Chris Dewhirst, Digital Workspace Domain Architect, VMware

The world of work is changing faster than ever. Confined office spaces and strict 9 to 5 schedules are making way for flexibility and mobility. The result? Happier employees and even happier employers. With improved worker engagement, businesses are seeing greater productivity and results.

But how do we continue this positive shift? Many of us are still on a journey towards digital transformation. There remain barriers that need to be removed before we can find further opportunity in the technology that will underpin the workspace of tomorrow.

This is where taking a human-centric approach can help.

At VMware, we’re huge advocates of empowering employees with the tools they need to do their jobs, anywhere and anytime. This is what drives a culture of employee initiative and management trust. Only then can the benefits flow upstream and empower the business as a whole. It’s a theme that fits in with Fujitsu Forum 2018’s focus on ‘co-creation for success’. It looks at how businesses, customers and partners can work together to deliver innovation at scale.

It all starts with the end user

For a human-centric workspace to see fruition, removing friction in security is a must. After all, this can be the biggest thing that drives up cost and brings down the user experience.

It’s about creating a fluid way in which employees can access the tools, apps and resources they need while the business continues to improve its systems. It’s about thinking of the destination – secure, frictionless and harmonious – rather than the journey, which can often distract businesses with road bumps.

For example, let’s look at today’s devices. Users demand the same levels of access from their smartphones, tablets, laptops and more. Their primary concern isn’t necessarily about security. Rather, they’re more concerned about devices being a fast, flexible and fluent way to access resources.

Yet businesses need to balance these needs with security. After all, it only takes one compromised device to put data, intellectual property and brand value at risk. When businesses build security barriers in the traditional way, silos tend to be created. This creates friction and can be detrimental to productivity.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. By having a workspace platform which uses analytics and orchestration solutions, businesses can have a balanced view across technology, location and device types. Integrated security also means businesses no longer need individual solutions which may or may not be interoperable with each other. We move much closer to a frictionless and secure workspace that allows users to work at their best.

This applies to all sectors. Across business, healthcare, education and agriculture, traditional ways of working must change. And while some organisations are moving faster than others, the destination is the same. The workspace of future will free employees from the shackles of tradition.

Learn how VMware Workspace ONE provides the building blocks for a digital workspace that provides the easy access your employees want. Check out the webinar Delivering Secure and Seamless Access to All Your Apps, Devices and Data.

Category: News & Highlights

Tags: digital workspace, Fujitsu Forum