Digital organization: plan for the unexpected!

Technology enables employees to work anytime, anywhere. Today, many consider work to be something they do, rather than a place they go. To respond to this new reality, companies are rethinking their organization in hybrid mode. And hybrid means digital! But what are the principles of such an organization?

A few years ago:

Who would have imagined that millions of citizens would become information relay points on a global scale?
That professional networks would extend to the four corners of the planet?
Or that employees would resign simply because they couldn’t work from home?

Within companies, this new world made possible by digital technology is breaking down silos, reshaping workspaces, disrupting management, and revolutionizing the organization and culture of businesses.

Prepare Your Organization for the Future

By force of circumstances, the health crisis accelerated the implementation of key principles shaping the future of our organizations:

In recent months, the most tangible development has undoubtedly been the possibility for many employees to work remotely—from home or elsewhere. According to a Gartner study, after the pandemic, 48% of employees will continue to work remotely in some form. Indeed, the crisis demonstrated that technology allows many employees to work anytime and anywhere. As a result, the line between professional and personal spaces has never been blurrier. Many employees now consider work as something they do, rather than a place they go.

Experiment with the Hybrid Organization

To adapt to this new reality, companies are rethinking their organization in a hybrid mode—a model that, if well-implemented, allows for greater agility and flexibility, essential in an increasingly unpredictable environment.

And hybrid means digital!

To recall, an organization exists thanks to the people who make it up and the interactions they share. By multiplying and diversifying interaction modes, digital technology forces organizations to reinvent themselves. It provides employees with a variety of tools to interact, regardless of where they work. The crisis proved that digital tools contribute to the social cohesion vital to companies.

In fact, it is impossible to adapt to the current context and implement a hybrid organization without integrating digital solutions into the equation. Beyond just introducing technology, the challenge is to make digital a true ally for both the business and its employees.

Specifically, the goal for companies is to transition from a "digital workplace" approach to a "digital workspace" approach. This means it’s no longer enough to simply introduce technology into the workplace; rather, companies must provide each employee with the tools they need to work from any location at any time.

While this type of organization offers many opportunities, it also introduces new risks. By enabling employees to work anytime and anywhere, it sometimes pushes connectivity to the extreme, increasing their autonomy and participatory power. However, poorly designed or poorly supported digital tools can lead to information overload and disrupt the work-life balance.

In fact, the central role digital technology has taken in the workplace—especially in recent months—has sometimes led to exhausting demands for reactivity, intensified work rhythms to unsustainable levels, and challenges to the sense of belonging.

Indeed, many felt it during the crisis: by changing the way we work, fundamental markers such as space and time were disrupted.As a result, digital organization compels company management to adopt a far more systemic approach than it might initially appear. Beyond necessary considerations like investments in tools, security, and costs, any company preparing for the future must also reevaluate the core parameters of its functioning: governance, activity execution, quality of life standards, interaction methods, managerial dynamics, and—most crucially—skills, specifically the ability to work “with” and “through” digital tools. This calls for activating a uniquely human activity: reflection. We must think more, and involve everyone.Even if all elements needing reconsideration were addressed to meet this challenge, the path forward often remains unclear due to the sheer number and variety of parameters to consider simultaneously. It's akin to navigating uncharted territory without GPS! To steer through this fog, companies must collectively and iteratively plan their transformation—step by step, experimenting as they go. Experimentation, or trial-and-error, is the only viable way forward, as it allows businesses to observe the effects of their new organization on the environment and adjust progressively.

Optimize Your Chances of Success

The approach to achieving this transformation depends on a company’s business, ambitions, and past experiences. While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for establishing a “digital organization,” we now have enough experience to identify the key ingredients for success.

1. It is Open

It’s evident: a company’s survival depends on its ability to meet or even anticipate the ever-evolving expectations of its customers. Achieving this goal hinges on motivating employees to contribute to the company’s ambition and smooth operation. This task, though long-standing for managers, has grown increasingly complex because, like customers, employees’ aspirations have evolved in recent months.Managers face the challenge of addressing diverse employee preferences—some longing to return to the office, others wishing to avoid it altogether. Companies must therefore exercise creativity and flexibility to devise solutions that benefit both their growth and their employees. Striking this balance is vital yet challenging, requiring reconciliation of individual and collective interests.Whether or not a company welcomes it, staying open to surrounding changes and the new aspirations they generate is essential for growth or survival. Digital culture, which has been quietly seeping into organizations for years, now imposes itself on all companies aiming to thrive in the future. This culture is founded on principles that strongly influence organizational models:

• Freedom of Expression:
  On social media, everyone freely shares their ideas and opinions. Employees must be equally empowered to express themselves within the company.
• Horizontal Structure:
  Online, influence is independent of status. Companies should enable employees to influence the organization, regardless of hierarchy.
• Transparency:
  On the internet, everything is public or can become public. Companies must ensure information is accessible to all.
• Cooperation:
  Platforms like Wikipedia thrive through anonymous contributions. Similarly, organizations must encourage collective efforts toward shared goals.

2. It Shares Data

A hallmark of digital organizations is the central role of data. To enable employees to work anywhere, anytime, they must have secure access to company data—inventory management, budgets, client information, team schedules, and more. However, sharing data requires both technological and human investment.Providing access to data is pointless if employees cannot process it or if information is too disorganized to use effectively. Thus, while sharing and utilizing data fuels business growth, this process depends on equipping employees with the skills and support needed to leverage it.By integrating and securely sharing data, companies unlock the synergies promised by digital transformation. With the right tools and skills, employees become more autonomous, proactive, and creative. Moreover, making data central to a company’s strategy can reveal unexpected opportunities, such as new markets, product customization, partnerships, or branding possibilities—all byproducts of digital transformation.

3. It is a Learning Organization

In a digital organization, the focus shifts from knowledge to learning capability. In a fast-changing, uncertain world, traditional planning frameworks are unstable, and forecasting becomes increasingly intuitive and iterative. Expertise quickly becomes outdated.Therefore, future-oriented organizations must be flexible and open to keep pace. Continuous learning conditions must be structurally embedded. Instead of fixed learning processes, employees must develop the ability to learn through experience and adapt in real time. Managers play a key role by fostering creativity and initiative, granting autonomy, encouraging experimentation, and allowing room for error.Automation, while freeing up time from repetitive tasks, highlights the need for human-centric activities like creativity and collaboration, both crucial for business development. Leaders who view technology as a way to reduce investment in human capital are mistaken. Instead, digital organizations prioritize skill development, recognizing that their future success—and even survival—rests in the hands of their people.

4. It is Collaborative

When fully leveraged, digital tools impact all aspects of a company—from operations (e.g., marketing, communication, production) to organizational dynamics (e.g., team relationships, client interactions, decision-making). Digital is no longer just a department; it is cross-functional and involves everyone.This shift requires breaking down silos and equipping employees with the tools to learn about and engage with digital processes. By democratizing access to information and knowledge creation, digital organizations dissolve traditional power structures, encouraging networked collaboration around shared goals.In such environments, managers shift from directive roles to that of coaches and leaders, fostering a participatory culture. Given the complexity introduced by digitalization, businesses can no longer ignore collective intelligence or participatory decision-making. With everyone contributing information, leaders must actively engage stakeholders to enhance decision quality.The results of digital transformation, like innovation, are collective achievements. Technologies supporting collaboration can significantly optimize interactions, enabling businesses to adapt and thrive in an unpredictable world.

Ready to Start?

Transforming an organization is a gradual, collective, iterative process. Start by identifying key challenges that align with your company’s overall strategy. Evaluate your digital maturity, engage with employees, and co-design this new organization. By automating tasks and utilizing data effectively, you can uncover new opportunities.Remember, adapting how employees work requires support and a cultural shift. Only by addressing these factors can you tackle the first challenges successfully and build the enthusiasm needed for further progress.For guidance, the Wallonia Digital Agency offers resources and expertise to support your digital journey, helping organizations adapt responsibly to human and organizational challenges in the digital age.