How to establish productive, adaptive ways of working

Before the pandemic, working patterns were static, with many people remaining locked into the well-established 9-5, despite technological advances happening all around them.

Today, everything is different. Gone are the traditional notions of work. As a result of the pandemic, companies everywhere were forced to rethink their processes to ensure teams could continue working from anywhere. The result is that employees now have more control over how and where they choose to complete their tasks. But, with greater freedom comes new challenges.

How can businesses break down barriers when it comes to collaboration, ensure employees have access to the tools and information they need, and keep everyone happy and productive while working remotely?

The answer lies with technology. We can now use modern innovations to drive engagement, connect with employees, and build a working culture that rewards loyalty and engagement.

1. Put your people first

Establishing an effective working culture starts with putting your people first. The new world of work will be dictated by human experience, which should be the guide for every decision you make.

One leading multinational consumer goods company approached ServiceNow for help improving employee experience at their business. On the surface, the company thought it had created an ideal experience by removing friction for front-end employees. But, without sight of how this would impact other departments, they unwittingly created new pain points for operations staff.

ServiceNow stepped in, helping the company build a platform that repositioned their employee experience, and providing one single place to monitor employee activity and offer support.

This platform provides continuous data insights and visibility across the whole employee journey. Employees have a one-stop shop to find answers, request support, and access services, whether they’re at home or in the office. As a result, the company regained 1.1m hours of staff time, equating to £34m in savings. This shows how prioritising employee experience can pay dividends.

2. Pursue productivity

Employee expectations are changing. A competitive salary is no longer enough, today’s workforce are looking for purpose and meaning at work. They want to feel motivated, engaged, and fulfilled. So, to get the most out of your employees, you need to build a cohesive user experience whether they’re working remotely or in the office.

A big part of this involves giving your teams greater flexibility to work from wherever they are most productive, empowering them to do their best work, and providing the tools they need to perform better. Without the right technology and equipment to perform at their best, employees will likely be frustrated, slow to adapt to change, and ultimately unproductive.

A global toy manufacturing company was suffering from this problem. Its productivity hinged on employees always having access to crucial policy information. Without this access, operations slowed to a crawl, as staff spent hours searching outdated systems for the right documentation. ServiceNow helped the company build an engagement portal that brought all its policies, forms, and key documents together – and made them readily available anywhere, at any time, on any device. Now, staff have an effective platform that saves them time, keeps them engaged, and makes their job easier.

3. Prioritise risk

Today, companies are under more scrutiny than ever before, not just from customers, but employees too. The focus has shifted from operational risk to reputational risk, human risk, and beyond. We’re seeing a growing number of people leaving businesses and quitting their jobs, not because of their workload or job role, but because they disagree with what the company stands for.

In the physical office, it’s easier to foster and grow a positive culture and promote company-wide values to in-house teams. However, when employees are working remotely, it can be difficult to communicate what your business stands for.

To address these concerns, you should:

• Create, refine, and clearly define your company values
• Communicate your culture regularly
• Measure your team’s engagement

When it comes to measuring the impact of your approach to productivity, risk, and employee experience, data is king. On the ServiceNow platform, we’ve developed a whole suite of tools to help you track and quantify your approach to risk.

Workflow technology is a key enabler in shaping and creating adaptive and productive ways of working. Find out how it can benefit your business today.