Digitisation is changing the way we work at breakneck speed. The workplace is no longer a physical place where employees are demanded to attend five days a week by management. Instead, companies are increasingly collaborating through digital platforms that can be accessed from anywhere worldwide — as long as there’s a safe and reliable internet connection.
The digital workplace is ready for this shift. However, a digital workplace is more than just a loose series of tools that are poorly stuck together. To really benefit from a digital workplace and achieve measurably improved results, this way of working must be set up and implemented in a structured manner.Digitisation is a buzzword that has been lingering throughout the corporate world for a few years now. It’s a topic that’s increasingly being discussed — but what does it actually mean?
A digital workplace is a cloud-based work platform that companies use to move their entire workflows into a virtual space.
The digital workplace contains applications, data, tools and collaboration functions that employees require for work. These electronic functions are linked on the cloud and work together seamlessly, being controlled via a secure online interface that can be accessed using appropriate devices.
The adoption of cloud-based platforms creates a paperless office that can be used anywhere and at any time without compromise.
While they sound similar, we’re talking about two separate approaches here.
A digital workplace is an online interface with data, tools and collaboration features for a company’s employees. These functions work seamlessly together and eliminate the need for physical offices and assets.
The features of a digital workplace include:
A digital workspace is used as a personal tool by only one employee, who completes their tasks via programs and devices. A digital workspace is a virtual space for collaboration. Therefore, a digital workspace is defined as the digital counterpart to an offline workplace.
The features of a digital workspace include:
Ultimately, a digital workspace can be imagined as a virtual conference room where teams meet using collaborative tools — like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Think back to being in the office Monday-Friday, sitting in rush hour traffic to try and get to the office for 9 am. How much has that changed?
Many employees now work from home and manage company workflows from the comfort of their couch with flexible working hours. This is a perfect example of how trends such as digitisation fuel and mould the world of work.
Mobile working is supported by networking via digital tools such as corporate networks and video conferencing systems, as is collaborative work. Overall, these trends lead to companies setting up a digital workplace.
However, for many companies, the level of digitisation isn’t advanced. Only a few employees claim to have a real digital workplace that also meets their employers’ security standards.
Instead of working in a uniform and central platform, people often work in different programs that aren’t networked with each other and don’t exchange data. This is time-consuming and inefficient.
Did you know that employees spend up to an hour a day switching back and forth between different applications?
Not only that, but existing digital folder structures also don’t always allow you to find required documents quickly. There are often different versions of the same document on the servers. That makes everything more complicated.
To be able to operate flexibly, productively and efficiently regardless of location in the future, remote workers shouldn’t have to face these problems. They should be able to access the correct information reliably and quickly within a user interface that allows communication with colleagues with just a few clicks — in newsfeeds, chats or via video.
Regardless of whether team members work in different cities, in the same office, or at home with a digital workplace, all processes work as though you were sitting directly next to each other. This is the most decisive advantage of a digital workplace.
Employees want to be able to switch between the office and working from home, flexibly and without restrictions. Offering a digital workplace is an essential factor in increasing employee satisfaction — and that’s worth its weight in gold.
Satisfied employees are loyal and more motivated, which leads to more noticeable increases in efficiency. From a process optimisation perspective, a well set up digital workplace also offers companies significant advantages.
The digital workplace replaces small, isolated solutions within a company’s IT infrastructure that don’t always harmonise with each other
Since there’s also a need for more automated data exchange, information is often copied from one system to another, which is time-consuming and error-prone
Simple, repetitive tasks that take up a lot of time can be automated within a digital workplace
This means that employees can concentrate better on more complex tasks
Individual user rights can be set up so only authorised employees can access the system
Better exchange of information between those involved
The social media elements integrated into the digital workplace systems make collaboration in virtual space easier
Employees can connect at the touch of a button and exchange ideas as if they were sitting in the same office
A digital workplace creates a more transparent work environment where all team members can track the status of every project or task they are involved in at any time
Team leaders can assign tasks and set deadlines. This way, unnecessary meetings or agreements can be avoided and team members can concentrate on their core tasks
Companies that control their digital workplace via cloud software also reduce their IT costs
Tasks such as user support, programming or IT security are taken over cost-effectively by the software provider
Upgrades are also installed automatically, so that users always have the latest version of the system
A digital workplace offers flexibility, but some challenges can be associated with setting up a digital workplace. For example, a modern workplace isn’t created overnight and requires a great deal of time and effort to make it robust.
Companies first need to determine which software they should purchase. This isn’t always easy, as the market for business tools is broad and highly fragmented. Solutions also differ in their range of functions.
We recommend testing your desired software with a free demo to make the right choice for your company. Whitepapers, case studies and personal advice from preferred providers also help.
When choosing the perfect solution for your company, you need to ask the right questions. Does the system also communicate via interfaces with specialist software solutions already used in individual departments? And can these be integrated into the digital workplace?
You’ll only notice an increase in efficiency if these two things apply to the solution, as it eliminates the need to copy and paste documents and data.
Another challenge when setting up a digital workplace is introducing new systems requiring good change management. This applies not only to the introduction and use of the latest tools but also to the introduction of mobile working methods, flexible working time models and modern office concepts.
In some areas, introducing a digital workplace requires a change in the entire corporate culture because coordination channels and workflows may have to be rethought.
This can cause resistance because fear accompanies innovations and catapult employees out of their comfort zones. This makes it all the more important not to simply prescribe innovations to employees but to involve them in the renewal process.
This includes communicating the plans openly, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages, answering questions and being open to employees' ideas. Then, employees feel as though they’ve actively contributed to the new corporate culture and stand behind it without any ifs or buts.
Once the digital workplace is set up, it ensures a smooth transition between remote work in the home office and face-to-face work in the office. But what requirements must be met for this?
First of all, having the right hardware for each employee is crucial. These include, for example, a laptop, a headset and a webcam. On the software side, a digital workplace requires individual employees to have central access to all relevant information during their everyday work.
It’s essential that all required data and documents can be found quickly and consistently. Working with different document versions and always chasing current data isn’t an option in a digital workplace.
To do this, a digital workplace combines all systems in a uniform interface. Intranet, e-learning platforms, a document management system, social media, collaboration tools, and an enterprise content management platform (ECM) are examples. All data is provided on this central platform and controlled via a uniform interface.
This not only requires all data to be digitised and integrated into the digital workplace. The digital workplace must also map all of a company’s in-house workflows one-to-one to ensure it’s trouble-free, seamless and efficient.
The digital workplace should offer options for customising the user interface. For example, by simply turning off unnecessary buttons. This simplifies operation considerably and increases acceptance of the application.
The introduction of a digital workplace should not be done hastily but rather step by step.
Take a close look at how your company is currently positioned with regard to a digital workplace.
What’s the current state of your digital infrastructure?
Where should the company develop in digital terms?
What goals do you want to achieve with the higher level of digitalisation and the establishment of a digital workplace?
Here are a few examples:
The digital workplace is intended to increase the company's productivity and reduce costs and possible sources of error
Virtual collaboration should be promoted through the digital workplace
There are also factors such as increased employee satisfaction and loyalty, which are promoted by high-performance digital processes
Now, ask yourself which applications you need to achieve these goals.
The specifications resulting from step one make it easier for you to search the market for software solutions that best meet your requirements.
Compare your desired ideas exactly with the offers from various solution providers. Research the websites of the individual providers and comparison platforms. You can also participate in free software demos and, in personal discussions with consultants, ask carefully whether the system in question meets your needs.
Check off point by point and choose the tool that can be used to perfectly implement your goals.
Don't choose off-the-shelf software, but instead, find out which software provider can tailor its solution to your needs so that you get exactly the performance you expect from a digital workplace. Ideally, you receive all functions, including support, service and training, from a single source.
The next step is to implement the system.
The solution provider of your choice will support you step by step. They’re responsible for setting up the new system and connecting the tool to existing software systems via interfaces.
Now, your digital workplace is in place.
Define individual access permissions for each user in the digital workplace.
This is important so users can only access the information in the tool that they’re authorised to access according to their role in the company.
To do this, specify in the backend exactly which details should be accessible to the individual user via the user interface and which shouldn’t.
Now it’s time to train your employees. This is a crucial step if this entire process is to be successful as it’s how you’ll secure buy-in.
During the test phase, a few employees initially have access to the system. They recheck all functions for possible errors and usability problems.
In the next step, these users can train other employees as super users and provide them with advice and support on application questions.
After eliminating the system's teething problems and once your employees have gradually become comfortable with the application, it's time to launch the system.
The digital workplace can now be activated for practical use in everyday life.
We developed this self-assessment to help you identify your current mobile and collaborative work challenges and determine whether your organisation could benefit from a centralised digital workplace.
Answer the following questions honestly with “yes” or “no” and find out whether a well-designed digital workplace can simplify your everyday business life.
Are you having difficulty accessing business-relevant information and resources when working outside the office or on the go?
Do you find accessing files or documents stored in different cloud storage or drives difficult?
Do you spend too much time switching between different tools and applications to complete your tasks?
Do you or your employees sometimes feel overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the right communication platform for specific projects or tasks?
Do you find it challenging to collaborate effectively with your team members and share information when you are in a different office?
Is tracking your team members' work progress and activities difficult, especially when working remotely?
Do you want to automate your work processes and simplify repetitive tasks?
Are you interested in automating your work processes and simplifying repetitive tasks?
Do you want to improve communication and collaboration in your company, regardless of location and time zones?
Would you like a solution to simplify the onboarding process for new employees and make it more effective?
Do you sometimes have difficulty keeping track of your tasks, appointments and projects?
Are you concerned about company data security when using personal devices (BYOD) for work?
Are you or your employees frustrated by your company's lack of transparency and real-time information?
Do you want to increase customer satisfaction by improving response time to customer inquiries and customer support?
Do you want to promote work culture and support remote work and flexible working models?
If you can answer “yes” to several of these questions, it’s very likely that your company can benefit from a digital workplace in many ways.
Implementing a digital workplace can help your employees work more efficiently and productively, collaborate seamlessly, and access essential resources regardless of their location.
At the same time, a digital workplace supports flexible working models and promotes transparency within the company.
Please note that this test can only give a rough estimate based on your answers. Before you start implementing a digital workplace, we recommend that you seek professional advice to take your company's individual needs into account in more detail.
Use this checklist to assess various digital workplace offerings for an effective, smooth integration that satisfies you and your employees equally.
The list will help you find the best possible solution for your specific digital workplace requirements:
Does the software guarantee all necessary data protection and data security requirements?
Can all tools be adapted to internal structures and processes?
What tools do employees actually need?
Can the software be tailored to the business objectives?
Does the digital workplace solution reduce the time required for your employees to carry out their tasks?
Is the software user-friendly?
Does the system help employees achieve company goals?
Can all employees access information regardless of location or device?
Does the software help ensure effective collaboration?
How has your existing IT infrastructure been designed so far in terms of technologies and applications?
What experiences do your employees already have from their current digital workplace and virtual collaboration?
The questions that arise when it comes to the digital workplace are always the same. We’ve summarised the five most frequently asked questions below.
Digital workplaces allow organisations to meet new challenges of the digital age, even under the most uncertain business conditions. They ensure greater efficiency and flexibility in collaboration and promote business agility. This is how companies achieve better results.
Companies work remotely now. As a result, companies must quickly look for the right tools to allow their employees to primarily work from home. By implementing a digital workplace, you ensure that your employees can work with maximum productivity, whether they’re in the office or from home.
Employees need access to multiple applications every day to organise and manage their work. On average, companies today use more than 16 programmes, and the number is constantly increasing.
Too many tools can confuse and overwhelm your employees — which also costs valuable time, having to constantly switch between different applications just to complete a single task.
A digital workplace provides a central platform to access all applications, business data and projects in one place, directly saving time, relieving employees of their daily tasks and improving their productivity.
A digital workplace is a digital and cloud-based workplace that enables the complete processing of all tasks and workflows on a purely virtual basis.
All necessary applications, tools, data and collaboration functions are available to involved employees via a uniform online platform, either equally or separately, depending on authentication.
Greater efficiency in the company, time and cost savings as well as a modern work culture are just a few good reasons for establishing a digital workplace.
This future-oriented concept improves and simplifies communication not only for internal teams but also for customers, partners and suppliers. In addition, company-relevant processes and the automation of workflows can be optimised using a digital workplace.
So now you know everything there is to know about digital workplaces. Are you ready to implement this new way of working into your company? Find out how you can do that with DocuWare.