Editorial

Global study claims smarter workplace = happier employees

7,000 global employees in 15 countries’ public and private sectors tell researchers they are much happier in their work and positive about their future, if they are working in a digital environment – definite food for thought for Thursday’s Think Smarter Working For Public Sector 2018 conference…

Posted 5 June 2018 by Gary Flood


Staff who work in digital workplaces are not only more productive but also more motivated, have higher job satisfaction, and report an overall better sense of well-being.

Those are some of the headline conclusions of a new global study from Aruba, The Right Technologies Unlock the Potential of the Digital Workplace.

Its data also suggests that organisations that are “less technologically advanced” are at risk of falling behind the competition and not attracting top talent – but also warns that more digitally-clued up employees are take greater risks with data and information security.

The conclusions emerged from conversations with 7,000 employees in 15 countries, and showed that team members who work 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 those who have less access to workplace technology.

The former were also 60% more likely to say they are motivated at work, and 91% more likely to praise their company’s vision, and 72% reported a higher ability to adopt new work skills as compared to 58% of the second group.

Intriguingly, despite widespread fears about the rise of the robots, 71% of respondents said they would welcome a fully automated workplace in the future, as it would allow their employers to build smarter, more effective working environments.

“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.

“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 [and] those who don’t will eventually move on to a more inviting option.”

Almost all respondents, 93%, thought their workplace would be improved through greater use of technology, while 64% believe the traditional office will become obsolete due to advances in technology. Finally, the majority of respondents think digital technology would result in a more efficient (56%), more collaborative (52%) and more appealing (47%) work environment.

Many of the issues raised by the study – which included interviews with both public and private sector workforces – will also be explored in Thursday’s Think Smarter Working For Public Sector 2018.

The authors of the report work for networking leader Aruba, which is described as a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company these days.