We would love to hear from you! If you are looking to adopt a digital workplace solution but are unsure where to start, feel to contact us for a no-obligation chat on the best process for you.
6 steps to the Digital Workplace
To shift from conventional IT procurement and usage to the digital workplace cannot happen overnight, especially in larger companies, such as professional service sectors. That is why you need to proceed strategically:
1. Develop a vision
Before deciding on a digital workplace concept, it is essential to have a clear picture of what your IT should look like in three years. What equipment is required? What is a reasonable period of use for the device? Who should be allowed to order which devices and when? How broad should the selection be? These and similar aspects should be strategically planned and defined in advance.
2. Work together, not against each other
It can be challenging to merge the ideas and expectations of the CIO and CFO. Young, energetic IT managers are particularly keen on rapid cultural change and will want to review every process. They are also likely to be planning considerable capital expenditure so that IT equipment can be replaced as quickly as possible. Finance managers will first and foremost look at the cost. They are likely to refuse to agree to such projects or will at least try to slow them down. A sustainable digital workplace strategy will only work if the decision-makers in IT and finance work hand in hand.
3. Only provide what is needed
Not every employee has the same hardware and software requirements. Staff in the field, for example in sales or maintenance, need lightweight and robust notebooks. For designers, developers, and graphic artists, performance is more critical.
4. Create flexible rollout concepts
Instead of spending weeks devising plans to replace all PCs in one massive rollout, you should upgrade workplaces in stages according to the requirements. Workplace concepts with flexible, shorter terms will facilitate this strategy.
5. Be realistic in your planning
No matter how excited you are about new IT trends, you have to bear in mind the reality of everyday work for your employees. Avoid planning the digital workplace for an imaginary scenario – talk to the people who will be affected.
6. Turn IT procurement into a shopping experience
E-commerce portals such as Amazon have revolutionised the shopping experience. Employees expect a similar level of convenience from their IT department, but the reality is often very different.
Innovative procurement solutions that rely on self-service portals create a shopping experience that can match employees’ expectations. Here, they can choose the devices most suited to their role from a selection pre-defined by you as the IT decision-maker. As with online shopping, delivery is usually made within a few days, while software can often be made available immediately. Self-service portals have many other advantages, including providing detailed data about who ordered which hardware and when, and also how they used it. By analysing this data, it is possible to predict future need and continually optimise the procurement process. A usage analysis also provides complete transparency about the costs of specific workplaces.
Enabling employees to equip their workplace via a self-service portal increases not only satisfaction among the workforce but also productivity and performance.
How the workplace of the future is driving your transformation
A solid strategy is key to the successful implementation of new workplace and mobile working concepts. However, the digital workplace cannot be delivered using out of date and rigid procurement solutions with fixed depreciation periods. Not to mention the considerable up-front investment that a complete overhaul of the IT estate would require.
We recommend opting for a return anytime solution that provides complete flexibility to return as little as 1% of your devices or as many as 100%, ANYTIME — all while spreading the costs over the entire lifetime.
Our market-leading return anytime solution can transform your existing IT procurement methods and ensure your organisation always has the latest technology available to your employees. Contact us today to find out how we can help you can make the digital workplace a reality.
