It's no secret that 2020 was a year defined by change. Not the strategic digital transformation dreams of ambitious IT professionals, but change of a different sort. Businesses were forced to cobble together a digital workspace that would allow their employees to work remotely. As many as 60 percent of the UK workforce are still working from home in 2021.
And yes, it was the right thing to do. But the results? Duplicated EUC services, costly contracts, last-minute hardware provisioning and unsecured, lagging systems - all set up and maintained by IT teams under pressure and without the time to plan, or train staff.
For many organisations, this is where they stand today.
Sound familiar?
Redefining the 'digital workspace'
The above scenario isn't what we'd call a thriving 'digital workspace'. Here's our definition:
A digital workspace gives you the mobility to do the work you do in the office, from anywhere in the world. It means having fast, secure access to everything you need, from any device.
Alternatively, Citrix uses the term 'single pane of glass'. That is, you have a clear line of access to your suite of applications from a single touchpoint. Set up correctly, the digital workspace represents a holistic shift in how your team uses real-time collaboration tools to deliver better business results.
Of course it's here to stay
The HTG position on the subject is, overwhelmingly: yes, digital workspaces are the future.
By our standards, any organisation looking to remain competitive should consider them a fixture of work, moving forward. But, we predict the 'rush job' version of 2020 will quickly be forgotten.
Instead, businesses will prioritise enlisting expert help to put reliable, frictionless virtual desktop solutions in place.
And those that don't? Well, they won't have the necessary agility, resilience or levels of productivity to thrive in tough times.
Don't take our word for it...
You need a digital workspace for distributed teams to work together effectively. A remote working framework is the 'new normal' for millions of employers:
- Companies like Amazon, VMware and Salesforce have all said they will continue with a flexible working model from now on.
- Willis Towers Watson's recent study shows the number of people working from home in 2021 will be seven times higher than three years ago.
- The Institute of Directors has reported 74 percent of companies expect to maintain increased remote working levels, even after coronavirus.
From analysts to business leaders, the consensus is the digital workspace isn't going anywhere.
Make room
Right now, the 'struggle to unplug' is the main difficulty people are facing with remote working. In Buffer's annual survey, 27 percent cite this factor, above others like 'communication issues' or 'loneliness' (both 16 percent). Compared to previous years, this is a massive shift in pain points.
Yes, people require easy access to documents, project management and communications tools. But, one advantage of a virtual desktop setup for your digital workspace is that all your work tools are 'collected' in one place. This, then, provides a clear line in the sand, so it's easier to maintain a work-life balance.
Make flexible working truly sustainable, from today. Use virtual desktop technology to help your employees maintain a healthy separation between 'personal' and 'work' spaces.
Good boundaries make good work.
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