The modern workplace has undergone unprecedented changes in the past three years. From mass remote and hybrid work to ongoing digital transformation, the employee experience of work has been fundamentally altered.
A recent report by Gartner pointed out that one of the most significant changes is the increasing importance of Digital Employee Experience (DEX). DEX refers to how effectively workers can interact with the digital tools in their workplace. A positive DEX empowers a workforce to be engaged, proficient, and productive. Poor DEX creates immediate pain points throughout the organisation, and can hurt morale and talent retention.
DEX is now considered a major component of overall employee experience. This is especially true after the transformative effects of the last few years, notes the report. However, DEX is just one piece of the puzzle.
“A successful digital workplace strategy strikes a cost-effective balance between hardware, employee support and cybersecurity while focusing on improving the digital employee experience,” write the report’s authors.
Steps towards striking the right balance between DEX, cost, and security
Leaders wishing to build a balanced, successful digital workplace strategy need to accomplish several things.
First, at all times, leaders must focus on the return on investment for digital workplace technologies. As workplaces become increasingly digitalised, the capital investment into digital tools is becoming a bigger part of IT overheads. Gartner’s report recommends leaders “increase the return on investment of digital workplace technologies by focusing on employee enablement and improving digital experience using DEX tools.”
Additionally the report highlights some of the most impactful digital workplace investments leaders should consider adopting in the near future. IT should focus on designing an agile digital workplace to support a diverse, hybrid workforce and accommodate evolving technological needs. This must be done while managing DEX regardless of location.
It’s crucial to take ownership of the operational, security, and financial impacts of increasing SaaS application usage. At the same time, leaders must also embrace employee preferences through expanded computing options and consistent support for operating systems.
Adopting a modern digital workplace operating model, modern endpoint management practices, and empowering employee enablement are essential for scaling the digital workplace and improving technology adoption. Additionally, transitioning from traditional telephony to unified communications and collaboration enhances employee mobility and productivity, while contributing to enterprise-wide sustainability objectives by optimising energy consumption and reducing the carbon footprint.
- Digital Strategy
- People & Culture
