Five common mistakes hindering productivity in the digital workplace

Written by

Damian Guppy - Managing Director

Published Tuesday, September 27, 2022.

Five common mistakes hindering productivity in the digital workplace The outbreak of the pandemic has been a uniting experience for businesses globally. It demanded large changes in how they functioned. The traditional workplace setup of everyone being in the office was no longer feasible for many companies. To stay afloat, organizations had to rapidly adapt to remote work settings.

When the pandemic was at its peak, approximately 70% of full-time workers were working from home. Even now that numbers are going down, remote work is still common - 92% of surveyed employees expect to work from home 1 or more days per week.

The radical shift in how people work has necessitated a rethink of tools and policies by businesses. Many have also needed to completely change the way they operate. They’ve had to move to a cloud-based digital workspace for them to function as a mixed team.

There are several benefits to this transition, which include:

Lower costs for both employees and employers
Improved work/life balance for employees
Higher morale all around
No decrease or even an increase in productivity levels
More flexibility when serving clients

Though the workplace has become digital, this transition has not been without challenges, which include:

Weak networks and endpoints
Isolation among employees
(lack of) Communication
Inability to monitor productivity or hold people accountable, and finally
heightened risk of data security threats.

20% of organizations suffered a breach during the pandemic due to remote work

It takes time and hard work to overcome the difficulties and reap the rewards. It’s also frequently necessary for the assistance of a specialist IT expert, so you don’t end up making costly errors. The following are some of the most notable business blunders while establishing a digital workplace. We sourced IGLOO’s State of the Digital Workplace study for the figures.

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1. Poor Cloud File Organization

Files are kept in a cloud-accessible environment when organizations convert to virtual workflows. If those cloud storage platforms aren’t well managed, it can be a problem. It might be tough for staff to locate the files they require.

For this reason, about 51% of employees avoid sharing a document with their coworkers. They couldn’t discover it or considered that looking for it would be too difficult. This is the highest proportion observed in the IGLOO study, which shows that this issue is getting increasingly common.

To make finding files stored on the cloud easier:

Keep the file structure flat (only a couple of folders deep)
Create a consistent hierarchy and naming system
Only add a new folder if there are at least 10 documents saved in it
Archive or clean up older files every month

2. Excluding Remote Workers From the Conversation

It’s frustrating when you tune into a conversation and feel left out because you missed the beginning. With more people working remotely than ever before, many companies are still trying to bridge the gap between in-person and remote communication.

According to a recent study, over 60% of remote workers say they have missed out on critical information because their coworkers conveyed it in person. When coworking employees make judgments without considering those who work remotely, efficiency is damaged.

To shift the workplace culture, those in leadership positions must take the first steps. Although old habits can be difficult to break, mindsets can transition to better reflect a hybrid world.

3. Unauthorized Cloud App Use Isn’t Being Addressed

The pandemic has only exacerbated the problem of unauthorized cloud app use(also known as Shadow IT), as people are now working from home, sometimes on their personal devices.

In their workflow, more than half (57%) of workers use at least one unauthorized app. When this happens, businesses may be harmed in a variety of ways.

Some risks that come with shadow IT are:

Data being stolen from apps that aren’t secure
Legal trouble for violating data privacy laws
Wasting money on having too many similar applications
Unprotected company data because no one knows about it
An employee quitting and taking important data with them

4. Remote Doesn’t Always Mean Work From Home

Keep in mind that remote employees are not always working from home with access to their regular Wi-Fi connection. They might be working from airports, hotels, other people’s homes, or local coffee shops while they travel.

Data security is important for remote workers since they have access to sensitive company information. Companies without adequate data security may be susceptible to breaches. Public networks are especially vulnerable to “man-in-the-middle” assaults. This occurs when a hacker connects to the same public network as you. Then, with software, he or she can steal data flowing through other people’s networks.

For all remote work, a business VPN is recommended. VPNs are very cheap and simple to use. The employee simply installs the software on their equipment. Data from the device is then routed through secure, encrypted servers by the app.

5. Communication Tools That Baffle Everyone

Does your team have difficulties with virtual meetings? Up to 85% of remote workers state that they’ve had 1-2 meetings where technology interfered. Technology issues are so common during virtual meetings, it’s hard to have one without someone experiencing a problem.

The communication that allows a digital workplace to function is the oil that keeps the engine going. The proper technology is required for successful cloud-based video meetings, audio conferences, and conversations. This makes things go more smoothly.

There’s no need to hastily choose any communication tools. Test them out first and see what works best for you and your team. Consider getting help with optimizing settings to improve virtual meetings. Additionally, make sure your remote team has access to the right tools for smooth communications, such as headsets, VoIP desk phones, webcams, etc.