What is a Digital Workplace and how can it be set up?

Introduction

Digital transformation and the Covid-19 pandemic have profoundly altered the daily lives and organization of companies in recent years. In the Paris region, almost 45% of employees now have access to telecommuting. Employees in many organizations now have the opportunity to work flexibly in a digital environment, in addition to traditional physical environments. The transition to a truly digital workplace has become unavoidable. But what is the digital workplace and how can it improve your company's efficiency and productivity? Discover the benefits of digital collaborative working and best practices for leveraging these technologies.

Digital workplace: the cornerstone of digital transformation 

What exactly is a digital workplace? 

The digital workplace is defined as a platform for bringing together and sharing information and tools between a company's various employees, regardless of their location. It includes tools and technologies to improve communication and collaboration between employees and their customers. It also offers tools to improve document management, efficiency and employee productivity. The main aim of the digital workplace is to simplify and centralize access to all this knowledge. As such, it goes beyond the simple computerization of processes, and encompasses all the technologies used by employees. Microsoft's Teams, for example, or Lumapps, a SaaS intranet platform dedicated to the Employee Experience.

The challenges of a corporate digital workplace 

Setting up a digital workplace offers many advantages for companies. 

First and foremost, it improves internal communication by promoting information exchange and collaboration between different teams and departments, promising greater flexibility and efficiency in internal and external exchanges. Communication tools such as instant messaging and videoconferencing enable employees to stay connected and work in sync, even from a distance. Secondly, the digital workplace structures and streamlines collaboration between teams, offering tools for document sharing, project management and collaborative working. It enables people to work together seamlessly, share ideas and information, and coordinate actions more effectively. What's more, the digital workplace enhances productivity by giving employees quick and easy access to the tools and information they need to do their jobs. A study published by Deloitte in 2020 noted an average +7% increase in productivity. By enabling the automation of certain tasks and the reduction of certain timeframes, it promotes operational efficiency. Finally, the digital workplace contributes to employee satisfaction by offering a modern, flexible work experience. Teams can benefit from greater autonomy and a better work-life balance.

The challenges of a digital workplace in the face of external risks 

Computer breakdowns, cyber-attacks, supply chain interruptions, internal failures... A wide range of circumstances can disrupt a company's operations. In such situations, the digital workplace plays a crucial role in ensuring business continuity. Its objective? To federate an organization's information and application diversity within a common work platform. Cloud services and online collaboration tools enable employees to stay connected and get on with their work, even away from the office. Data and applications can be accessed remotely, ensuring business continuity even in the event of major disruptions. What's more, the digital workplace offers advanced security measures to protect sensitive company data, guaranteeing its confidentiality and integrity. The implementation of a well-structured digital workplace tailored to the specific needs of the company is therefore essential to ensure efficient and secure business continuity.

Choosing the right tool to facilitate work and collaboration

Essential solutions for your digital workplace

To maximize the benefits of the digital workplace, it's crucial to choose the right tools and solutions. 

Here are some of the tools you'll need:

• Real-time communication tools such as instant messaging and videoconferencing enable employees to communicate fluidly and promote rapid decision-making.
• Collaboration platforms: document sharing, project management and workflow tools facilitate collaboration by sharing information, co-editing documents and coordinating tasks.
• Cloud storage spaces offer a secure space where employees can archive and share their files in a centralized and structured way.
• Task and project management tools provide a global view of ongoing projects, ensuring that deadlines are met and actions are coordinated within teams.

What criteria should you take into account to make the right choice? 

It's essential to take several criteria into account when choosing the tools for your digital workplace, such as their compatibility with existing systems, data security, scalability and the quality of customer support. It's advisable to involve both technical management and end-users in the selection process, taking into account their needs and preferences.

Managing data and data security in the digital workplace

Data management: a key issue

As well as drawing up a strategy and implementing tools dedicated to the digital workplace, organizations face challenges in terms of governance, risk and security. This involves key issues such as data management, defining the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved, and training your staff. One of the major challenges posed by the digitization of the workplace concerns data and data security. According to a study published by the World Economic Forum in 2022, one company in two suffered at least one attack during the year. In addition, it is essential to comply with the latest versions of current regulations (RGPD in particular.)

Here are a few best practices:

• Implement clear data management policies, defining the rules for collecting, storing, sharing and retaining information. Proper classification of data makes it easier to find and use.
  
  
• Data security must be a priority. Robust security measures such as data encryption, two-factor authentication, access controls and strict confidentiality policies are recommended.
  
  
• Raising employee awareness: It's important to train employees in good data security practices, making them aware of potential risks and informing them of the security measures to be observed.
  
  
• Backups and disaster recovery plans: implementing regular data backup policies is crucial, as is the implementation of disaster recovery procedures to guarantee the availability of information in the event of a major incident. On this point, companies that do not have the resources in-house need to enlist the help of experts.
  
  

How to deploy a digital workplace in your company

Steps to successful deployment

Deploying a digital workplace is a complex project requiring careful planning and management. It involves several essential stages: 

• Needs assessment ;
• Selecting the right tools ;
• User training ;
• Data security management.  

At every stage of the process, communication is key: it helps explain the changes, manage expectations and gather feedback. What's more, good communication helps maintain business continuity during the deployment process, and ensures a smooth transition to the new digital working environment.

Communicating for greater agility and transparency 

Effective internal communication is the backbone of any digital workplace. It helps to share information, facilitate collaboration, motivate teams and reinforce corporate culture. By adopting digital communication tools, you can make communication more agile and transparent, eliminating geographical and time barriers. Good internal communication also strengthens the sense of belonging and fosters employee commitment, key aspects for the success of any digital transformation.

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Accelerate your digital transformation with Knowmore's immersive platforms. They guarantee the successful adoption of digital tools to harness the full value of your data.

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