Intranet as digital workplace by @markmorrell #intra13

First of all we should be clear what a digital workplace is. Mark’s definition of a digital workplace is: work is something you do not a place you go to. In a digital workplace you can:
  • work from any location or while mobile 
  • have the same or similar online experience
  • collaborate, search, and complete tasks online 
  • choose what tools you can use to do this 
  • feel comfortable whenever you are using 
  • feel comfortable whenever you are using it 
  • be confident you can use it when you need to
  • have a better work/life balance
The real difference between the intranet and the digital workplace is that you can get work done with a digital workplace. It's not just a content and publication platform, but a place where you can get work done. It's collaborative, it's task-focused.
So, how do you develop a digital workplace strategy? Mark shares several points with us:
  • it should align with your other strategies
  • is wider than an intranet strategy
  • is for the short, medium, and long term
  • has a governance framework (Mark: 'everything should be managed')
  • people who will create, support, and make it happen ('this is the hardest part', says Mark)
What steps can be made to work towards the digital workplace:
  • develop a proposal for a digital workplace
  • show the benefits to be gained
  • get it approved...... and funded!
  • have a steering group (focus on strategy, not implementation with them)
  • agree on roles and responsibilities
  • have standards, training, guidance (e.g. with vid- or podcasts)
  • coordinate IT, HR and property management
During the workshop the participants worked on these steps and shared their approaches.
Mark blogs quite a lot about the benefits of digital workplace strategy. He shared some benefits during the workshop, such as:
  • shared performance objectives reduce risk of conflicting priorities
  • help decide top priorities to implement
Benefits of digital workplace are:
  • BT employees took fewer sick days and were 20% more productive
  • a study by the Emerald group at BT showed their work-life balance improved, even though they worked longer hours
  • the BT Agile Worker program save 6000 pounds per worker
Mark also pointed to reports from other companies about the benefits they are getting from the digital workplace.

Popular posts

Keep the Intranet Small

Enterprise 2.0 Research

Innovation in Turbulent Times