Let’s face it. We are in unchartered territory due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish there were a magic bullet that would fix every organizations’ digital woes. Unfortunately, like the elusive unicorn, an easy fix to the digital workplace is simply unrealistic.

According to this survey, 25-30% of the workforce will be “working-from-home” multiple days a week by the end of 2021. And right now, employees are pushing for their freedom, with 80% of US workers reporting they would turn a job down if it didn’t offer flexible working arrangements. 

It’s safe to say that the traditional office has been put to rest.  But, what will replace it? The new digital workplace. And that means each organization must find its own way to create the right digital workplace for its employees – whether they are working remotely, in the office, or a combination of both.

Here are 8 ways you can create a robust digital workplace for your employees:

Put people first

The impact on your employees is what makes the digital experience important to your organization. A digital workplace is a combination of how you manage these three resources: software, technology, and location. Software provides collaboration tools and workplace mobile apps. Technology unites your workforce via the internet, virtual meetings, and access to relevant content. Location encompasses working in the office or working remotely. Without these three elements available to them, your employees will struggle to make progress in their daily work. And job satisfaction is the number one driver of employee engagement.

Involve employees in digital planning

Ask employees what they want to see in their digital workplace. Your employees may surprise you. Understanding what employees need from their workplace starts with discovering what they are currently using today. Consider polling employees, sending out surveys, or inviting workers to forums to learn more about the digital plans and provide you with input.

Integrate technology to drive change

For an effective digital workplace, companies need to embrace integration. Integrate business data and applications, provide a communications platform, manage content, and offer search tools. It’s imperative to create a frictionless user experience — making it easier for employees to collaborate, find and share information, and work on their terms, whenever and wherever.

Connect employees via messaging

A digital workplace creates the opportunity to communicate by sending instant, non-intrusive notifications to employees. Push notifications can be sent globally to everyone in your organization, or to specific teams, departments, or internal groups. Share emails, blog articles, and the latest company news — or set up group chats to communicate among teams or departments.

Make digital knowledge accessible

Your employees are overwhelmed by technology. There are so many ways that companies share information. For instance, try finding an email attachment that was sent to your inbox two weeks ago. Or, is the document you need in Dropbox, Slack, or Google Drive — or maybe it’s on your computer’s hard drive?

When you create a digital workplace, all of the information your employees need can be organized and accessed for the people who need it the most. For instance, different teams or departments can communicate with each other. Marketing, sales, human resources, and other departments within your company can collaborate and share relevant content quickly.

Empower employees to communicate

A digital workplace must empower employees to communicate. Organizations need to develop a strategy that share knowledge and provide a simple way for people to connect, easily find and share information, or learn from the expertise of others. Your company’s website, blog, and even a workplace mobile app can help you connect your employees with each other.

Create opportunities to collaborate

With many employees working from home, you’ll need creative ways for employees to virtually connect with each other and collaborate. Employees can connect in team rooms, via web conferencing, or by contacting fellow workers through a company-wide employee directory.

READ MORE: Traditional Intranets Are Dead: Make Way For Workforce Mobile Apps

Consider a workforce mobile app

At CatalystXL, we want to help you quickly and easily share information and foster collaboration across your entire organization. We can deliver a no code, custom branded app that unlocks answers and provides insights via our Cardware platform — sharing categorized content in a powerful flashcard format. Our mobile app fosters a community of collaboration, engagement, and connectedness for your employees – both in and out of the office.

Book a demo with CatalystXL.