The document discusses the opportunities and challenges of the new virtually collaborative workplace. It describes how the new workplace is defined by people always being connected through technology, work locations converging as people work from multiple places, and increased global collaboration. While this brings benefits like improved work-life balance and cost savings, it also creates challenges like information overload, distance between remote workers, and a lack of appropriate collaboration tools. The document provides examples of how organizations are addressing these challenges through initiatives like providing social software, encouraging face-to-face meetings, and focusing on results rather than time spent.

1. Seizing opportunities, Overcoming
Productivity Challenges in the Virtually
Collaborative Workplace
Alain Pirard
Cognizant Business Consulting

2. The growing sophistication of
communications technology makes it
possible for people to work
anytime, anywhere
from any device
Source: McKinsey, 2011

3. Enabling the new
workplace
clearly is 1 of the
CIO’s top
priorities
Source: Gartner, 2012

4. So, within a few years…
Photo by Novecentino

5. …unfortunately, this just sounds too good to be true!
Photo by Vox Efx

6. The new workplace is defined by
three characteristics

7. 1. People are always connected
Photo by Daran Kandasamy

8. A typical knowledge
worker turns to e-mail
50 100 to
times a day and
spends an average of
20 hours
a week managing it
Source: Harvard Business Review, 2009

9. 85%
of professionals say
they would take a
laptop on
vacation
to stay connected
Photo by Pinguino
Source: Harvard Business Review, 2009

10. 60%
of people check their
e-mail while using
bathroom
facilities
Photo by njaminjami
Source: Harvard Business Review, 2009

11. 2. Work locations are converging

12. 98%
of companies have employees who work
outside of the corporate office
part-time or occasionally
76%
of western firms report that
at least some of their employees work
outside a corporate office full-time
Source: Forrester, 2011

13. 60%
of employees work
in multiple
locations during the
workweek
Photo by Valerie Everett
Source: Forrester, 2011

14. 3. Global collaboration is on the rise
Photo by donotlick

15. 26 percent
of European
employers have
difficulty filling jobs
for lack of qualified
talent, particularly
technicians and
engineers
Photo by CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Source: Manpower Group, 2011

16. Western
organizations are
increasingly
looking for
new talent
pools
to fill their gap of
qualified people
Photo by OLPC
Source: McKinsey, 2011

17. Tomorrow’s
workforce is
expected to
become
increasingly
flexible &
virtual
Source: McKinsey, 2011

18. The new workplace brings many
opportunities…

19. At societal
level
it is helping to
ease traffic jams
and reduce
carbon footprint
Photo by NASA Goddard

20. At individual
level
it is improving
work/life balance
and job
satisfaction
Photo by TINKYN

21. At company
level
it contributes to
cost savings,
wider access to a
global talent pool &
increased
productivity
Photo by Images of Money

22. …but it also brings severe challenges

23. 1. Too much information & distractions
Photo by A National Acrobat

24. Recognize this?
Source: Xerox

25. Of course you don’t recognize this in your
organization…

26. 2. Working elsewhere creates distance
Photo by Eflon

27. Hello!
Remote workers
often feel
socially and
professionally
isolated
Anyone there?
Photo by NASA Goddard
Timothy Golden, 2009

28. The importance of
informal encounters
on the work floor
is often underestimated
While casual interactions among
employees promote
trust, cooperation
and innovation
Source: Wharton Business School, 2011 &
Harvard Business Review 2011

29. Managing people
you cannot see
is like
surfing in
the dark
Photo by Robert Gray
Timothy Golden, 2009

30. 3. Employees lack the right tools
Photo by Frits

31. Enterprise social
software (like Yammer,
Jive etc.) is predicted
to become a
$6.4 billion
market in 2016
(2010: $600 mln)
Photo by BenjaminThompson
Forrester, 2011

32. But still, in 2011 only
12%
of knowledge workers in the U.S.
had access to social tools
and no more than
8%
used social tools
at least once a week
Source: Forrester, 2011

33. But also many
organizations still
prohibit the use
of social
networking tools
such as Facebook
and Twitter, citing
them as distractions
Photo by Mollybob
Harvard Business Review, 2011

34. David Sacks
(Yammer CEO)
‘Within 5 years, not having social networking in
the enterprise will be like not having telephone’

35. How can organizations create a
productive new workplace?

36. 1. Ensure employees are outfitted with the right
collaboration tools and devices
Photo by Zzpza

37. Cognizant uses their
Cognizant 2.0
social collaboration
platform to share
knowledge and
manage projects in real
time from anywhere

38. 2. Reset norms and train knowledge workers in
handling information overload
Photo by JaseCurtis

39. Intel kicked off a pilot
project to test so-
called
silent Tuesday
mornings
71% of employees
recommended the
pilot project be
expanded

40. 3. Stimulate regular face-time between knowledge
workers
Photo by Andres B

41. INSEAD found that
with dispersed
students opening the
video connection
before and after class
stimulated casual
interactions
between students

42. 4. Re-allocate contextual tasks so people can focus on
core activities
Photo by Victor1558

43. Pfizer has introduced
the “PfizerWorks”
program, which allows
knowledge workers to
pass secondary
activities
on a 24x5 basis to an
offshore support center

44. 5. Manage your people based on results achieved
rather than time spent
Photo by Jon Smith

45. Best Buy introduced the
‘Results-Only-Work-
Environment’ empowering
people to
design their own
work day
while being paid on the
basis of performance
rather than their physical
presence

46. So...what is your organization doing
to capitalize on these
opportunities?

47. Thank You
Alain Pirard
Cognizant Business Consulting
Email: alain.pirard@cognizant.com
Twitter: @alainpirard
Read my whitepaper on Slideshare or Cognizant.com

48. Like the images I used?
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/novecentino/2339687721/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/39096030@N00/2452641267/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/daran_kandasamy/6845526329/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinguino/6024590309/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/43952401@N00/4592487891/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/66742614@N00/2934952697/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/donotlick/6208768340/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/38476503@N08/4526589942/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/olpc/2606362543/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/24662369@N07/4392965590/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/5930035914/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/31028309@N00/4623964759/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/eflon/6107569540/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/5096879854/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/4193330368/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/beija/4606706979/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/shelleygibb/3396463409/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/zzpza/3269784239/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/25722571@N08/5811203171/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresb/3075429026/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829417439/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/unanoslucror/5051797134/