The Benefits of a Digital Workspace for Your Business

Janice_Lin

Every single piece of information is accessible at our fingertips. If someone were to state this fact five decades ago, nobody would’ve believed it. We look at our digital devices more than ever and rely on them for our day-to-day lives. From photo albums to financial models, a part of our lives are linked to the digital front. A majority of that day-to-day is work. Imagine your office space. There might be a huge window in front of your monitor overlooking the city, and on the right there’s a photo of you and your family. On your left lies your cell phone and perhaps a notebook, with scribbles on it of your schedule. The walls are stacked with either paintings or generic office supplies and books. Think of your digital workspace as the digital version of your office space. Your photo albums are on the left side of the screen, and your phone is connected to your computer via Bluetooth to play music while you work.

What is a digital workspace? 

A digital workspace is different from a digital workplace. A digital workplace is a collective space where all employees can network and work together collaboratively online. Think of it as a virtual office. There could be Friday afternoon Happy Hours on Slack, or Google Meet rooms with entertaining filters during online meetings. A digital workspace is something quite different; it’s curated for one individual, and what the individual needs while working. They are tailored to each individual’s needs right down to the applications and tools one uses to perform at their job. A digital workspace includes different cloud-based systems, UIUX, and interfaces; a series of integrated technology that’s designed to successfully manage data, framework, and delivery. Some common features that make a digital workspace include: a unified operation for all devices, Single Sign-On (SSO) for increased security for browsing apps or SaaS platforms, and automated workflows.

It’s popular and we need it 

Since the start of Covid-19, virtual teams and remote collaborations have skyrocketed. A digital workspace increases efficiency and greatly benefits work-from-home solutions for the new workforce. With remote workers gaining flexibility and control over their own space and time, a fully connected and integrated model in their digital workspace works best and gives them all the support to meet endpoints and increase productivity. It is on the rise because of the increase in demand for collaboration tools for remote teams and digital workplace solutions. The new wave of remote workers needs a space that would not necessarily replace a physical workplace, but to embrace a new way of working.

Benefits of a Digital Workspace 

The benefits of creating a digital workspace work for both employees and employers. Here are some of the key factors.

For employees 

• Increased productivity. Needless to say, when time is flexible and workers are allowed to choose their own way and style of working, productivity shoots up and in turn, more work gets done. A Stanford study reported that remote employees are 13 percent more productive than their counterparts.
• Improve employee engagement and experience. An improvement in employee experiences translates to more engaged and productive employees. Eliminating several points of sign-ins and even daily commute boosts innovation and creativity, and employees are able to spend more time and energy into getting their work done.
• Improved collaboration. A digital workspace stimulates successful and continuous collaborations by boosting streamlined data and communication between different parties. Projects are easily managed despite people living in different locations.

For employers 

• Higher employee retention. At a time where talent is hard to find, employee retention could be even harder for employers. A well-maintained digital workspace strengthens employees’ experiences and improves coordination and collaboration. Because of increased overall satisfaction from employees, workers are more likely to stay and perform well at their jobs, massively decreasing the need for new recruitment for employers.
• Reduce costs. By collectively streamlining data and placing employees’ needs as a priority, a nurturing culture blooms from within the workplace. Password resets, connectivity problems, and application issues can all set back a company’s productivity and efficiency. As the team becomes more aligned, work becomes more streamlined as well, reducing costs for employers.
• Technology-focused solutions. Employers and employees all need to learn how to use certain applications to work together. This could teach employees how to adopt the new technology and encourage users to engage with their data at any certain time, location, or point. 

How To Set It Up  

There are essential tools you’ll need to set up your virtual office that are the underlying architecture of your digital workspace. This includes central touchpoints between all your devices and tablets. The term UEM, or unified endpoint management, is a centralized approach to setting up a digital workspace.

• Single sign on (SSO) features 
• Online meeting rooms like Zoom or Google Meet 
• Team communication software and tools like Slack or Confluence 
• File sharing applications such as Google Drive or Dropbox 
• E-signature tools like Docusign  
• HR management systems like Greenhouse or BambooHR

The Future of Digital Workspaces 

Covid-19 certainly jumpstarted the shift and revolution of remote work as we know. The entire labor force simultaneously started working from home and showed no signs of stopping. Three years later, not much has changed. The idea of a traditional workplace has begun to slowly falter and disappear, with almost half the workforce working remotely or in non-traditional settings. Employers and employees are starting to manage and operate on more off-site and international projects, as the prospects of a unified workforce slowly come into place.

Digital workspaces are here to stay. Both workers and employers might still be coming to terms with the new digital transformation, but as virtual offices and digital workplace solutions play a bigger role in the workforce and employment, there are no signs of this change slowing down.

*The opinions reflected in this article are the sole opinions of the author and do not reflect any official positions or claims by Acer Inc.

About Janice Lin: Janice is a contributing writer for Acer with a background in marketing and copywriting. She's passionate about literature, tech, blockchain, and creative trends. She has worked with several clients to grow and position their brands internationally.