The digital workplace has been adopted by a growing number of businesses in recent years, allowing employees to do their job from anywhere and from any device.
In the past few months, digital workplaces have become more important than ever. Coronavirus has meant that many people are now working from home, making the digital equivalent of a physical workplace essential.
But what is it that staff are looking for from the digital workplace? Here are 7 key features that they need:
Easy to use and understand
Firstly, employees need a digital workplace that’s easy to use. A workforce can include a wide age range of people from different backgrounds, from those who are just entering the industry to those who have years of experience. When implementing a digital workplace, employers need to ensure that their entire workforce has the digital skills needed to use it and get the most out of it.
An effective digital workplace also needs to be simple. People are getting tired of using multiple apps that involve different skillsets to navigate, remembering countless passwords, and finding where to get the right information. A digital workplace should centralise all those apps, giving staff everything they need in one place.
Powerful tech
Technology shouldn’t put limits on employees, or hinder their work. A powerful digital workplace should be able to provide employees with everything they need to do their job, without the worry of slow systems or running out of disk space. Employees need to be able to set up collaborative project areas, manage their own processes, and facilitate discussions with ease. Without this, their digital workplace will quickly become obsolete.
Communication tools
Keeping staff connected – wherever they are located – is something that a digital workplace should do with its eyes closed. And so effective communication tools is a must-have for any digital workplace worth its salt. A central hub, with an array of communication apps such as corporate social networking, internal messaging, and news feeds, should make collaboration easy and accessible, allowing employees to connect instantly.
Intuitive search
Poor navigability is an employee’s worst nightmare, and spending hours on multiple applications looking for the right documents wastes so much time. Files and information spread over multiple systems are almost impossible to find, creating a real barrier to productivity and employee satisfaction. A digital workplace with intuitive search gives staff just one space to look for information, which will dramatically improve navigability and save time for everyone.
Targeted content
A digital workplace that doesn’t provide content or information that’s relevant to staff will quickly gather dust. A poorly designed interface, with little to no personalisation, means that employees will spend a long time working out what to do next. A tailored digital workplace experience, therefore, is key.
Employees want to use a digital workplace with intelligent suggestions for items, relevant and targeted intranet content, personalisation options, and reminders and notifications in one place.
Flexible
Technology in a digital workplace should never force a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it should be flexible and catered to an individual, helping them achieve the most from their workday. A relevant workplace will look at the processes that the user carries out, and adjust to suit them based on their role within the company.
Intranet software
Intranet software is essential for any company who wants to build a successful digital workplace. The software can work in harmony with other platforms – such as e-forms and workflows or project management software – creating an integrated digital workplace for all.
Digital workplaces enable staff to engage and collaborate wherever they are, which can be a game-changer for productivity. By implementing a digital workplace that caters to your employees’ needs, you can create positive experience for your staff and see them thrive.
