Designing a Digital Workplace: Introducing Complementary Smart Work Elements

Organizations are taking advantage of new technology to change the way they work in response to the increasing complexity and unpredictability of the business environment. Simply adopting new technology is not, however, enough to ensure the success of a digital workplace design. The technology itself is just one of four key elements that are vital to designing “smart” digital workplaces. The others are the workforce, new ways of working (NWW), and leadership. All four must be considered in terms of the overarching goal the organization is aiming to achieve with its digital workplace transformation. It is crucial to identify the current situation pertaining to each element and any changes required to bring about the desired transformation. Moreover, the four elements are not independent, but interact in various and sometimes unexpected ways; hence, successful digital workplace design must take into account the complementarities between the different elements and adapt accordingly.