Employees are more productive and motivated in a digital workplace - study

A new global study from Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, has revealed that employees who work in digital workplaces are not only more productive in writing free essays research papers, but also more motivated, have higher job satisfaction, and report an overall better sense of well-being.

The study, Digital Revolutionaries Unlock the Potential of the Digital Workplace, reveals both the business and human benefits of more digitally driven workplaces, and how companies that are less technologically advanced are at risk of falling behind the competition and not attracting top talent. It also notes that companies must be vigilant as more digital-savvy employees are taking greater risks with data and information security.

Key themes and findings

The study of 7,000 employees across 15 countries revealed a clear chasm in employee performance and sentiment between more advanced digital workplaces and those that employ digital technology to a lesser degree. A number of key themes emerged:

• Beyond productivity, digital tools unlock human benefits: “Digital Revolutionaries” - employees identified as those who work in fully-enabled digital workplaces where new workplace technologies are in widespread use - were 51% more likely to have strong job satisfaction, and 43% more likely to be positive about their work-life balance than “Digital Laggards” - those who have less access to workplace technology. The Revolutionary employees were also 56% more likely to say they are motivated at work, and 83% more likely to praise their company’s vision.
  
• Digital working also supports professional development: 65% of Revolutionaries reported they had seen professional development and growth through the use of digital technology, compared to just 31% of Laggards. With a digital workplace, 72% of Revolutionaries reported a higher ability to adopt new work skills as compared to 58% of Laggards.
  
• Productivity gains from digital technology quantified: 73% of Digital Revolutionaries reported a positive impact to their productivity and 70% cited improved collaboration thanks to digital technologies, vs. 55% of laggards.
  
• Continued advancements in digital technology and automation pave the way for better workplace experiences: While automation can be perceived as a threat to job security, our research found that there was widespread enthusiasm for it. 71% of respondents said they would welcome a fully automated workplace in the next 5-10 years, allowing organisations to build smarter, more effective working environments.

“No matter the industry, we’re seeing a move toward human-centric places as enterprises strive to meet rapidly changing expectations of how people want to work,” Joseph White, director of Workplace Strategy, Design and Management, Herman Miller. “This depends upon combining advances in technology – which includes furnishings – with the cognitive sciences to help people engage with work in new ways. This will not only mean singular, premium experiences for individuals, but also the opportunity for organisations to attract and retain the best talent.”

“The very nature of the term 'workplace' is being transformed, as companies begin to realise that effective space is experience-centric, and must accommodate work styles spanning generations and personality types,” said Francisco Acoba, managing director for Deloitte Strategy & Operations. “This ushers in new processes where IT solutions, building systems and furnishings interact harmoniously with humans to create such spaces. Regardless of your enterprise’s specific situation, when spaces become active participants in the user experience it benefits the bottom line. After all, workers who feel comfortable in a space get their tasks done. Those who don’t will eventually move on to a more inviting option.”