The following was penned by Exigy, a local team of industry experts with over 17 years in providing digital solutions:
A sudden shift in priority for digital systems has left several businesses reeling, not anticipating that such a strong push for digital transformation would be needed so urgently.
On the other hand, many other organisations are already feeling the benefits of implementing technology within their business processes.
Due to this, it has become crucial, now more than ever, for business leaders to identify the true key pillars of achieving smart working.
Flexibility
Flexibility is one of the prime factors that make up a truly smart workplace. Implementing an effective collaborative platform will allow managers to easily track the productivity of each employee, eliminating the need for micromanagement and insistence on time spent at the office.
For instance, EY Ireland recently reported that 70 per cent of businesses found a significant increase in productivity when shifting to rewarding employees based on contribution and productivity rather than hours worked.
The shift from hours to contribution has certainly paid dividends for various businesses. A reason for the surge of productivity stems from various factors, such as employees facing fewer interruptions.
This makes it possible for them to focus on their work and make more calls themselves, thereby increasing autonomy.
The reduced stress caused by traffic or of arriving on time at the office are also significant factors.
All these benefits have a positive impact on the quality of work and productivity, which benefit the company in terms of earnings in the long run.
Workflows
Another noticeable pillar is that of workflows. In the modern workplace, employees often have less time for traditionally repetitive tasks. Increasingly, human resources are becoming the most important resource.
However, over 40 per cent of employees’ current tasks can be automated by today’s technology, meaning that most workplaces may be preventing their staff from working on more important tasks and allowing them to do their best work.
Through Business Process Automation, employees’ time can finally be freed up for more important tasks, through intelligent workflows that take care of administrative tasks.
The smart nature of Workflow Automation is not only efficient in boosting employee productivity, but it may also help deliver projects on time with fewer opportunities for error or miscommunication.
As AI grows increasingly intelligent, so too does the ability to receive useful predictions and insights that use existing performance data to improve on existing tasks.
Mobility
Lastly, mobility is yet another vital pillar in achieving a smart workplace. Allowing most of an employee’s key tasks to be done anytime, anywhere and on any device is a significant benefit.
As more and more of the workforce becomes occupied by millennials, a generation known for their familiarity with various devices, it is the ideal time for businesses to utilise multi-device platforms, which grant the user the ability to complete tasks, irrespective of their surroundings.
This not only achieves a flexible flow of operation but also gives employees a greater sense of freedom to work with whichever device they feel most comfortable.
The tools to achieve smart working have never been as accessible as they are today, from centralised ERP solutions to smart collaborative tools that help move the flow of work from one department to another.
However, success can only truly be achieved if your organisation is ready to adopt them. Keeping these pillars in mind is crucial for achieving a truly smart workplace.
At Exigy, we bridge the gap between business and technology. We are proud to help digitally transform our clients’ business processes through the expertise of our consultants and our knowledge of industry best practices.
Contact us to find out how our solutions can help increase your business resilience and take your business to the next level.
T: 2011 2000; E: sales@exigy.com; www.exigy.com
