Digital Workspace Archives - Page 2 of 2 - The Future of Work Exchange

Building the Hybrid Workplace is 2022’s Best Path Towards Digital Transformation

Business Leadership Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 02/07/2022

As far back as four or five years ago, you couldn’t escape the greater business discussion of “digital transformation.” The discourse around digital transformation was quite simple and straightforward: enhance organizational efficiency, operations, and functional value through the adoption of automated solutions and digital technology. Now, the conversation may be much more stripped down than the concept itself, however, as implementing enough systems, connecting them via intricate architecture, and driving real solution adoption are all much more difficult, of course.

The other side of digital transformation (particularly business agility), too, is the fact that the “digital enterprise” harnesses the power of digitization to boost internal and external experiences (candidate, supplier, user, etc.) and end-to-end business processes. When this is taken into consideration, the goal of becoming a truly digital enterprise is that much harder, given the interconnections required to achieve these technology-led and business goals.

An enterprise’s best path towards digital transformation today is to capitalize on something that had been organically growing since before the pandemic while becoming a standardized way of operating during disruptive times: remote and hybrid work. The “hybrid workplace” requires many of the same measures that end-to-end digital transformation does, up to and including executive buy-in, the necessary software, and the cultural attributes needed to drive adoption and value.

Developing the next great hybrid workplace requires investments and resources akin to a full-scale digital transformation. No one said it was going to be easy, however, if a business had been long willing to invest time, money, and energy into digital transformation, why shy away now? Consider the stakes at hand: the so-called “Great Resignation” is largely occurring because employees desire flexibility, agility, and other aspects not related to compensation. The hybrid workplace is not just a “nice to have” at this juncture but rather a pure business investment that will pay incredible dividends in terms of productivity, engagement, and worker experience. Back in 2016 and 2017, digital transformation was the hottest business topic; let’s take that level of passion for digitization and apply it towards building the next great hybrid workplace.
Removing redundancies means a smoother, end-to-end experience for both traditional and remote workers (as well as other key stakeholders, partners, and suppliers). Digitally transforming the workplace to account for a hybrid infrastructure doesn’t just benefit those that primarily work from home. The digital enterprise is founded on a seamless user experience that allows all stakeholders and employees to access data, automation, intelligence, content, etc. in an on-demand manner. By shoring up technology gaps, removing redundancies for access (i.e., too many access points for stakeholders and workers), and providing a near-limitless experience, the greater business benefits from these digital enhancements.
An operational hybrid workplace translates into a superior employee/worker experience. While it’s true (and stated above) that workers crave flexibility, they also desire an overall “work experience” that allows them to be productive, happy, and collaborative. During the early days of the pandemic, the shift to remote work was borne of necessity, leaving little room to account for hybrid workplace nuances. Today, businesses have had time to plan and implement the best-fit hybrid work infrastructure and can truly develop a digital workspace that not only is operational and efficient, but also enables workers with a more positive overall experience. Most importantly: they will have the tools they need to be productive and effective in their roles…a surefire factor in keeping them from taking their talents to another organization.
Hybrid work technology represents the best of what digitization has to offer, allowing enterprises to set the stage for digital transformation. The simplest reason why developing a hybrid workplace is the easiest pathway to digital transformation? The technology in use is current, modern, and is connected to the core components of the Future of Work movement: it creates accessibility, drives intelligence, and boosts interconnectivity between humans and systems. Digital workspace technology is collaborative in nature and enables communication between functional units, as well as automated, on-demand sharing of data and content. The original foundations of digital transformation, even several years ago, revolved around the concept of real-time connections and superior interconnectivity between workers, leaders, customers, and suppliers. The hybrid workplace of today represents all of the aspects…and more.

Digital Workspace Leader Citrix Acquired for $16.5B in Private Equity Deal

Solution Providers Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 02/01/2022

If there’s anything the business world has learned over the past two years, it’s this: the very concept of “work” is an evolving, organic idea. It’s a living, breathing entity that is actively founded on the principles of market progression, the dynamics of talent and the workforce, and, most importantly, the very way “work” itself is optimized for better business outcomes.

The Future of Work has been defined as many things, but its core definition is as follows: modern business can be transformed for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness through the evolution of new talent-based strategies (particularly the extended workforce), the advent of disruptive technology and innovative tools, and the overall reimagination of business thinking and mindsets.

The COVID-19 pandemic had many, many ramifications on the world of work, however, none greater than the remote work awakening. Future of Work Exchange research has found that, during pre-pandemic times, nearly 21% of the average enterprise’s total talent base (FTEs and extended talent) was operating in a remote or hybrid environment. Going into 2022, that number has more than doubled; 43% of all enterprise talent are currently working remotely or in a hybrid work infrastructure.

Citrix has long been a forerunner of the “digital workspace” industry since its founding in 1989. Today, the tech behemoth is a staple of unified communications and automation, providing virtual desktop technology to nearly 400,000 customers across the world, including 98% of the Fortune 500.

Yesterday, news broke that private equity firms Vista Equity Partners and Evergreen Coast Capital had acquired Citrix for $16.5 billion in an all-cash deal. The plan is to match and merge Citrix’s wide range of digital workspace and unified communications tech with TIBCO, a Vista portfolio company that seamlessly integrates applications and data across the enterprise technology infrastructure.

“The combination of TIBCO with Citrix will be a game changer. Over the past three decades, Citrix has established itself as the leader in remote work, providing secure and reliable access to all the applications and information employees need to get work done, wherever it needs to get done,” said Tim Minahan, Executive Vice President of Business Strategy, Citrix. “With the addition of TIBCO’s connected intelligence capabilities and solutions, we can enhance our digital workspace platform and the results we help our customers to achieve.”

The essence of this acquisition is a straight Future of Work play: Citrix will have additional technological support to expand its virtual desktop platform with the necessary arsenal to provide real-time intelligence, seamless integrations, and enterprise-grade security in a digital working environment.

A source close to the deal confirmed this vision. “[The acquisition] is certainly a testament to the overall strengths of the [Citrix] platform and the executive team’s long-term vision of where the product can go during these evolving times,” the source said, adding that “this is a “proof of delivery” of the remote work work model.”

This is a Future of Work gamechanger, for sure. The acquisition, and subsequent merger, means that Citrix’s incredible breadth of workspace technology can be buoyed by TIBCO’s cloud-fueled integrations and real-time data and intelligence. These two facets, in a convergence unseen in the enterprise solutions market, is a transformative shift towards a more secure, more flexible, and, most importantly, a more agile, hybrid cloud infrastructure for businesses across the world.

Additional Future of Work Exchange analysis:

One of the biggest “knocks” on the digital workspace/remote work environment is its lack of enterprise-level data security. TIBCO’s robust strengths in this critical attribute will help Citrix expand its overall reach to include those organizations that were once trigger-shy when it came to a hybrid workplace due to concerns over security of financial data, intellectual property, etc.
The concept of “better business outcomes” has long been a core Future of Work mindset. The Citrix/TIBCO merger translates into the ability to “blend” virtual workspace technology with agile analytics and intelligence….meaning that, no matter where a professional is located, they can make more educated business decisions by tapping into the same stout data that is available when tethered to an in-person IT infrastructure.
With the extended workforce expected to comprise half of the average company’s total talent pool by the end of the year, this deal reinforces another Future of Work shift, one that relies heavily on non-employee remote workers that require access to enterprise systems, IP, data, and other critical assets in order to get work done effectively.
This deal, which taking into account the combined Citrix/TIBCO solution, is the largest ($25 billion) private equity deal in enterprise tech history. The move displays a level of utmost confidence in Citrix’s current and future ability to deliver on its greater Future of Work vision.

COVID Endemicity and the Future of Digital Workspaces

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 01/13/2022

Last week, a crop of top scientific minds jointly encouraged the Biden administration to refocus pandemic efforts on “living with” the novel coronavirus instead of the “zero COVID” approaches that other nations, particularly China, have employed over the past two years. The goal here, as it seems, is to position COVID as one of several (including influenza and RSV) respiratory viruses that are endemic to humans on a seasonal basis (especially late fall and throughout the winter).

This strategy has become more tailored in the wake of the super-transmissible-but-less-severe Omicron variant, which is currently ripping through the population. By proxy of vaccination plus boosters and natural immunity, there should be, in theory, enough of a “wall” that we can return to what “normalcy” is in the months ahead.

From the business perspective, this means many things. The one I’d like to focus on, though, is return-to-office plans. Out of all the aspects that have been introduced and/or exacerbated by the pandemic, remote and hybrid work is at the very top of the list. And, when compared to an endemic COVID world, it would seem natural that more and more business leaders would leverage this status to get workers back into the office.

Here’s the thing, though: the digital workspace should no longer be considered an “alternative” option for how work is done, but rather another tool that drives true workforce agility.

The realm of remote and hybrid work today traverses beyond the mere discussion of “working from home” and into “how we get work done most effectively.” The hybrid workplace is no longer an avenue of telecommuting in order to stay safe and socially distance; while it will always be considered a way of enhancing COVID protocols during the most turbulent public health crisis of our lifetimes, the truth is that the lessons we’ve learned, along with the technology that has evolved over the past several years, has transformed the way hybrid work operates.

A few years ago, it was a simple option for workforce flexibility. Today, it’s the cornerstone of not only the digital enterprise, but the agile enterprise, as well. There are many reasons why hybrid work and pandemic should be decoupled, especially considering that a (hopeful) end to the crisis in finally starting to come to light.

Collaborative technology has evolved to the point where hybrid work is just as, if not more, productive than traditional setups. From the benefits of single-sign-on frameworks to the elimination of disruptions and barriers inherent in remote work, today’s digital workspace technology enable businesses with the necessary infrastructure to provide workers with a seamless UX that promotes productivity and the optimization of how work is done. “Micro-automation” enables workers to develop in-application solutions to enhance process workflows, while today’s digital workspace technology prioritize the protection and security of data and intellectual property.
One of the key benefits of hybrid work, flexibility, is a core reason why “The Great Resignation” is happening right now. Much of the analysis around the so-called “Big Quit” revolves around how well integrated flexibility is within a particular role or position…and sadly, there’s not much there for too many talented professionals across the globe. Even the most hardened executives are now realizing that flexibility in and of itself is a key benefit heralded by the “talent revolution” that is occurring today. Simply put: workers desire flexibility. Remote and hybrid work are the purest extensions of flexibility.
The generational aspects of the workforce trend towards workers that desire (and thrive!) in remote environments. Millennials are now considered the largest generation in the current workforce; although a lot has been written (and said) about the nuances of the millennial community, the truth is that a generation raised on technology will obviously crave technology and automation in the workplace. As digital workspaces become a standard means of work as COVID hits its endemic point, businesses will find that they will become a more alluring option for younger generations of the workforce.
Digital workspaces, and hybrid work in general, can enhance corporate culture and boost mental wellbeing. Limited time in the office can actually be a boon for collaboration; if workers know that they are in the office a single day each week, they will spend that time coordinating with colleagues and maximizing proximity collaboration. As such, this can be an enhancement to corporate culture in the months ahead, driving happier and more productive business outcomes. The Future of Work Exchange has highlighted the criticality of mental wellbeing in the workplace; the flexibility of digital workspaces provide workers with the ability to be more adaptable to their tasks, take the time they need to refocus, and, most importantly, build a better work-life integration.

Fueling Innovation Through Hybrid Work

Business Leadership Technology and Innovation by Featured Contributor on 01/10/2022

[Today’s guest contribution was written by Tim Minahan, EVP Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer at Citrix.]

Given the flexibility and tools to work when, where and how they choose, employees can deliver transformative ideas and results.

The shift to remote work may have been sparked by a public health emergency, but the same technologies that unlocked new ways to ideate and collaborate out of necessity have given rise to some surprising benefits.

Video meetings put every face in the same-sized box, regardless of seniority. Virtual communication tools gave introverts more opportunities to be heard. Neurodiverse and disabled employees, for whom office work might have introduced anxiety or physical challenges, suddenly could participate on their own terms. And all of this has opened the door to greater innovation.

According to “The Era of Hyper-Innovation,” 93 percent of business leaders say that increased digital collaboration has amplified more diverse voices, resulting in richer idea generation. And as hybrid work becomes the norm, the vast majority expect enhanced equity and collaboration to continue and fuel an era of hyper-innovation.

To capitalize on this, leaders will need to abandon some long-held perceptions and think outside the box when it comes to where and how work gets done.

Believing Doesn’t Mean Seeing

Proximity bias, or the tendency to favor those who are seen most often, is one of the greatest obstacles to equity and innovation in the hybrid workplace. It’s nothing new. Research shows that prior to the pandemic, employees sitting closer to leaders may have enjoyed more opportunities for advancement. And according to a study out of Stanford, many managers still see in-person employees as harder workers and higher performers, and grant them more promotions, bonuses, and other opportunities.

But proximity bias doesn’t have to persist. With the right technologies and work policies to support them, it can be overcome. Among the actions leaders can take:

Ensure in-person and remote employees get equal time with managers. Whether meetings with employees are planned or ad-hoc, keep track of them, and create a system to ensure each group is getting equal attention.
Develop objective performance metrics rooted in outcomes, not visibility. This will help reduce the power of proximity bias when evaluating employees for assignments, promotions, and bonuses.
Facilitate bonding experiences that everyone can participate in.Talk with employees to figure out how they want to build stronger relationships with co-workers. Consider creating virtual “break rooms” where employees can drop in for a water cooler chat. Or work with employees to form virtual interest groups or clubs.

Technology Should Liberate, Not Frustrate

To harness the innovative potential of distributed employees, organizations need to adopt solutions that remove the frustration from work and enable them to collaborate with their peers easily and effectively, whether they are working from home, in the office, on the road, or anywhere in between.

Go digital. Digitize all documentation and workflows to ensure equitable, impactful collaboration. Moving to a cloud-based digital workspace solution that serves as a unified hub for collaboration can help with this process.
Establish guidelines to support equitable use. If one employee is remote, consider running the entire meeting virtually to create a more level playing field for participation.
Conduct an IT audit to compare the remote and in-person experience. Using surveys, focus groups, and IT tickets, identify gaps. Then, make an action plan to close them.
Invest in tools that allow for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration. Synchronous collaboration tools, like Zoom or Teams, are important. But equally important for innovation are tools that enable employees to do solo deep work or contribute to the team on their own time, wherever they may be. Provide for both.

Beware the Digital Divide

Business leaders are optimistic about the potential of hybrid work to send innovation into hyperdrive, and with good reason. But the model is not without risk. If not carefully implemented, it has the potential to create a new digital divide that, left unchecked, could establish two classes of workers and infuse the workplace with inequity and bias.

To narrow the digital divide that hybrid work threatens to open, companies must implement technologies and work policies that provide for an equitable environment, in which both remote and in-office employees can equally engage and collaborate in a transparent and efficient way. A shared digital workspace, for instance, provides a common and transparent environment in which teams have consistent access to applications and information and can efficiently collaborate on projects to get work done, wherever it needs to get done.

Innovation isn’t an inevitable consequence of hybrid work. It stems from giving employees the space they need to do their best work, on their terms. Leaders that understand and adapt to accommodate this can foster such environments and help their employees – and ultimately, their companies – innovate and succeed.

Tim Minahan is the executive vice president, business strategy and chief marketing officer at Citrix, a leading provider of digital workspace solutions.

Forget About Resolutions…Let’s Optimize 2022

Business Leadership General Insights Talent by Christopher J. Dwyer on 01/03/2022

In the early evening hours of December 31, 2020, I gathered around a fire pit with my wife, children, and dear friends from around the neighborhood. When we made a toast, I said, “Good riddance, 2020.” The stress, the trauma, and the uncertainty of what was probably the most anxiety-inducing year of our lifetime was ending, and, on the horizon, a 2021 filled with hope and optimism.

Just a couple of months later, I stood in line in the upper concourse of Gillette Stadium (home of my beloved New England Patriots) and awaited the first of my (now) three jabs of the groundbreaking Moderna vaccine. To me, it wasn’t just a vaccine, but rather a representation of how we could collectively move forward from everything that pushed us to our emotional limits in the year that was 2020. Of course, we know what happened next:

The biggest vaccination campaign in our lifetime kicked off in early 2021 and provided the world with some measures of optimism entering the spring and summer months.
The Delta variant upended some (or most) of those “hot vax summer” plans and caused COVID cases to surge across the world.
Talented professionals began leaving their roles in droves, kicking off what is still referred to as “The Great Resignation,” although should now be considered “The Talent Revolution.”
More focus than ever before was placed on DE&I, empathy-driven business leadership, and the shift to remote and hybrid work.
Vaccine mandates became sources of political, business, and social disagreements.
Another coronavirus variant, Omicron, proved to be the most transmissible of all variants to date and is now responsible for hundreds of daily cases in the United States alone.

We’re about to enter the third full year of a global pandemic. We’re still dealing with large swaths of the workforce voluntarily resigning and leaving their jobs. We’re fighting a battle for equity and inclusion. We’re feeling the ramifications of extreme staffing shortages. We’re continuing to battle for true workplace and workforce flexibility. We’re continuing to feel, hear, and see the exhaustion in the essential workforce community. And we’re still experiencing (even at this point) blow-back to the benefits of remote and hybrid work.

All true. All true. However…

We have the most innovative tools ever designed to better manage talent and talent engagement. We know that empathy is the heart and soul of the best mode of business leadership. We understand what we need to do to solve staffing shortage issues. We have the ability to open our minds and hearts to do the right thing. We have the ability to build digital workplaces and digital workspaces. We know that a diverse talent community is the deepest talent community. We know that the extended workforce represents nearly half of all global talent for a very good reason. And we have access to solutions that can provide next-level, AI-fueled data to help us make better business decisions.

The phrase “work optimization” is frequently used in our industry (and here on the Future of Work Exchange) to describe the essential goals of the Future of Work movement: get work done in the most effective way(s) possible. And as the calendar flips to another year, I believe we should take those ideas a step further.

Let’s optimize 2022. Entirely.

That’s right…let’s optimize everything about the year ahead. Let’s look at our talent, how we acquire that talent, how we manage that talent, how we treat that talent, and optimize it all. Let’s optimize the use of technology and automation. Let’s review the ways we manage our staff and the benefits we offer them. Let’s take a long, hard look at just how truly diverse our workforce actually is. Let’s continue to lean on remote and hybrid workspaces to boost both safety and productivity. Let’s take that great leap and get closer to being a truly “digital enterprise.” Let’s rethink how technology aids talent engagement. Let’s enable our hiring managers, talent acquisition leaders, and other stakeholders with real-time, AI-fueled total talent intelligence that can revolutionize workforce decision-making.

Let’s focus on how we enable our workers to prosper. Let’s think about the human side of business and how we can improve the emotional connections between leadership and the workforce. Let’s prioritize employee wellbeing and mental health. Let’s take a new approach to enterprise operations and ensure we are embracing change, progression, and evolution.

Let’s make 2022 a time to thrive. Let’s optimize the year ahead and push the Future of Work movement into a new stratosphere.