Study: Comprehensive digital workplace concepts are necessary
The modernization of workplaces in European companies, which is necessary in the course of digitization, is progressing. However, the implementation of a digital workplace in the sense of a comprehensive design and service concept is still in its infancy in many cases.
As a recent study supported by Matrix42, a provider of workplace management software, shows, Workplace Modernization is already advanced in 38 % of European companies. 10 % of companies are still at the beginning, every second company (52 %) is in the implementation phase.
Individual solutions are no longer enough
For European companies, digital transformation means making fundamental changes. While the goals of digitization vary - increasing agility, improving service quality, optimizing processes or promoting innovation - the central starting point for the changes is always the working environment of the employees. After all, employee performance is crucial in the digitized, international knowledge economy. Accordingly, three quarters of the IT and HR managers surveyed attribute great importance to the quality of the IT working environment for the success of the company. Workplace modernization is therefore a high priority in every second European company. However, individual solutions, such as equipping employees with mobile devices, are not enough to meet the requirements. What is needed are comprehensive digital workplace concepts that cover all aspects from procurement and operational processes to support and security.
Changing the investment agenda
Awareness of the importance of workplace modernization is not yet reflected in the investment agenda of the majority of companies. Current digitization initiatives are primarily aimed at improving interaction with customers, introducing Internet of Things infrastructures and Big Data solutions. Workplace modernization projects had been launched in the past primarily for efficiency reasons. Now, however, they are being focused on achieving various business goals. These include increasing employee satisfaction and supporting collaboration and innovation. At the same time, they must meet the highest security requirements and address cost-efficiency issues. "The time when it was sufficient to introduce new end devices or new applications is over. Companies' ambitious digitization goals can only be achieved with modern, integrated IT workplace environments. An increasing number of companies will therefore align their budgets accordingly and look to the market for suitable, holistic solutions with which these goals can be achieved while at the same time providing professional operation and service, including a high level of user orientation and (data) security," explains Oliver Bendig, CEO of Matrix42.
Country comparison shows large differences
When it comes to workplace modernization, companies in European countries are at different stages of progress. French companies are the frontrunners when it comes to workplace modernization, while German companies, for example, are lagging far behind when it comes to workplace transformation. And what about the digital workplace in Switzerland? Nadia Bischof, Managing Director of the Alps region at Matrix42, explains: "We can see from the number of inquiries that companies in Switzerland and Austria are also intensively dealing with workplace modernization and looking for solutions. Our local teams support customers and prospects in planning and implementing their individual Workplace concepts and see that it is not easy for those responsible to keep the balance between requirements and budgetary and resource restrictions."
Source: www.matrix42.com
