January 9, 2023
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8 minutes

Digital workplace: overview

A digital workplace is the digital environment that allows companies to work efficiently, remotely, in hybrid mode or in an office.

Digital workplace: overview

A digital workplace is an ecosystem of workplace technologies that enables companies to collaborate effectively, whether you work remotely, in a hybrid mode or in an office. 

Digital workplace: definition 

A digital workplace is a digital organization of the traditional office environment, where the elements of collaboration and work are realized through an ecosystem of digital applications, cloud and other technologies.

Implementing the components of this digital workplace makes flexible working faster and more successful, especially since the pandemic period with the growing popularity of hybrid work.

It has also enabled companies around the world to expand and globalize their businesses through larger pools of candidates and new methods of collaboration.

How does the digital workplace work?

In a digital ecosystem, some standard office work operations are performed virtually, often catering to specific industry or security needs, specific teams or personal preferences. 

While digital workplaces can be deployed for small local groups of employees, they can also be set up for several offices or subsidiaries, whether they are located in different cities, regions or countries.

In other words, a digital workplace opens up a lot of possibilities for companies, breaks down the usual barriers of a traditional workspace and changes the way we work and where we work.

What type of infrastructure to put in place?

Digital workplace solutions can integrate any number of applications, software and tools. 

A digital workplace can include several standard elements, for example:

  • Email (Gmail, Outlook)
  • Instant messaging applications (Slack, Discord)
  • Virtual meeting tools (Zoom, Teams)
  • Data storage in the cloud (Google Workspace, Microsoft 360)
  • Social networks (Linkedin, Twitter)
  • Collaborative applications (Notion)
  • Project management tools (Monday, Asana) 
  • HRIS (Cegedim SRH, Eurecia, Lucca)
  • Hybrid and flex office solutions (Offishall)

When deployed correctly, the digital workplace has the potential to increase business agility, flexibility, productivity, innovation and therefore revenue.

What is the impact on the employee experience?

Digital workplaces help organizations build deeper relationships with their employees and a strong corporate culture, which can help increase productivity, improve overall business performance and build employee loyalty. 

The collaboration and communication tools of a digital workplace (mentioned in the previous paragraph) greatly improve management's ability to address employee issues throughout the organization and can foster a stronger relationship between management and employees.

Since employee satisfaction and engagement are critical to a company's success, providing a strategy centered around the employee experience benefits all members of the organization.

impact digital workplace employee experience

The key elements of the digital workplace 

The notion of the digital workplace is based on three pillars: people, tools and culture.

Collaborators

Employees are the most valuable asset of a company: therefore the success of the transition to a digital workplace depends on them!

A digital workplace empowers your employees to manage data and collaborate in a way that makes sense to them and brings value to the business. 

Here are some examples:

  • Identify new business opportunities.
  • Develop a new product quickly.
  • Improve the customer experience.
  • Optimize operational processes.
  • Facilitate the daily tasks of employees.

Tools

Most companies have already implemented tools dedicated to the digital workplace.

They are grouped into different categories to promote :

  • Collaboration: organizations need to leverage knowledge across the enterprise with intuitive digital collaboration tools.
  • Communication: employees need technology to connect and inform each other. 
  • Knowledge: Employees need workspaces that allow them to access company data and knowledge.

Typically, these tools are implemented in silos without the benefit of a holistic digital workplace strategy. 

To overcome this problem, companies are now creating true digital workplace strategies that will articulate the business processes between them and help identify the appropriate tools and technology.

Culture

The culture of an organization guides the way employees work. It determines how employees use the digital workplace to connect, communicate and collaborate. 

The key here is to understand the needs of employees and develop a digital workplace strategy that aligns with the company's work culture. 

A digital workplace allows to reach these objectives by reinforcing the culture and the community within the company.

digital workplace productivity gains

Better understand the digital workplace

One of the biggest changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the economic world is how and where people work. 

With the massive shift towards remote working, notably via the flex-officethe workplace is no longer just a physical space, a desk or a table that employees occupy during normal office hours. 

Today, the ever-connected digital environment has dramatically reduced the difference between the physical office space and the place where work is done.

Hybrid work and the dispersion of employees are the main reasons why "workplaces" are becoming "digital". In order to reflect the evolution of the working methods of their staff, companies are starting to set up different actions to support the use of the digital workplace such as the smart working or the smart offices.

Why create a digital workplace?

The digital workplace attracts the best talent 

According to the Telework and Hybrid Organizations 2022 barometer, 82% of eligible employees say they want to work in hybrid mode. It's impossible to promote your employer brand without a digital workplace optimized for remote work.

The digital workplace boosts productivity

The National Productivity Council (NPC) reports that teleworkers using a digital workplace generate 5 to 9% more productivity. 

The digital workplace increases flexibility 

According to the Harvard Business Review, the practice of flex office in the context of the use of a digital workplace by the company can achieve a productivity gain of 50%.

The digital workplace brings isolated employees together

Remote workers tend to show signs of loneliness, which can potentially lead to mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. A digital workplace can prevent Isolation of employees.

The concrete benefits of the digital workplace

Data

Collaborator data is securely integrated into collaboration tools (such as Asana, Zoom, Microsoft OneDrive, etc.) and cloud storage, making it easier for users to access data from any device, regardless of where they are working from. 

Access to this data increases efficiency and boosts employee productivity.

Collaboration

These collaboration tools provide easy access to virtual meetings, removing barriers of time, location and device. This flexibility offered by the digital workplace enables a better work-life balance for employees, stimulates their engagement and allows them to work remotely with optimal productivity.

It allows colleagues to stay in touch with each other at all times, even when they are out of the office.

Access to information

Finding information when you need it can be tricky, as all your important work documents are scattered across Notion, Google Drive, OneDrive, email attachments and PC folders.

Digital workplaces provide an interesting solution to this problem by allowing team members to gather all their content and information in one place. 

A central location for all files makes it easier for employees, no matter where they are, to access information from any device as soon as needed.

Productivity

In order to remain successful, companies are constantly looking for ways to be more efficient, optimize their resources or save time. 

The digital workplace can help increase productivity by eliminating travel time, time spent searching for information, and time spent on other administrative tasks that can be done quickly with technology.

Offishall is an employee presence management solution that aims to support organizations in the implementation of flex office and hybrid work. Every day, this tool allows thousands of users to know where they work in order to facilitate team collaboration. Workstation, meeting room, meals, equipment: Offishall Planning allows employees to reserve a space or equipment in a flexible context. 

Charles Helliet

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