In the first and second part of episode 2 of the Vega roundtable, "Workplace, Interrupted", our subject-matter experts examined how they assess new digital opportunities into their workplace and how data analytic is a key success factor in understanding the evolving work behaviours. Questions on how workplace technology should activate and energise the workers, and how will it add to productivity and improve performance, were also raised. And they also shared varying insights from different points of view and agreed that workplace technology shouldn't just be all about screens but also the people and their work.
"But what happens when senior management are emotionally attached to a technology direction, but employees are not engaged in how or why it will benefit them?" asked Richard Claydon. Real case scenarios shared by Nicholas demonstrate the correlation between fully engaging employees on how to best use available technology leading to increased internal (and external) customer satisfaction levels. "When done badly, the lack of engagement when employees are tasked with having to learn new skills can be overwhelming," said Richard, "where there could be cases of stress associated with the perception of more work whilst layered with the COVID environment. Engagement, when done well though, can result in a much more motivated and upskilled workforce."
The team agreed that, whilst traditional AV' in-room' hardware isn't going away entirely, the trend over the next five years will be software-defined audiovisual solutions.
Cloud storage is expected to be the way forward over individual hardware which has traditionally offered more 'security' but does not meet requirements for adaptable, multi-function spaces to support on-line working and digital meetings. Nicholas shared that, since WFH has become more commonplace, his Corporate Real Estate team have been upskilled to support and problem-solve as a 'virtual concierge' which has been both a challenge and an opportunity for the employees concerned.
Rounding up this segment of the discussion, Heather asked again, "does new technology inform new behaviours or is it the other way around?"
The consensus from our SME's was resounding in that data will be key to understanding evolving work behaviours, which will continue to drive and support new ways of working with activity appropriate technology and engaged employees being key enablers to success.