The modern workplace is the future of work.
As we hurtle towards a new decade, organisations in every sector and of every kind are undergoing a digital transformation in response to the changing IT landscape and the innovative technologies that have emerged and allowed us to redefine how and where we work.
Introducing new ways of working makes businesses agile and able to adapt to an ever-evolving business and tech world. Implementing modern workplace tools improves productivity, makes collaboration easier, makes the workforce more efficient and able to provide better service in whatever sector they work.
Successful digital (or modern) workplaces, share characteristics and ways of working that distinguish them from traditional workplaces and enable them to keep ahead of the curve. Let’s take a look at what those characteristics are…
Flexible working
For many organisations, giving staff the ability to work flexibly from any location is a real attraction of becoming a modern workplace. By using cloud-based platforms like SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams, workers can access the files and they data they need to do their work, securely, from any location that has an internet connection, making the traditional office-based working model potentially obsolete.
Offering mobile working is also a great way for companies to attract and retain talent, in a business world where the option of remote working is becoming a prerequisite.
Remote working is essential for some organisations, like local councils and healthcare organisations, where key staff are ‘on the road’ and working with service users away from the office.
Easy collaboration
Collaboration is a trademark feature and one of the foundations of a modern digital workplace. Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and SharePoint let people co-author documents, upload and save files, leave comments in real time and work together on shared projects and tasks, without leaving the app. These tools are also key to enabling remote working and mean workers can still collaborate on projects without being in the office.
Video conferencing
Video conferencing using tools like Skype for Business is part of the mobile working strategy and means that workers who aren’t in the office, either by choice or perhaps because of transport or childcare problems, can still ‘attend’ important meetings and be kept in the loop.
‘Bring your own device’ (BYOD)
Applying a ‘bring your own device’ policy is another trademark of the modern workplace and is great for improving productivity given that it means workers can use their own devices to work at any time, and that most people have a preferred device to work on. Because the modern digital workplace has robust security in place to protect the IT network (which we will get to later), it is totally secure to access files from a personal device. Letting people bring their own device to work also means the company spend less on devices and equipment for staff.
Any organisation that is implementing BYOD should have policies in place around how the device can be used and what to do in the event of theft or loss, to avoid security breaches (even with security measures like two-factor authentication in place).
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is becoming the preferred method of storing and sharing data thanks to its large capacity, robust security and the fact that it can be accessed from anywhere, on any device that has an internet connection.
Utilising cloud storage is an integral part of the modern workplace and makes it easy for staff to access and share documents and data, in a single location and with version control policies to avoid duplication. With tools like SharePoint, for example, users can send a link to a colleague so they can access a document, rather than having to attach the file to an email. In this way, the process is made more efficient and easier for everyone to crack on and do their work.
Robust security
Robust security is a key feature of the modern workplace, with security measure encompassing and applying to all aspects of the digital workplace. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an effective way of ensuring cloud-based platforms cannot be accessed by unauthorised people, which is essential if staff are working remotely or using their own devices.
Organisations who are becoming a modern workplace should have stringent IT governance policies in place as well as physical security measures to ensure that staff know the importance of accessing apps securely. These policies are essential for companies who must with industry regulations.
Employee feedback
A digital transformation project doesn’t have an end date; it is a continuously evolving project. Your digital workplace should be perfectly positioned to react to changes in the tech space and your industry; having the right tools in place will ensure that you can. A key element of this is getting regular feedback from employees about the tools they use and the working environment you have created. After all, they are the end users and they have the best insight into what does and doesn’t work regarding the tools that have been implemented and the new ways of working.
Integrated apps
Successful modern workplaces ensure that the tools they have implemented integrate and work seamlessly together to create a joined up working environment. When asked, disjointed tech is one of the biggest complaints of employees in organisations that are undergoing or have recently undergone a digital transformation. Apps should ‘communicate’ with one another so that processes are joined up and transparent. This is especially the case with crucial applications like CRM, finance and HR systems.
Agile and adaptable
Becoming – and staying – agile in an ever-changing business and IT landscape is one of the key drivers for becoming a digital workplace. The tools that enable productivity and collaboration, like those within Microsoft 365, are the same ones that help businesses remain agile and ensure that productivity never needs to stop.
Starting your modern workplace journey
If you would like to start your modern workplace journey or learn more about becoming a modern workplace, Core's Modern Workplace Assessment is the perfect starting point. Book yours today.
