Maximize productivity with a connected workplace: empowering employees to work anytime, anywhere

How do you communicate with your hybrid team? Do your remote employees have access to the same information they would if they were on-site? How do you use technology to overcome the challenges of hybrid work?

Creating a connected workplace helps you embrace the trends of the future of work and the benefits of digitalization for business. From security to space optimization and workers’ collaboration tools, you can develop an efficient network of systems to improve the way you work. The rise of flexibility pushes organizations to change their work model to enable greater employee experience, a seamless workflow, and better data protection. In this article, we share what you need to know about this topic and also give you examples of digital solutions to make hybrid work.

What is the meaning of a connected workplace?

A connected workplace is a corporate environment that uses technology to create a smooth and efficient work model that matches the company’s and the employees’ needs. It is a combination of systems and tools that are all connected.

For a couple of years, workplace technology has helped managers increase employees’ productivity by focusing on two key aspects: the technical part and the human impact. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation make processes easier, faster, and safer. By letting machines take over these tasks, you allow your workforce to have more time to work on significant projects. You also create a virtual network boosting interaction and collaboration. 

With more people working from home or in a third workplace, businesses need to find a way to enhance the new working method. Employers have to develop a work environment that enables employees to perform their job in the best possible manner, no matter where their location is. They must overcome the barriers of hybrid work with solutions such as:

• an efficient online communication strategy;
• a safe and secure data protection system;
• an optimized hybrid space plan;
• an employee-first work model;
• etc.

All these can be implemented using technology in the workplace. Later on, we will give some examples of modern tools that can help you do so. But first, you may want to know why this digital transformation is so important. Why not keep the same work model from before the pandemic? Because we are not, flexible work is the new normal, and this also includes more tech to succeed.
‍
‍

👉 Do you collaborate with a hybrid team? Start a free trial of the deskbird app and discover the benefits of a workspace booking and scheduling system!

‍

Why is digitalization in business important?

Facilitate processes

The main reason why digitalization in business matters is that it facilitates processes and therefore, improves communication, collaboration, and productivity. Look at the benefits of a desk booking app, for example. Not only does it simplify the process of week planning and desk booking, but it also allows managers to optimize the space and make better use of it. Moreover, in a few clicks, your workers can quickly reshuffle their work week according to their needs (sick days, unplanned work meetings popping up, public transport issues, etc.). This leads us to the advantages of building a connected workplace.

Improve employee experience

The biggest benefit of connecting all your systems and tools is overcoming some of the downsides of flexible work like: 

• poor communication;
• less collaboration;
• more exclusion;
• loss of organizational culture.

Working from home has many proven perks. You can read our article regarding the advantages of hybrid work to learn more about it. However, the issues mentioned above can also occur and it is important to take measures to mitigate them. . Remote workers can sometimes feel disconnected from the rest of the team working on-site. If all of them operate from different locations around the world, you need to find a way to build positive workplace culture, even if it is virtually. By connecting your workplace, you automatically reconnect your people.

Reinforce your security

Having all your devices intertwined greatly helps security. The use of an HR management software that is integrated with your different digital tools simplifies and optimizes data protection, for instance. Linking various platforms makes it easier to authorize or forbid access to some private corporation insights. Another example is the benefit of connecting your security system to your other equipment. Thanks to AI and automation, in case of an emergency (fire in the building, data leak, etc.), these devices can ‘alert’ each other and then inform you about the issue.
‍

‍
👉Do you collect and analyze your company’s data? Read our article about workplace analytics to know why they are essential for your company.

‍

Which are the most useful technologies for flexible work?

As we said, the necessity for a connected workplace has grown since COVID-19 and the rapid development of flexible working practices. So what are the most effective tools for a hybrid business? First, it is important to remember that each organization has different needs. Your employee’s expectations can vary from those of your competitor or from the ones of your previous office. 

A firm with a multigenerational workforce will not require the same equipment as a startup composed of only Gen Z workers. However, there are some common aspects that matter for ensuring the success of your team members. The most significant one is an employee-centric approach and provides your workforce with digital solutions that help them in their job. Your basic set of flexible work tools should include: 

• virtual communication solutions: Zoom, Slack, Google Meet, MS Teams, etc.;
• digital collaboration tools: Trello, Notion, Asana, Google Drive, etc.;
• hybrid event platforms: Cvent, vFairs, SpotMe, Hopin, etc.;
• desk booking software: deskbird, of course!

Most importantly, integrations are crucial to creating a connected workplace. We recommend a resource that can be incorporated into all your digital materials: it would not require your employees to switch from one tool to another, and all your equipment will remain integrated.

‍

👉Do you want to optimize your workspace after going hybrid? Try our hybrid office calculator and find out how to make the most of your work environment.

‍

Not only is digitalization in business important for your company’s development, but also for your employees’ happiness. And, we all know success is harder to achieve if workers are unhappy. We hope this article gives you a clear idea of how a ‘connected workplace’ is defined and why it is essential. To support organizations and employees in embracing work flexibility, we have created a workspace booking system that you can integrate with your other digital solutions. Do you want to discover how it works and the amazing features it includes?

‍

‍Request a free demo with the deskbird team!