Cloud-enabled workforce models to disrupt and shape Asia Pacific workplaces
By Enterprise Innovation editors | 2018-10-08
By allowing firms to store and process virtually limitless amounts of data remotely, the cloud is enabling what Colliers International terms the Internet of the Workplace (IoW) – a digitally integrated enterprise architecture that exists in the virtual as well as the physical realm, connecting employees and allowing them to collaborate regardless of location.
“Applying the IoW gives enterprises the ability to ‘cloud their workforce’ - adopting decentralized structures that mirror the cloud computing environment, based around multiple remote teams that can be rapidly combined or scaled as needed, rather than a large central office,” said Rob Wilkinson, Associate Director, Corporate Solutions APAC, Colliers International. “This can make companies more agile and cost-effective, with positive impacts for employee well-being and productivity.”
Colliers recently leased its latest insights report “Flex, Core and the Cloud: A Blueprint for the Future Asia Pacific Workplace.” The report, based on field research and interviews with some of the world’s leading organisations in the technology, financial services and FMCG industries, addresses the adoption of cloud technology in companies’ workforce models and broader implications for productivity and employee well-being.
Like any transformation, clouding the workforce can prove disruptive for enterprises and the commercial real estate industry, forcing landlords and occupiers to adapt to new demands. Through careful planning and the right approaches companies can navigate this disruption while capturing the benefits of the cloud.
“Some companies are investing in equipment such as interactive whiteboards, video-conferencing facilities and chat platforms, and making changes to the physical space such as ‘decoupling’ employees from permanent desks in a move towards Activity Based Working (ABW), utilising flexible workspace in a flex and core model, or developing open-plan offices to foster spontaneity and collaboration across teams,” added Wilkinson.
Four stages on the IoW curve
1) Traditional
Core operations/employees concentrated in a central location
Data/IT services stored, managed and delivered via in-house physical infrastructure
Employees have dedicated workspaces and rarely or never shift teams or locations
2) Transitioning
Key administrative functions and critical technology infrastructure based in a central location
Employees connected, and some data/IT services delivered via public or private cloud
Employees occasionally work on different teams or at different locations; enterprise provides limited IoT infrastructure to support occasional virtual teams
3) IoW adopter
Technology infrastructure is almost entirely cloud-based
Core business functions spread across multiple hubs that scale according to business needs
Hubs employ BYOD and IoT technologies to enhance the working environment, and enable employees to work freely across teams and locations
4) IoW powered
All technology infrastructure is cloud-based
No central location exists; employees log in independently from various IoT-optimised flexible workspaces or their homes
Employees form teams dynamically in response to business demands, using online platforms and collaboration tools to communicate, cooperate and achieve goals
Exercise caution
Despite the obvious benefits of IoW models, IoT by definition comes with a compromise on data security and companies’ increasing reliance on connected technologies creates heightened security risks, making data protection a significant challenge. A recent study showed, with more enterprises adopting BYOD policies, one in three CIOs in Hong Kong see their own employees as the organization’s biggest security vulnerability.
Impact for landlords & occupiers
Occupiers
Determine which business services or processes would be more cost-effective and efficient to deliver via the cloud, and develop a roadmap for cloud migration
Consider adopting a BYOD policy and encouraging employees to work remotely where feasible
Adopt IoW technologies, and minimise or reduce the number of dedicated workspaces, to make offices more scalable and encourage cross-team collaboration
Develop an overarching plan for the clouding of the workforce, overseen by a cross-functional team
Landlords
Develop more flexible lease structures and spaces to accommodate changes in occupier demands
Ensure buildings and office spaces are designed in a way to respond to rapid changes in occupier headcount
Consider alliances with flexible workspace operators to enhance the flexibility of their property portfolio
Evaluate whether the technical infrastructure of properties is sufficient to support IoW models
source: https://www.enterpriseinnovation.net/article/cloud-enabled-workforce-models-disrupt-and-shape-asia-pacific-workplaces-42784032/page/0/1