{"id":19928,"date":"2017-11-13T11:08:59","date_gmt":"2017-11-13T11:08:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.okappy.com\/?p=19928"},"modified":"2020-05-18T07:34:14","modified_gmt":"2020-05-18T06:34:14","slug":"barriers-digital-workplace-overcome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.okappy.com\/barriers-digital-workplace-overcome\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Barriers to a Digital Workplace and How to Overcome Them"},"content":{"rendered":"
Adopting a digital workplace is vital, but the process comes with unique challenges. Here are 4 common obstacles and how to defeat them. \u201cIf you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.\u201d<\/p>\n It may sound like something you\u2019d read in a fortune cookie, but the quote (usually attributed to ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu) is unquestionably still applicable today \u2013 particularly when it comes to how organizations approach workplace design.<\/p>\n Companies that have embraced the ever-changing definition of the digital workplace<\/a> \u2013one that is mobile, connected and secure \u2013 are reaping the benefits in the form of greater productivity, employee engagement and satisfaction.<\/p>\n Other organizations have been slower to adapt to this model for a variety of reasons. They may have the best of intentions, but find they are stifled by a resistant company culture, technology limitations or other challenges. Change is<\/i> possible, however, if your organization\u2019s leaders are willing to look beyond current limitations and commit to finding solutions.<\/p>\n Here are the four most common barriers to building a digital workplace<\/span><\/a> and (more importantly) what you can do to overcome them.<\/p>\n While some of your employees will embrace change with excitement, expect others to resist it at all costs.<\/p>\n Building a digital workplace is a substantial undertaking, and change-averse employees<\/a> can be a major barrier to successful implementation. The good news is there are a few things you can do to gain support from the more hesitant members of your workforce.<\/p>\n For example \u2026<\/p>\n Adopting a digital workplace requires the involvement of three departments in particular:facilities, IT and HR<\/a>.<\/p>\n The facilities team is responsible for design logistics \u2013 for example, where new technology such as occupancy and temperature sensors will be installed, which rooms and workspaces will need updating and what new assets, equipment or furniture will be necessary. Members of the IT team are the experts on the new technology to be implemented and how it will integrate into the existing IT infrastructure. Finally, as the owners of the recruiting, onboarding and training processes, the HR department has crucial insight into what employees want and need in their workplace.<\/p>\n The management teams of each of these departments must ensure their employees are communicating<\/a> regularly, have access to the same information and are aligned on the primary objective: building the kind of modern digital workplace that enhances the employee experience<\/a>. The hard truth is that it\u2019s just this side of impossible to adopt a digital workplace if the facilities, IT and HR teams aren\u2019t on the same page.<\/p>\n Coordinating a project of this size cannot be done by email or disparate software solutions \u2013 there are simply too many moving parts. And if you have an outdated system or one that isn\u2019t designed to accommodate an initiative such as building a digital workplace, you\u2019ll likely run into issues that can delay implementation and, in turn, lead to the need to allocate additional resources.<\/p>\n Rather than realizing halfway through the transition that your software is woefully insufficient, you must have the right solution from the start \u2013 an integrated workplace management system (IWMS). The \u201cintegrated\u201d aspect of an IWMS is what makes it a game-changer.<\/a><\/p>\n The ability to quickly share data between multiple different departments is fundamental to establishing a digital workplace. And when project and resource data exists in multiple different systems, there is a greater risk of discrepancies, which can lead to unnecessary repeat work or tasks falling through the cracks.<\/p>\n Because an IWMS connects to other solutions (such as Human Resources Information Systems and help desk software), it enables data to be shared between the platforms and gives members of each team instant access to this information in one interface.<\/p>\n While building a digital workplace clearly requires technology, it also requires a place to implement this technology. It may seem obvious, but not every organization considers how the physical space affects the creation of a digital workplace.<\/p>\n A digital workplace empowers your workforce with greater mobility and flexibility. But in order to provide these benefits, physical workspaces must be designed to offer mobility and flexibility as well. This means ditching cubicles and dedicated workstations in favor of an activity-based working environment where employees are free to move around the office throughout the day \u2013 instead of being tied to a single desk for eight hours.<\/p>\n A digital workplace is agile, adaptive and inspiring<\/a>. It supports a positive employee experience by ensuring the workforce has the kind of resources and environment it needs to be productive. If the same cannot be said for the physical workplace, attempting to adopt a digital workplace will be an exercise in futility.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, there\u2019s simply no way to avoid every obstacle between you and a digital workplace. But you cannot allow the fear of failure<\/a> to prevent you from undertaking a project that can have a great impact on your bottom line. To take Lao Tzo\u2019s words about change a few steps further, consider this quote from Henry Ford: \u201cFailure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>Pushback from Employees<\/h3>\n
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Lack of Interdepartmental Collaboration<\/h3>\n
Absence of the Right Technology<\/h3>\n
Workspace Challenges<\/h3>\n