How to create a digital workplace experience for hybrid working
As technology continues to transform the workplace, it’s more important than ever for organizations to provide employees with a relevant, effective, and meaningful digital workplace experience.
If you’re considering a digital workplace strategy, it’s important to understand exactly what it is, what the benefits are and how to implement and measure it.
What is a digital workplace experience platform?
A digital workplace platform is essentially a digital layer to the workplace accessible from employees’ mobile phones. This means that no matter where they’re based, or even if they’re on the go, they can tap into the workplace and access the services, tools and resources that they require to make their workday more seamless.
More than half of all workers use three or more devices for work, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. Mobile has surpassed computers as the most popular way to access the Internet and with the average mobile phone user spending well over three hours a day on their phones made up of almost 60 pickups, it’s no surprise that a mobile app for the workplace makes perfect sense.
In addition to the mobile app, an employee experience platform has a dashboard where administrators can add articles, events and services easily, so the app always has fresh and relevant content. They can also track engagement levels meaning that they can make data-driven decisions to improve the workplace experience.
Why hybrid working teams need a digital workplace experience
The coronavirus pandemic accelerated a shift to hybrid working into a matter of months, rather than years. Although many companies were extremely resilient, the quick shift meant that they were ill-prepared to meet all of the demands that their abruptly remote and distributed teams required. A staggering 44% of all UK employees felt that the shift to remote working would have been a lot smoother if their company had established workplace technologies beforehand. The same study found that almost all workers felt that their company was not ready to implement hybrid working in the long-term, highlighting how essential it is to invest in the right workplace technologies to support this new way of working which has been widely accepted as the future of workplaces.
It’s likely that this is exactly why you landed on this page. Your company was abruptly shifted into remote working, in which there are many benefits, but also many downfalls. So now, as we move into the recovery phase of the pandemic and offices are opening up, you’re looking into ways that you can facilitate a more balanced hybrid workplace. Hybrid working is the optimal choice for most, offering the flexibility, choice and work-life balance that employees desire. Nevertheless, this new way of working requires a digital workplace experience strategy to effectively run a connected, cohesive and collaborative workplace community. The aim of a digital workplace experience is driving efficiency in the workplace, we’ll show you exactly how in this informative piece.
The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated a shift to remote working, with many companies moving to completely remote or hybridised work.
Hybrid working is a way of working that gives employees the choice of where they work, either the office or at home. If the company has a ‘hub and spoke’ model where they have a main office headquarters in a central location and several smaller satellite offices across the country or world, the employee may even have several workplace options at their disposal. Hybrid working has many benefits and has grown in popularity due to the increased work life balance it provides as well as the increased productivity. With employees having flexibility on where they work they can choose the workplace environment suitable for that day’s task where they feel they will be most productive.
Although there are many benefits to be taken advantage of, there’s also some risks. Companies that have not implemented the right workplace tools could find themselves with disconnected and disengaged employees. This is where the digital workplace comes into play. Hybrid working environments rely on technology to connect, collaborate and communicate with hybrid working teams. Digital workplace transformation is imperative to business success as we move into the future of work.
It’s a great tool to share internal communications, but it goes far beyond that. Your workforce can browse, book and pay for services, tap into perks and discounts, check out what latest events and virtual conferences are happening and even navigate the physical office more efficiently with mobile access, desk and meeting room bookings and a virtual concierge. The virtual workplace experience ultimately helps to drive efficiency in the workplace.
Launching your own company branded workplace experience app
District Technologies has developed a workplace experience app fit for hybrid working and the future of work. Our platform allows communities to navigate the workplace and stay connected from anywhere. We make the on-site experience far more seamless, from mobile building access to booking desks and meeting rooms, to viewing and booking food and drink services and many other features that optimise your office locations. For your hybrid teams you also need a digital layer that engages remote and distributed workers. We’ve got that covered with our community platform with content, events and perks accessible from anywhere.
In 2021, the workplace is no longer four walls with a bunch of desks inside. With a workplace experience platform, you can provide a digital layer to your workplace that will facilitate the shift to hybrid working and future-proof your business.
With a branded workplace experience platform you can reinforce your brand message and company culture. Set an amazing first impression to new employees and stay front of mind with current employees with custom colours and fonts, your company logo, and your very own unique app in the App Store. The platform allows you to build a sense of workplace community at every touchpoint, through your curated news feed on the homepage to the members’ directory where users can search and interact with others. Your admins can easily add new articles, events, digital services and perks giving your employees a reason to check back and see what’s happening regularly. The multi-faceted benefits of the app will suit your diverse team, whether they’re working on-site in the office or remote working, they can tap into the app and feel a part of the buzzing workplace culture from anywhere.
District Technologies is the go-to workplace experience platform that delivers to landlords and companies. A snapshot of some of our clients include; WPP, Investec, CEG, Elmpark Green, Cushman & Wakefield. If you’re interested in creating or improving your digital workplace experience, book a demo to find out more about our platform.
