Any conversation on business development ultimately mentions digital transformation, but it's easier said than done. A digital workspace isn’t something that happens overnight. Rather than being a single-phased project, it’s a long-term process that helps your business adapt to the constant pace of technological and market change. With the right foundations in place, you can boost productivity and continuously improve your business processes. Below are some key steps to achieving this.
#1. Prioritize employee experience
While most employees are at least reasonably technologically competent, there’s still a big divide between them and the IT department in many organizations. Implementing a digital workspace without a proper strategy is sure to lead to failure, since no one wants to have new systems and processes foisted upon them just because that’s what everyone else seems to be doing.
Since your employees will be the ones to use your digital workspaces, it’s imperative that you put their needs and experiences first. If you don’t achieve buy-in from your employees or provide necessary training and support, productivity will likely end up being lower than when you started out. Always communicate with your employees, form closer ties with different departments, and determine what they need. Finally, be sure to illustrate the benefits of any new tech before you implement it.
#2. Focus on change management
Any type of change is disruptive, but simply staying as you are will leave you unable to keep up with the demands of today’s market. But there’s more to a successful digital transformation than finding the right balance between innovation and conservatism. Every change, no matter how small, can lead to unforeseen consequences. When it comes to technology, that could mean data loss, compromised security, or compliance failure.
Every change should be managed with care. Any rollout of a new digital workspace solution should be carried out in phases, and with user groups segmented to mitigate risks. Finally, always have a contingency plan in case things go wrong.
#3. Assess existing processes
Digital workspaces aren’t always better, but they almost always can be. In many cases, the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” still applies. There’s no point, after all, in investing in new technology if it’s not going to make a decent return on investment. It’s also important to get your critical systems in order first and make sure that any change will not disrupt them or cause downtime.
Assessing your existing business processes and systems will help you identify areas in need of improvement, reveal assets that pose an unacceptably high risk to your organization, and prioritize your upgrades.
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#4. Avoid the technology bloat
By now, most of us have heard of the term “technology detox”. Many world-famous innovators and technologists routinely take some scheduled time away from the internet and everything that’s connected to it. After all, the proliferation of technology has left us with notification fatigue and severely compromised productivity. But most of the time, this comes down to so-called technology bloat.
Eliminating common distractions like unnecessary notifications and social media is essential for implementing more productive digital workspaces. Moreover, the fewer apps you use for work, the better. If you’re using half a dozen different “productivity” apps, then you’re doing it wrong.
#5. Measure the results
Every digital transformation should start with a goal and set of sub-goals that align with your business needs and priorities. To ensure your resources and efforts don’t go to waste, you’ll need to quantify and qualify your success. This means establishing the right ways to measure the effectiveness of each newly upgraded system or process.
For example, you might quantify productivity by tracking the number of customers served or invoices filed in a given time. In another situation, you might want to measure effectiveness by computing how much you saved in operational costs. For instance, implementing a digital workspace can greatly reduce overheads by empowering workforce mobility and reducing the need for more office space.
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