The key to leading change in an ever changing digital workplace

Ricoh UK research unveils key sector challenges and identifies innovative solutions for the future of the workplace 

Ricoh UK, London, 22 November 2021: Ricoh UK has today released its ‘Leading Change at Work: Devising Your Digital Workplace Strategy’, which summarises the definitive discussion on the future of work in the UK. The report follows on from last year’s Conscious Workplace research which unpacked the behaviours, mindsets and influences forging the new world of work in a post-pandemic world. After hosting a series of roundtables with professionals across departments and industries, Ricoh has gathered insight into the ongoing challenges being faced by organisations. The new report acts as the definitive guide to help CEOs develop future strategies for an evolving business landscape.

The report focuses on examining the biggest challenges business leaders have faced, are facing and will continue to face, particularly for those in IT, HR, Facilities Management and Financial Operations. Key insights from these conversations found that there is still a need for CEOs to listen and adapt to the requirements of the modern workforce. Moderated by journalist and author Paul Mason, all roundtable participants were prompted with questions that evaluated the different scenarios of a new contained health impact, a continuing and disrupting health impact, and a worsening health impact of the current pandemic. They were prompted with questions that allowed them to share their specific industry views, such as labour shortages and staff retention for HR professionals and the reduction of office space for Facilities Managers. 

Speaking with experts exposed several challenges which still need to be addressed, including how to manage remote working environments, and investing in long-term digital solutions. Using this information the report distilled insights into key themes for each sector, using “Challenges to Change” as the first for each. The phenomenal amount of change that has taken place over the past two years has created challenges for experts across the board. Other major insights centre around an uncertain future, polarisation of views and policy and governance and who owns it. The reports explore the evolution of the cyber challenge, and how go from survival mode to thrive mode.

Ricoh’s conversations found across the board, wellbeing and work/life balance are critical to the every-day work and experiences of the teams driving change. It also found that the increased productivity while working from home was seen as a myth which remains unsupported by any substantiative metrics across industries and sectors. Looking at all of the personas together, the report highlights that collaboration between departments is crucial for businesses to successfully manage the changing world of work. 

Paul Mason, roundtable moderator, award-winning journalist, writer and film-maker, said: “For me, the standout insight from the conversations that followed was a remarkable consensus on the opportunity that exists as we define the post-pandemic work environment, for business leaders willing to listen to the needs of the modern workforce. 

But it’s not just about having a strategy for a part-remote workforce. There are also powerful strategic factors influencing the decision making, not least of which are an unstable global supply chain and serious staffing concerns.”

Phil Keoghan, CEO, Ricoh UK & Ireland, said: “The past two years have been an incredible challenge for businesses worldwide. Stock markets fell, staff mental health and well-being was rocked, and long-established workplaces closed their doors. 

All that said, with every great challenge comes great innovation. When we’re faced with the most severe constraints, we’re forced to rise to meet them with new technologies, processes, cultural changes and of course in this case, locations. 

The conclusions of this report are the keys to the modern workplace, unlocking the productivity potential of the current climate by offering a guiding light back from uncertainty.”

While the report highlights the number of challenges still being faced by professionals in all these departments, its conclusions outline what businesses can do to support their staff and ease the pressure felt. The report concludes that each department feels the need for further research and analysis to provide substantiative metrics, long-term strategic objectives, cross-departmental collaboration, and the long-term investment and leverage of digital solutions. Using qualitative and quantitative research, Ricoh has outlined the definitive discussion topics relevant to the current climate and offers guidance for senior leaders.

The full report can be viewed here: https://ricoh.turtl.co/story/digitalworkplace/