Brave new working environment?

It is quite clear that our grandparents “went to work” in a completely different way than we do today. Nowadays, though, we don’t have to look back decades to see that the world of work has changed profoundly. And this process of change is not yet over—far from it. We are right in the middle of it. What exactly is changing though, and why?

Modern working is not tied down to a specific location. This applies in particular to cooperation with colleagues, business partners and customers alike: it no longer matters where the individual participants are actually located. You can meet virtually at any time, exchange important information and share knowledge with each other. That alone would have been science fiction just 20 years ago. There is much more to modern working though.

This is where a term that has been much used—some would say even a little overused—in recent years comes into play: digitalization. Digital technologies have, of course, long been part of our everyday life. Everyone literally has the whole world in their pocket on their smartphone. Online shopping, navigation systems, autonomous vacuum cleaners—all perfectly normal now. And what is taken for granted in our private lives is increasingly becoming the norm in our everyday working lives.

You can also speak of a revolutionary development. And this is mainly thanks to the technological revolution that is taking place behind the scenes. What would have been a supercomputer just a few years ago is now standard in every PC or laptop. These technologies have made it possible to create tools that not only take the burden of routine tasks off our hands, but also help us make better business decisions, just like real human PAs.
 

One of the main players in this new working world also happens to be the largest software producer in the world: Microsoft. Microsoft offers everything you need for your modern digital workplace with Teams, SharePoint, Office and the Dynamics 365 business solutions. Microsoft is so much more than just a supplier of software tools though—and this “more” is crucial. Because it is not just a question of having the solutions. The barriers to using them must also be minimized as much as possible.

This is where another revolution comes into play, which Microsoft boss Satya Nadella calls the “democratization of digital technologies”. What he means by this are cloud-based systems that enable any company—large or small—to use modern digital technologies. Anyone can afford solutions from the cloud and assemble them to suit their own needs so that they can work everywhere and always be right up to date. And you don’t have to be an IT specialist yourself to benefit from it.

The cloud is the technological hub of the new world of work. Technology is only the gateway to this world, though. Everyone involved in it has to go through it. After all, these people are what it’s all about—about the fun at work, about inspiring and creative cooperation. This also includes the organization of course, and in particular cultural aspects. What do you have to consider and what are the mistakes you should avoid at all costs? You can read all about this in our next few blogs on the subject. Just look for the “New Normal” label.

Do you want to know more about how to lead virtual teams successfully? Then our webinar "Why It Is Not Enough to Install Microsoft Teams" on October 1, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. is just the introduction you need. Here you will learn in three steps how to keep your team on board and create organizational and communication structures. Our continuation webinar "How to Lead Your Teams Innovatively and Digitally in the Age of New Work" on October 22, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. will focus on digital team management and agile project work. 

Of course, we are always available to you for a personal discussion. Just send us an email or give us a call. Our digitalization experts look forward to discussing your digital ideas with you.