The Digital Workplace: What Employee Efficiency Looks Like in the Modern Office
Read this article to learn some tips to increase work efficiency of employees when they work from home.
The modern workplace has seen drastic changes over the past few months. As government and business leaders work to quickly adapt to the ever-changing environment, the concept of a traditional office has evolved almost entirely. The current global health crisis has contributed to millions of employees shifting to a fully remote workstyle, greatly expediting businesses' digital transformation. As the world becomes increasingly accustomed to this new work arrangement, we're taking a look into what employee efficiency looks like in the modern, digital workplace.The digital workplace
The concept of remote work and the "digital office" is based upon modern technology. All the tools and solutions that enable employees to effectively perform their jobs, regardless of location, are what makes this all possible. To maintain a productive and empowered workforce, equipping employees with the proper tools for their specific roles is essential. Beyond technology's role, it is management's responsibility to ensure all team members feel engaged and comfortable in their new distributed work environment. Staff should feel comfortable with sharing their thoughts and feel invested in the organization's success, as an engaged employee is a productive employee. Effective communication
Communication is the backbone of a successful organization, and with teams dispersed across different locations, developing an effective communication model is critical. Without the option to interact with colleagues in person, teams have had to implement new technologies to replace traditional methods,while still allowing for the same level of effectiveness.
Apart from traditional tools like email, innovative businesses have adapted modern solutions to fit all types of communication styles. Instant messaging applications such as Slack and Google Hangouts and virtual meeting tools like Zoom enable dispersed teams to engage one another in a variety of styles, depending on the specific business needs. Encouraging open communication across departments and making sure all team members are equipped and comfortable speaking up through these various channels is essential to productivity in the digital office. As when employees feel disconnected, it can lead to poor production and lessened motivation. Team collaboration
The plethora of technology tools working in tandem contributes to a remote team's ability to maintain strong collaboration. Now, teams can access spreadsheets, slides, group chats, video conferences and more within cloud-based collaboration tools–all in real time. Before the mass shift to remote work, the general consensus was that businesses could not operate as effectively without at least some physical collaboration. What these past few months have taught us, is in fact the opposite. Companies are finding ways to build off of their employee's strengths and preferences to develop the most effective collaboration processes.Project management
Remote project management presents new challenges as well as new advantages. Identifying the right project management software for a specific team's needs can help in maintaining business continuity and productivity towards goals. The variety of available platforms enable remote teams to orchestrate all of their work in one concise place. Through these digital tools, employees can organize and prioritize project plans, streamline requests, manage task assignments, schedule goal check-ins and more with ease. Enabling employees to collaborate on projects as they would in-office, eliminates the risk of inefficiencies while remote.Streamlined operations
Digital transformation extends beyond front-end operations and should be factored into your back-end processes as well. Improving efficiency, decreasing costs, and streamlining operations is the name of the game in this digital workplace, and leveraging technology tools can help to achieve this. Back office outsourcing (BPO) is designed to create efficiencies and ensure smooth operations. Modern businesses are taking BPO benefits one step further by incorporating technology like robotic process automation (RPA). RPA for business process outsourcing utilizes the digital workforce to improve organizational retention, acquisition, customer service and profitability while reducing costs and contributing to improved support for maximum productivity.
Embracing the digital workplace requires a commitment to innovation and the ability to be nimble in the various aspects of running a business. Leveraging automation where possible encompasses this by creating opportunities for businesses to deliver new business capabilities, without the need for added staff or costs. Company culture
Creating a positive company culture is essential to a productive and motivated workforce. The majority of top talent employees view culture as a key factor in choosing an employer as well as how long they decide to stay working for a company. Thanks to the advent of remote workplace technology, establishing and maintaining strong company culture is achievable, as there are a number of tools available to support, engage and acknowledge employees virtually. Human resource department members and management can effectively check-in with employees, manage and adjust benefits and more regardless of physical location.
When people are engaged and satisfied in their roles, they perform better. Maintaining employee efficiency in the digital workplace begins with replicating those highly valued elements of engaged physical offices through technology. Virtual meeting rooms with the purpose of casual conversation or team building games are an excellent way to create a sense of community across dispersed teams. Recognition and rewards programs are also incredibly effective in reminding employees that their hard work is being acknowledged and provides an opportunity for colleagues to congratulate and thank each other. Depending on an organizations' preferences, there are a number of different types of employee recognition platforms to meet unique needs, goals and budgets.
As our world continues to change, businesses must evolve and adapt to maintain a productive and satisfied workforce. Embracing technology to develop an efficient digital workplace can set your business up for success in the long term, whatever this world throws at it!
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