The digital workplace at CHG-MERIDIAN

The workplace of the future is an important, continually evolving process, especially for us as a technology management company. Before initiating this process, however, it is essential to properly prepare and integrate the digital workplace into the business, not just at the technical but also at the organisational level. Below, we present and explain the key elements and steps of our digital workplace strategy:

The foundation of any digital workplace strategy is the provision of the most suitable IT devices and software, thus providing the technical enablement. We made workplace equipment, in particular mobile devices, available to all employees based on the requirements of each user group. The range is continually updated and expanded. The software we use was also reviewed and optimised. The challenge was to make all necessary information available in a way that our employees could access it flexibly on whichever IT device they were using.

Integrating our employees is a key aspect of the digital workplace. Every employee can choose and order the right components for their digital workplace via the self-service portal. The chosen devices may also be used privately for the duration of their useful life. Employees can also purchase devices for purely personal use through our Employee PC Program. The tax benefits available mean our employees enjoy attractive deals.

A digital workplace can only reach its full potential if as many processes as possible are digitalised. That is why our document and contract management processes, such as approving invoices and storing and accessing contracts and data, have been digitalised and reorganised internally. Our employees are now no longer dependent on paper and are able to work digitally and flexibly.

Another important step was making changes to our working hours. By doing away with core working hours, we have given our employees the option to work flexibly, no matter where they are or what time it is.

Technology by itself is not enough to make change a reality. Whether a digital workplace strategy can be successfully implemented is heavily dependent on how well it is accepted by the employees. The challenge lies in organisational aspects, i.e. in the way the change is managed.

The switch to a digital workplace calls for a certain amount of adjustment, and many employees fear this will increase their workload. We established a project group comprising members from a range of departments in order to allay these fears and communicate the advantages of the new work environment. The group was tasked with formulating a detailed process and action plan for the rollout of the digital workplace, with a focus on addressing each employee individually. Tech-savvy employees who like to use webinars or e-books to train obviously need something different to those who prefer to get their information in printed form – from manuals or training materials. With these differences in mind, the project team developed a comprehensive action list that included both online offerings and analog initiatives.

We also developed an interactive online platform all about the digital workplace. It provided tips and advice for everyday situations in the digital workplace through online training, FAQs, and support forums. Our experts act as moderators and provide advice through live chats. The necessary enthusiasm for the digital workplace was generated by using the right mix of online content such as chat help and live formats incorporating social interaction.

By using our own company as an example for the successful integration of the digital workplace, the CHG-MERIDIAN Group is not only helping its customers to embrace the future but is also taking a big step in this direction itself.