As a result of the global digitalization process, there has been an exponential increase in how society connects. Although it seems long ago, businesses were the only ones with Internet access just a few decades ago. In contrast, today, an overwhelming part of our society -mainly the developed countries- has access to the Internet in already uncountable ways. This phenomenon is also referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), that is, a development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data.
This change of scene, in which network connections are all around us, has also reached many families, who are now communicating via WhatsApp; students, who are often faster and better informed than their professors; and medical patients, who can consult with their doctors online at any moment. We don’t even need to go and buy CDs of our favorite artists anymore –we can simply download the music from online applications such as Spotify–, and few people are still buying their magazines at the local newspaper stand, as we can find all the information we need on the Internet. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Digitalization is radically changing our lifestyle and transforming business operations. A logical consequence of the overall digitalized business model is the digital workplace.
The Digital Workplace
Although the digitalization process covers a wide variety of tools, machines and devices, in practice, the most valuable assets in digital transformation at a business level are the people involved.
In fact, Gartner predicts that, by 2020, the main key to the competitive advantage of 30% of enterprises will lie in the ability of their employees to creatively use new digital technologies through digital workplace that takes advantage of the world-wide digital evolution. In addition, according to another Gartner study titled 2015 CEO Agenda: A Spain and Portugal Perspective, IT departments have three priorities when it comes to digital transformation: multi-channel processes and client experience, mobility, and Cloud technology. However, those IT priorities do not usually match the priorities of non-IT employees, who want security, specific software applications and data center infrastructures.
Fortunately, the digital workplace is a strategy that is intended to cover the needs of both IT and non-IT employees. It is about guaranteeing that the investments made in digital products and services will motivate workers, by encouraging them to be more independent, collaborative and eager to learn – a situation which typically results in increased productivity levels.
The four main characteristics of the digital workplace are the following:
- Document and file collaboration tools (such as SharePoint, OneDrive and Google Plus), business unified communication tools (eg. Skype and Cisco) and increased productivity, as employees will be more productive if they can access all of their company’s programs and resources instantly from their digital workplace even if they are not physically present at the office. On the other hand, document software is vital when it comes to document and file collaboration, as it allows companies to digitize their documents, speed up their processes, save costs and increase security.
- Internet access devices: Employees use smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers, as well as a large variety of IoT objects (watches, eyeglasses, bracelets, etc.).
- Ubiquitous connectivity: Digital workers need to be able to connect to the Internet or Intranet and other networks from anywhere, at any time and from any device, accessing corporate resources and applications that are increasingly customized to specific employee profiles. This is one of the principal characteristics of a digital workplace.
- Device control and management: It is absolutely essential for any company to be able to ensure that only authorized devices can access its servers and corporate information, especially for organizations managing highly confidential data, such as banks and insurance companies. On the other hand, the number of simultaneous connections should also be managed and controlled, as many programs and people normally access corporate networks at the same time.
Within the framework of digital transformation, video conference systems constitute, without a doubt, one of the most radical changes in the day-to-day tasks and workplace of most employees. Systems such as WebEx, from Cisco, allow workers to have online meetings from their mobile phones or computers, during which screens and applications can be shared with colleagues and external participants. This has the additional advantage of each attendee being able to see the reactions and faces of other participants in the meeting, which makes communication much more efficient and fluid, not to mention the cost reductions related to business trips and hotels. Now, employees connected through their digital workplace to the companies resources and world must have a very good reason to travel, in order to get a business trip authorized.
To conclude, digital transformation of companies lies mainly in taking advantage of technological enhancements and using those advancements to improve and innovate with the aim of clearly standing out from the competition in a globalized society. We are all aware of this, but perhaps not all companies understand that technology moves forward at a dazzling pace, and something that seems unnecessary today, may be crucial for keeping the business going tomorrow in an even more uncertain and competitive market.
Source:
http://www.rocasalvatella.com/es/las-fases-de-la-transformacion-digital-de-los-negocios-modelo-rocasalvatella
André Klein
Freelance Consultant for DocPath