Digital technology is making a big impact on the workplace; a sharp uptick in the number of connected devices has decreased the amount of physical office space, and communication has become ubiquitous as employees are able to virtually connect from homes, remote offices, or even vacation spots!
Technological advancements are rapidly changing the business environment, and only businesses that can quickly adapt will succeed in this digital revolution. Unfortunately, not all companies are capable of changing fast enough. “One-off, large-scale strategic business transformation initiatives often fail, as do over half of all efforts”, says Bruce Robertson, a business technology expert. Robertson isn’t saying that transformations are impossible, but he is saying that they aren’t easy. In order to successfully transform a business with new software solutions, Robertson advocates for the implementation of a suite of software solutions that allow for the streamlining of business processes, which he refers to as a “digital business platform.” Below I consider three potential impacts that introducing these software solutions can have on your workplace.
Impact 1 – Changing Workplace Atmosphere
Facilities managers understand that to appeal to the needs of the tech-savvy workforce, they need to adjust the workplace, whether it be adopting flexible work arrangements, or by designing the office to accommodate remote workers. With schedules shifting and the workplace becoming more flexible, wayfinding and resource tracking software systems are essential.
Impact 2 – Increased Productivity and Time Management
Tools like Toggl, designed for employee time management, can help a facility manager understand employee processes as well as pinpoint inefficiencies. The ability to gather useful information with software is the key to establishing a plan to increase productivity.
Impact 3 – Greater Collaboration and Responsiveness
Online collaborative tools are changing the way we communicate in the workplace. Options like Slack create virtual meeting places for your employee base. With the advent of mobile technology, facilities managers can take advantage of the responsiveness of their employees to establish communication processes that work for their teams.
In this burgeoning technological society, it is essential to mesh your workplace resources by choosing agile, easily-integrated tools.
For example, you might have a specialized software for your human resources needs, and another for your space management planning.
The key is to choose niche and nimble tools that will work together to connect your workplace tech stack for the best user experience. Modern facility managers prefer to adopt many best-in-class technology tools that connect to each other, rather than one rigid platform.
If you like writing about facilities management, and are interested in contributing to our OfficeSpace Guest Blog series, please contact Zoe North.
Photos: Unsplash, Crew, iPrice Group