The pandemic has taught us that one of the cornerstones of corporate resilience is a secure teleworking strategy, with a focus on creating well-functioning digital jobs. However, this means much more than providing the Internet connection and cloud-based applications needed for telecommuting, as well as providing the right cybersecurity rules: we also need a strategy that takes into account the needs not only of the company but also of the employees
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Comprehensive strategy
Today, when all companies are busy creating a new workplace structure, it is important to understand the fundamental differences between the digital workplace and the digital workspace. since the two concepts are far from overlapping.
We have two definitions of the
digital workplace: IDC and Gartner. Although the two definitions differ on several points, there is a consensus among the two reputable research firms that technology decisions, however correct and well-founded, do not in themselves guarantee success.
According to IDC, a digital workplace is a digitally connected environment that is suitable for working regardless of location and time. Gartner puts it more sophistically: by definition, the digital workplace is a business strategy that creates an attractive and intuitive work environment to develop the digital capabilities of the workforce and encourages the use of technologies that increase business efficiency.
The digital workplace thus differs from the digital workplace in that the former is a comprehensive approach to the complete transformation of the environment to facilitate work and collaboration, while the latter
Cultural change
Unsurprisingly, technology companies prefer to advertise their products as a complete digital workplace solution. But there is no product or service that will give you the coveted digital workplace right away: it requires a variety of tools and processes embedded in a coherent strategy.
The Digital Workspace Ecosystem Alliance – made up of large developers such as Cameyo, appCURE, deviceTRUST, directprint.io, Fortinum, IGEL, Login VSI, PolicyPak, Tehama and Tricerat – identified the eight components of the digital workplace in their spring publications. These are: virtual desktops, virtual applications, secure endpoints, collaboration tools, policy and case management, analysis, monitoring, testing, and cyber security.
Although these elements focus on technology, they can be a good starting point for development. . At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that the digital workplace rests on three pillars: the first is the place to work (this can be the office, the apartment or a shared, common space), technology and culture. Organizations therefore need to take a holistic approach to digital workplaces with a comprehensive strategy, according to an IDC study, and think about integrating new digital “employees” (artificial intelligence, robotic process automation (RPA), augmented and virtual reality, etc.) in addition to the workspace. they must not forget the new type of work culture, in which a digital worker with a commitment to his or her company is at the heart of its values.
It is also very important that the digital workplace also to accommodate evolving technologies, as the technology that is at its peak today may become obsolete tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
The future of hybrid environments
In 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic accelerated the development of new technologies and the proliferation of hardware that allowed employees to work from anywhere, anytime. Teleworking has proven itself and has shown that employees perform well without direct supervision, but it has also highlighted the need for companies to be prepared for unexpected disruptions.
to himself, say IDC experts. While there are certain jobs or responsibilities where teleworking is not really a viable option and for some reason an on-site presence is absolutely necessary, they are more of an exception to the general rule and should not stand in the way of a comprehensive digital jobs strategy.
It is now evident that hybrid jobs will remain with us for a long time to come and we have to reckon with them in the long run. This, in turn, sets out development plans: for digital jobs to be implemented, managers must choose technologies that are able to meet the needs of employees on a lasting basis and make the company an attractive workplace.
Don’t tie the employee !
A recent Gartner study examining digital work experience found that employees who are satisfied with, and use, workplace apps and technology are twice as large. they are more likely to stay with the company as soon as those whose experiences are less favorable. The COVID-19 epidemic has made it easier to change jobs in some ways, as job interviews have taken place online and the worker who has had to move has not had to move anywhere physically. In other words, virtual mobility has increased and companies have found it increasingly difficult to retain valuable labor.
Another Gartner study also found that companies that had introduced a strict control system or increased their number of meetings – they didn’t actually improve performance, they only achieved one thing: their employees got tired faster. Researchers surveyed 2,400 workers in January 2021, and the responses revealed that employees who spent more time in meetings had a nearly 33 percent reduction in work performance, and these employees were twice as willing to change jobs as those who their bosses left to work.
How to create a digital workplace
The number one piece of advice from experts on the subject: forget the classic office, which is unlikely to regain its former leadership role in a significant number of companies. Their second piece of advice is for IT companies to choose workplace technologies that are flexible and easy to integrate, and that allow processes and tools to be conveniently coordinated and upgrades and maintenance to run smoothly.
Never let’s not forget about the user experience: it is a rule that when planning any technological development and change, the aspects of the employees come first, as the success of the company depends or falls on their productivity. In addition to improving the user experience, it is also worth taking advantage of the automation options that free workers from the soul-killing robot. Automation is, of course, a double-edged sword, as it inevitably threatens jobs, which can lead to some workers leaving the company early, even without waiting for threatening redundancies.
Adaptive environment
Finally, let’s see what IDC analysts say are the basic features of a well-structured digital workplace:
- Perhaps the most important feature of the digital workplace is its ability to accommodate all meaningful changes, not only at the level of technology, but also at the level of skills and processes. Efficient, scalable, and flexible to adapt to automation and other digital solutions to help you work.
It offers an intelligent, unified work environment for employees and the necessary information for work activities. minimizes environmental changes by proactively servicing resources creates a strong link between the human and non-human (digital) workforce and corporate resources and assets, regardless of when they are used
Its powerful safety and management functions do not hinder work and do not impair work experience. Optimizes and personalizes employees with intelligent, agile and adaptive learning systems work experience and improve productivity and personal and data security.
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