A Modern Workplace is a working environment where people arrange their own hours and workplace to some extent. To organise this securely and efficiently, you need to have IT facilities that give your end users flexible yet secure access to their applications and information. In this way, they can also respond to your customers' questions better and more efficiently. Are you considering changing to this type of Modern Workplace? We explain how you can do that in five steps.
Step 1: situation and needs analysis
First see what your needs are in terms of digitisation and automation. What requirements do your employees have in terms of communication and collaboration? It is recommended that you take into account different user profiles from the start – a reception staff member simply doesn't need the same IT resources as a salesperson, for example. Ultimately, you will arrive at a number of methods, tools and devices for each profile.
Step 2: architecture and roadmap
Depending on your software choices, you can determine which IT environment you need for your Modern Workplace. Which interventions need to happen to adapt your existing IT infrastructure to the new working environment? Which applications should you keep in-house and which would run optimally in the cloud?
Step 3: implementation and migration
A transformation to a Modern Workplace requires considerable knowledge and expertise. Do you have enough resources in-house to do all the work yourself? A reliable service provider that has all the necessary people and expertise can be very useful for taking care of all or some of these concerns for you.
Step 4: management and continuous optimisation
An ‘always-on workplace’ that is continuously monitored and secured demands a lot from your IT department. Can your own IT staff closely follow all the technological evolutions, updates, security and privacy legislation? Just think of Mobile Device Lifecycle Management, network connectivity, Identity & Access Management, Threat Management or the GDPR. Moreover, your IT systems and processes must be constantly optimised. If it is impossible for you to arrange all this yourself, a better option is engaging an external service provider.
Step 5: training and support for employees
The key to success in a transformation to a Modern Workplace is your employees accepting the new working environment. Change management, training and professional support remain indispensable, also after the implementation and migration.
Transformation according to your business
A Modern Workplace in five steps? The transition can happen quite quickly, depending on your starting point. Keep in mind that it is not enough to simply install a number of tools. A Modern Workplace is a new way to give your employees as well as your customers the central place they deserve. In the end, the transformation only brings benefits: motivated and loyal employees, satisfied customers and a boost for your business.
Modern Workplace at Laurius
Discover how Laurius Lawyers prepared for a new way of working.