Technology and the workplace: key trends

At a time when individuals are increasingly working outside the office walls, one of the concerns is the risk of employees working remotely in silos and the associated loss of collaboration. On the other hand, digital tools are becoming more sophisticated and, in the current remote working environment, adopted more widely. An example is the use of video conferencing tools and programmes which allow for virtual meetings and collaboration. There are reports of video technology being used for investor meetings, Court hearings, and client-service provider interactions.

As employers and individuals become more accustomed to this technology, the broader adoption of perhaps underused products, such as virtual or augmented reality, is bound to increase. So virtual and augmented reality could be the solution to concerns about isolation, less team working and loss of collaboration. Such technology improves the user’s experience, so that they can feel as if they are in a room with colleagues, in virtual meetings. They could certainly improve a number of established processes, from interviewing and recruitment to training.

The proliferation of digital workplace productivity tools also means that adoption of enterprise cloud services, especially those capable of supporting large numbers of concurrent users, is set to accelerate. Restrictions in supply of certain hardware, and more general cost constraints on businesses, will make cloud services and virtualisation all the more attractive.

Then there will be the impact on bricks and mortar. Work environments, particularly the traditional office, will change. For many years we’ve seen more traditional industrial sites such as factories move to robotics and computerisation. While that will continue, we will see sensor-enabled and “smart” buildings become more desirable (as organisations seek to limit attendance at the office to, typically, one third of the normal working population). Technology enabled buildings will also help reduce the risks on returning to work and allow for more proactive management techniques. There are already reports of the use of thermal imaging and tracking technologies as a way of ensuring social distancing in the workplace; and facial recognition tools to track an individual’s time online (or rather in front of their computer screen). These technologies will enable organisations to:

• track occupancy levels and movement around a building to help manage social distancing;
• reduce contact and contamination risks; and
• keep records to demonstrate compliance at both individual and corporate levels.

In short, facilities management tools will evolve into people management tools.

These might be regarded as immediate, short term requirements to support returning to work, but they are likely to remain in place and to help inform future plans: for example how much office space is actually required? do I need less space, with staff predominantly working from home, or more, to enable social distancing? how many people are working from home versus coming into the office, and how regularly? which areas of the office or facilities are in most demand?

Some key risks

The human impact here cannot be overlooked. More remote working, and greater adoption of new technologies, increase privacy and cyber threat levels. There is also the need to address different working practices and associated health and safety risks.

There are three key aspects here:

• Data protection and cybersecurity risks will increase through the wider adoption of digital workplace tools, partly through the increased opportunity for external threats, but also because they increase the opportunity for user error. It will be important for many businesses to revisit and adapt their technical and organisational security controls for the new working environment, and to ensure that any new applications that are procured are sufficiently robust.

However, these processes and controls are only as effective as the users themselves. It is essential for all businesses to update their policies on Internet use and IT security, as well as ensure they regularly communicate, frequently remind and train and update staff. Additional guidance will be needed to ensure that employees working remotely are on guard for the proliferation of phishing-style attacks and the risks to confidentiality posed by “smart home” devices.

There is then the question of monitoring employees when they are using new applications and programmes, and around reconfigured offices and other workplaces. Privacy compliance must be considered, whatever sense there is that the analysis is legitimate and ensures safeguards are in place. The public health emergency will not be an excuse for neglecting to carry out privacy impact assessments similar to those that will have been conducted for CCTV and other data collection tools in the past.

• Health and safety is also an area which should be reviewed regularly and kept under constant review. Here, risk assessments are also important. With increased remote working, ensuring a safe working environment is just as important to ensure individuals observe safe working practices and that organisations address mental wellbeing and not just physical issues.

This becomes even more important when new technology is adopted where the impact may not be fully understood. A good example is the recent studies around cognitive ability and the intense nature of working through video conferencing, which is much more demanding and can cause greater fatigue, when compared to in-person meetings. Although such meetings are obviously seen as a good substitute and equally effective from a business perspective, the impact on individuals in their work is very different.

• Conduct issues are another risk, with reports that from the safety of their own home, some employees are less guarded with their comments or attitude leading to an increased risk of harassment, discriminatory comments or attitudes, and bullying. Again, reiterating the organisations’ requirements of staff and modifying existing policies and rules to the altered working environment should be considered and communicated clearly.