We all agree in theory: Having the right working environment and technology for employees largely determines whether a business succeeds or fails. Yet when it comes to the digital workplace most companies have right now, employees can feel like they’re working with a “frankenstack” instead of something designed to help them maximize performance.
We’ve heard a lot about the evolution of the digital workplace in the age of AI. But the set of technologies, applications, agents, and workflows through which employees collaborate, execute, and drive business results is almost never as effective as it could be. In fact, it’s often nothing more than the result of a series of one-off decisions made in isolation from one another.
From silos to shared priorities
Right now, many companies are working to strengthen employee software experiences in three key ways: reducing risk, cutting costs, and increasing revenue. The problem? Too many companies are executing on these initiatives in silos, leading to inefficiencies and lack of a holistic strategy to improve the digital workplace. In reality, effective employee software experiences sit at the intersection of these three pillars.
How to best measure progress within and across these core areas? We’ve released an ebook on ten KPIs every IT and operations team should track, plus tips to optimize IT initiatives and improve productivity. Here’s a peek at two of them:
Process adoption
Process adoption is an activation metric that looks at how many users are completing business-critical workflows. Most key work happens not just within a single application, but across multiple apps, so it’s important for IT teams to get a sense of how teams move through various platforms to get work done—and whether users are completing processes in the intended ways to ensure compliance.
If you notice employees aren’t completing key workflows or are struggling to do so, you should first focus on learning as much as you can about these users via analytics. What patterns are you seeing? Do these employees share common behaviors or metadata (e.g. is it their first time undertaking a process, or do they work out of the same office or share the same position)? Is there a specific point within the workflow where users are dropping off or encountering friction? Having these insights can help teams optimize processes and provide the right guidance and support to employees within and across apps so they can complete workflows in the desired ways.
Security incidents
At some point, every business will experience some form of security threat. Think phishing attacks aimed at employees, unauthorized access to business systems or sensitive data, or insider threats from former employees or contractors. Whatever the specific threat, it’s important for businesses to keep track of the amount of incidents over a given time period—often quarterly or annually—and take action to reduce it over time.
Regular security audits and employee education are key to mitigating threats. Most companies mandate annual security training for employees that covers how to spot threats like phishing attacks, but employees quickly forget these one-off sessions. The information also isn’t readily accessible during threats. To guard against security threats more effectively, IT teams should provide always-on support within apps and workflows that guide employees around security best practices.
Tech for tech’s sake is not enough
Measuring the right KPIs helps IT and operations teams build a digital workplace with intention. Doing so not only improves what’s on offer for employees—it also leads to better business outcomes. Gone are the days of having to perpetually triage one element or another just to keep things moving. Employee experiences improve, operational costs go down, and business effectiveness increases. Are you ready to build a digital workplace that works for you?
Want to learn more about how Pendo helps build a digital workplace that reduces risk, cuts costs, and increases revenue? Get the full e-book here.
