SESSION 12 - Lessons for and from digital workplace transformation in times of crisis

Question 1

Whats the article about?

Answer 1

Digital transformation of workplaces following the Covid 19 pandemic
The main insight gained is that workplace transformation can only be successful if the digital toolset, organizational culture and physical spaces are properly aligned to support the increasing need for asynchronous workflows.

Question 2

What are the 4 phases of transitioning from a physical to a digital workplace?

Answer 2

Phase 1: Inertia.
○ Lasted between three and six months
○ Temporary transfer of physical workplace logic to digital working
environments without any adjustments

Phase 2: Experimental Repatterning.
○ lasted about 1 year ( last quarters 2020 - last q’s 2021 )
○ experiments with digital, physical and cultural arrangements to overcome
inertia and obtain consent for the gradual transition to a digital workplace logic

Phase 3: Leveraging Causation Planning.
○ lasted about 6 months ( last q’s 2021 - first q’s 2022 )
developing and implementing a long-term strategy for the optimal alignment of various workplace arrangements to enable and support asynchronous workflows

Phase 4: Calibration.
○ Final phase (phase in action at the time paper was written)
○ The companies balance long-term planning with experimenting with novel
digital tools and cultural assets and redesigning physical spaces
○ Companies have to constantly evaluate and adjust the design of their
now-digital workplaces.
○ Companies are seeing benefits from the digital workplace logic
○ Staff turnover has decreased

Question 3

What are possible management recommendations?

Answer 3

● Recommendation 1: Develop a Crisis Response Plan for Orchestrating Digital, Cultural and Physical Workplace Arrangements
● Recommendation 2: Encourage Experimentation with Shadow IT
● Recommendation 3: Counteract the Formation of Two Tiers of Employees