We live in a world where technology overtook analogue quite some time ago. We can check our bank account from our smartphone, run our dishwasher by voice control or turn on the lights by moving in front of a sensor.
However in multiple occasions a smart home has no real correspondence to the office world. Just think about the slow internet connection, the time we waist looking for a free meeting room or the numerous difficulties we encounter when trying to connect remotely to the company servers: small frustrations amplify their negative effects over time. Especially in cases where very little is needed to avoid them.
Here are three strategies to bring your company up to date with technology and improve the working experience of your employees.
Encourage “digital dexterity”
Digital transformation is no longer an initiative used only by forward-thinking companies to increase efficiency or gain a competitive advantage over others. Today it represents a basic requirement for future growth. It constitutes a real business challenge that requires a change in the beliefs, mindsets and behaviours of employees throughout the company, not just in the IT department.
Training therefore becomes a pivotal point for any kind of innovation. In this case, we talk about ‘digital dexterity’, or the ‘dexterity’ with which people are able to approach digital tools. By providing the right means to learn, the company can make working life easier even for people who are less inclined to technology.
Implementing technology for hybrid working
There are many ways to innovate the office in favour of the hybrid workplace (we talked about it here). But some are more important and urgent than others:
- A high-speed internet connection that supports access to servers for remote workers too;
- Functioning and recent electronic equipment (computers, webcams, headsets and microphones) that allow employees to work and make video calls easily, without waiting too long or without the equipment requiring frequent maintenance;
- Shared calendars and online project management tools, accessible to anyone involved in a project, regardless of location;
- Meeting rooms and meeting areas equipped with charging stations and video conferencing screens.
Each person must be able to give their best in their activities, both in the office and during remote working days.
Studying aggregated data to improve the individual’s experience
Data analysis has always been a valuable tool for evaluating the user experience, not only in the digital environment. The areas to study can be as diverse as meeting room occupancy and work management software use.
Statistical data can also be supplemented with more qualitative information, collected for example through anonymous internal surveys.
The final goal should always guide a company in making the workplace hospitable and efficient without compromising the needs of the individual.
