Bringing The Modern Business To The Modern Workplace

The modern workplace

To run a modern enterprise, one requirement is to have a modern workplace. By default, Businesses that started as modern enterprises already have this prerequisite checked marked on their first day. However, regular companies who have recently decided to embrace digital technology and let go of the traditional approach might struggle to transition to the appropriate workplace for them.

If you’re one of them and you want to have the best workplace Australia has, here are a few steps you may need to take:

Modern Workplace Definitions

The previous definition of the modern workplace is having a state-of-the-art office and putting new pieces of furniture and appliances in it. Currently, it’s effective when it comes to attracting new and young employees. In one study, applicants aged 18–24 turned down job offers just because of the design of the office they saw. (1)

It commonly involves the integration of third spaces, an open space where any employee can bring their work and socialize, in addition to an increased number of recreational areas. Giant tech companies over Silicon Valley popularized this kind of setup. (2)

The current modern workplace—or the reason it became a buzzword recently—is about the new style of workforce management, policies, and culture. It primarily revolves around having employees work remotely, companies providing the option of having an actual office, and everyone doing work digitally. (2)

For simplicity’s sake, the first definition will be the modern physical workplace, and the second definition will be the modern digital workplace. Thankfully, you don’t need to choose either since you can have both—unless you believe that you don’t need a physical workplace, you can only focus on the latter.

Planning the transition

To bring your modern Business to the modern workplace, you need to look at your current work environment. Focus on checking the existing technology you use, the skill level of your workforce, and your available resources. (3)

After that, identify the difficulties you’ll face during the transition. For one, determine if your people are capable and comfortable at your proposed shift to the type of modern workplace you’re thinking about. Here are some guiding questions:

• Can your employees work remotely?
• Do you need to train them?
• Do they have the necessary equipment?
• Will your current technology or system require you to acquire new hardware for your people to work from home?
• Do you have enough money or resources to initiate the transition?

Addressing the challenges

Once you identify the challenges, the next step is to address them. The common challenges that might pop up are budget constraints, employee resistance, and low return on investments (ROI). (3)

One way you can do to work around these challenges is to transition slowly. You don’t need to take your whole company to adapt to your modern workplace in an instant. For example, you can let the employees who don’t resist to go first with your modern workplace setup.

Strategizing a transition roadmap

You can treat this transition to a modern workplace as a project. Create a timeline for it, and divide it into stages. Make sure to put clear descriptions and indicate the goals each stage will accomplish. Doing so will make it easy for everyone to understand what’s going on and what will happen. (3)

Once you establish your timeline, it’s time for you to delegate all the responsibilities to key people. Remember not to burden them too much with the roles you’ll give to them. Moreover, don’t hesitate to provide them with teams that can help them accomplish their tasks.

Testing the waters

As mentioned, you don’t need to do this transition in one go. Test the waters, and allow a few people to experience the modern workplace. During the run, make sure to collect data and feedback for you to plan and apply the necessary adjustments to ensure everyone will be onboard and the transition will be a success. (3)

According to your strategy and timeline, roll out the program you developed. Ensure that you educate the next batch of people who will undergo the transition about its purpose and reason. You should also give them the necessary tools and resources to become part of the change. And, of course, you should not fail to collect data and feedback from them as well.

Improving along the way

It’s not the end once you get everyone on board to your modern workplace. Remember that compared to traditional workplaces, the modern workplace is closely married to digital technology and social sciences—both fields that are experiencing fast developments and advancements. (3)

Just like before, assign people or managers to keep track of everything related to the changes you’ve made. Also, make sure to establish metrics for you to easily monitor the progress of your people and the effect of the transition. And of course, make changes depending on what you find out.

References

1. “The Importance Of The Modern Workplace For Employment,” Source: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/modern-workplace-employment/61785/
2. “The “Modern Workplace”: What Does It Mean?” Source: https://www.chacetech.com/modern-workplace/
3. “How To Build A Digital, Modern Workplace: The Complete Guide,” Source: https://change.walkme.com/modern-workplace/