With the transformation of physical offices all around the world into digital ones, business owners are seeking the best ways to implement digital workspaces. The ironic thing is that most of the advice is the same as starting up an office! By accounting for the areas a physical office would, but digitally, you ensure a great remote business plan that covers all your bases.
What Does A Physical Space Offer?
To begin with, you need to identify what exactly it is you’re trying to digitize. Office space is a complex thing for any company but can be divided into some key areas:
- The aesthetic
- The practical layout
- The work ethic
These areas define the office space in person, and it’s no different when working remotely.
How To Create A Digital Workplace
Firstly, a physical office space should have a consistent aesthetic that boosts employee engagement by immersing them in the brand and mood of the company. Likewise, a digital workplace should be displayed coherently and in a way that feels like the company is right there on the employee’s monitor.
Secondly, the layout of an office lends itself to productivity and personalization. Having spaces that are individual, like desks or standing cubicles with workstations in, or even separate rooms to go to, are all important to the workplace, but also having a space where you can communicate with others easily and get updates is also crucial.
Transferring that online is easy for the first bit as all the personalization for office space will be down to the employee – although you should make sure that they have a safe space (e.g., computers are at the right height, they have suitable chairs, etc.).
However, you need to think about communication and productivity. You need one unified hub that shows all the aspects of your workplace to an employee, which means communication, information, calendars, and learning resources are all visible on your dashboard or platform.
Thirdly, the office space allows for almost instantaneous and spontaneous communication. Talking across a desk, meeting by a water-cooler, all that stuff. These little events are vital to staying engaged throughout the workday and can’t be simply ignored in a digital setting. Having your digital workspace accommodate voice communication, feedback from employees and ways for them to easily log work done all add to the recreation of the physical office’s camaraderie.
IT Support Is Integral To Digital Success
Opportunities for outsourcing
Remote and non-remote businesses can use help from outsourcing companies successfully. Nowadays, outsourcing is provided with a high quality and properly organized management process. Actually, businesses can outsource any kinds of tasks including electronics design services.
However, you should pay attention to the communication aspects such as language and time zone. It is worth saying that most of the outsourcing companies are proficient in English and can provide efficient and comfortable communication. As for the time difference, this possible issue is neutralized by using various communication tools and task managers.
However you decide to digitize these areas of a physical workplace, you may need help along the way. Reaching out to an external unified help desk means their team of specialists can organize all this digital data, pull together your cyber security to keep employees at home safe and minimize any potential tech problems. A digital workspace may not function without an IT Support platform.
Starting a remote business takes time and money, but using a unified help desk saves both.
Complete Your Community
Overall it is the company structure itself that enables a digital workplace to thrive. You need to ensure the areas above are covered, but it’s having the people use it, engage with it, and call IT with issues about it that really bring it to life. The best way to make sure the cogs turn is to have people dedicated to these areas and invest properly in your digital workplace the same way you would in an office space!
