For those who repeat the tired phrase that the business world has reached a “new normal” probably under appreciates that the world of work is a completely moving target. On this basis, how can any business even plan ahead and project for the future?
Looking at the dynamic nature of workplace economics is Gabriel Engel, CEO of Rocket.Chat. Engel believes that firms must remain steadfast in their commitment to innovation in all aspects of their business. This includes consideration of digital technologies and the transformative power that such technologies promise in conjunction with appropriate changes to workplace practices and business mindsets.
With this in mind, the Engel predicts that remote and hybrid work models will continue to impact the business ecosystem. Engel tells Digital Journal how employees now expect more flexibility and the ability to work from home if they wish. These are seen as necessary features to retain staff.
Furthermore, Engel finds that many companies, whenever possible, are opening up their roles to talent across the globe, which completely changes the scenario for employees and companies looking to hire and keep top talent.
Engel explains that organizations “will continue to invest in digital workplace technologies and solutions for the long-term hybrid workplace”. Furthermore, the increased funding for digital workplace initiatives will translate into an increase in the number of emerging technologies for digital workplace solutions.
As to what these technologies are, Engel calls out video and voice functionality as “a must-have for team collaboration tools and platforms”.
Other trends that capital will be subjected to include “increasingly tight integration of messaging and group collaboration into our daily activities—shopping, eating, working in docs, analyzing spreadsheets, and answering email, for example”.
The drive for profit will see enterprise companies accelerating their shift from dependency on a single company for their messaging needs. Engel says this will occur “as real-time collaboration and engagement becomes even more of an imperative in the new work environment”.
Traditional institutions and organizations will also begin to crumble, unless the adapt says Engel. This means “Innovation will continue its disruptive march across business and technology landscapes. Young companies—largely unburdened by legacy systems and technical debt—will move quickly to harness digital advances, while some established organizations will struggle to keep pace, burdened with IT systems that increasingly seem slow, rigid, and expensive.”
