplace evolution, includes various technologies and tools to achieve business objectives, including communication and collaboration tools, content and knowledge management systems, cloud storage for document sharing and storage, intranet and portal platforms, documentation archives, mobile integration, and mobile device management.
The digital workplace transformation should be customized to the specific needs of each organization while prioritizing the overall user experience. It should simplify communication and collaboration and provide a central hub for employees to access data and perform business functions, regardless of location, device, or time.
What are the advantages of a Digital Workplace?
A digital workplace enhances collaboration and communication. Applications in the digital workplace make it easier for employees to communicate both horizontally with each other and vertically with management. This can lead to innovative ideas being shared. Messaging tools enable employees to act promptly, and the exchange of feedback between employees can boost morale and job satisfaction.
Improving performance: Digital tools can identify key performance indicators to improve the user experience both internally and for external users.
More flexibility: Employees with flexible work environments and schedules are more content with their work and have a better work-life balance. This allows them to work when they feel most productive, whether they are early risers or night owls.
Increased productivity and efficiency: Digital workplace tools enable employees to complete tasks in less time and the ease of communication and collaboration often leads to real-time collaboration for more effective results. Simple IT tools such as password reset features also ease the burden on IT, freeing them up for more critical tasks.
Lower operating costs: Virtual meetings and digital whiteboards replace travel expenses, reducing the costs of airfare, hotels, meals, and car rentals. Having fewer employees on site also reduces monthly costs for real estate, power, and cooling. Using managed services or SaaS for digital workplace platforms can also eliminate the need for on-premise servers and storage.
Revenue growth: Research shows that organizations that adopt a digital workplace strategy experience a significant increase in revenue due to reduced costs and increased productivity.
Enhanced employee experience: Engaged employees use social profiles, directories, activity feeds, and collaboration tools to communicate and collaborate, fostering a strong bond between employees and a positive work environment. This can lead to lower turnover and reduced training time for new employees.
Improved customer experience: Happy employees are better brand ambassadors and pass their positive attitude onto customers they interact with.
Why is a Digital Workplace necessary?
Work is no longer performed at a single location. The rise of remote work has made it imperative for organizations to create a digital workplace environment that engages employees and promotes collaboration and communication. A secure digital workplace strategy is increasingly being adopted to meet this need. A good digital workplace provides employees with technology and tools to lower operating costs by reducing the need for costly office space.
How to implement a Digital Workplace?
Every organization has unique requirements for a secure digital workplace, but there are some general guidelines to consider.
-
Evaluate your current digital workplace. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of current systems and gather feedback from employees through surveys to understand their current tools, opinions on software, and areas for improvement.
-
Engage business and IT leaders. Agree on a common goal and vision for the adoption of a digital workplace strategy and ensure buy-in from all levels of the organization.
-
Focus on communication and collaboration. Utilize messaging, intranet, wikis, and enterprise social media tools to inform employees about the digital workplace rollout and provide transparent updates on the progress.
-
Offer adequate training. Provide training for existing employees and new hires to familiarize them with the new digital workplace tools and increase their comfort level with the changes.
How does a Digital Workplace impact Employee Experience?
A digital workplace creates a stronger culture and relationships within an organization, leading to increased productivity, improved business performance, and increased employee loyalty. The digital experience surrounds employees' job functions, making work more efficient and satisfying. The technology and tools available in the digital workplace also provide more flexibility, enabling employees to work when and where they are most productive.
