Workplace transformation driven by CEOs, not CHROs: study

CEOs are now driving workplace transformations, instead of CHROs, according to a new study.

Infosys Knowledge Institute (IKI), the research arm of Infosys, recently published a global research report entitled Drive Change from Within.

Forty-five per cent of respondents believe that CEOs are the most influential in driving a workplace transformation roadmap.

Only three per cent of CHROs are influencing the decision to embark on a transformational journey and only 19 per cent contribute to developing the roadmap, says the study, while CEOs are ranked as the most influential group in the C-Suite.

“Workplace transformation has moved beyond physical infrastructure and has become a key priority for the C-suite who are looking to empower their employees with the right set of digital tools and fresh experiences,” says Ravi Kumar, president of Infosys. “The current multi-generational workforce demands a workplace that is highly collaborative, productive and engaging. This entails reimagining employee experience and engagement in a meaningful way, while encouraging collaboration and ensuring information security.”

More than 1,300 senior leaders from banking, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, telecom and energy and utility firms, with revenues of more than $1 billion, were surveyed for the report. The companies represented organizations in the U.S., UK, Europe and Australia, New Zealand (ANZ).

Key findings of the survey:

• 57 per cent of organizations consider digital tools (enterprise productivity suites, enterprise communication software) to have maximum impact on workplace transformation.

• The impact of digital tools on workplace transformation is ranked higher than that of physical elements (co-working, smart buildings) and cultural changes (training and upskilling, work-life balance), which are at 38 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

• Organizations believe that digital workplace transformation can improve collaboration across teams (86 per cent) and provide superior customer experience (84 per cent).

• The adoption of the workplace transformation strategy is well underway with more than 80 per cent organizations already having a well-defined strategic roadmap in place.

• 55 per cent of respondents reckon choosing the right solutions or technology is a significant concern before embarking on workplace transformation, while during implementation, data security (77 per cent) and obtaining a buy-in across the organization (74 per cent) were the biggest challenges.

“The paradigm shift in the workplace transformation space has made it imperative for organizations to provide their employees consumer-like experiences,” says John Laherty, senior research analyst at NelsonHall, an analyst and advisory firm. “Companies are embracing digital tools and technologies in order to foster collaborative workplaces which will culminate into increased efficiencies.”