EXPERT SPEAK
exhibition spaces, for example, to develop
location-based apps to provide exhibit
information to visitors when they are
stood close by.
By ensuring digital content becomes an
aid to learning, exploration and navigation,
these galleries can boost engagement with
their digitally orientated visitors. This might
be a specific scenario but its learnings questions and onboarding information
before day one of work.
Delivered via a single technology platform
that can simply and securely manage any
app on any device, this allows the employee
to return completed materials, select the
workplace device of their choosing, get set-
up on the corporate system and familiarise
themselves with immediate tasks and
could be applied further – to the aviation
industry, to consider just one example, and
providing travellers with proximity-based
facilities and services information, not to
mention navigation support, on their devices
to improve their experiences within big and
busy airports. training so that, as they walk in the office
doors for the very first time, they can simply
collect their device and go.
When prioritising such projects, there’s
also the need to consider trying small and
failing fast. A lot of infrastructure and
modernisation programmes tend to be 18
months long – ‘big bang’ plays that are
sizeable in scope and complexity to deliver.
In today’s world, companies can’t always
afford that time – onboarded talent needs to
be delivering from day one, for example.
So, partners should also help
organisations prioritise things at speed; fail-
fast, learn quickly, be iterative and adapt for
the next challenge or opportunity.
Prioritise projects at speed; try
small and fail fast
workers, emailing on the move and joining
conference calls from the comfort of their
homes. It’s so much more than this, and
the opportunity for organisations is always
thinking ‘user’ first rather than ‘device’
first. Partners can help drive this mindset
shift, away from managing laptops and
mobile devices towards best supporting the
broadest possible needs of users.
This could be employees operating in
back offices, delivering customer services
and sales, or working on retail stores and
manufacturing floors.
Whatever the specific field, organisations
will require guidance to ensure the right
technology supports business imperatives –
managing all of the apps, all of the use-cases
– to free up IT to think differently.
When approaching this, partners can
offer value by thinking broad and drawing
on existing insights from previous projects,
across different organisations and sectors.
Consider the trend in art galleries or major
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS
INTELLIGENT
TECH CHANNELS
Issue 27
Partners also need the foresight to
determine which parts of the business
should be involved in each project. It’s not
that every project, even those relating
to the digital employee experience, will
require full engagement from both IT and
HR teams. But for those that do, push for
seamless coordination – despite the friction
that might follow.
Onboarding new employees is a prime
example, requiring textbook collaboration
between HR and IT. The ambition here is
a ‘day zero experience’ – where the new
employee digitally receives all employment
documentation, log-in details, preparatory
Creating an optimum
digital employee
experience means
overcoming operational,
cultural and
technology challenges.
Challenge businesses to
think differently
Success in these areas comes down to
establishing a new engagement model
between IT and HR and, ultimately, end-
users. Coordinated and quick decision-
making is required, fuelled by an agile
technology platform that can scale at
the drop of a hat to provide access to
information for all the relevant fingertips in a
simple and secure fashion.
This is complex territory and requires a
great many different parts working together
in harmony.
The opportunity for partners here should
not be underestimated. Challenge customers
to think differently; equip them with the
right technology behind the scenes to free IT
and HR from their traditional silos and foster
true collaboration. In doing so, support
businesses as they finally focus on putting
people first.
53