CDOs Need a New WFH Mindset

Chief digital officers (CDOs) must understand that the WFH phenomenon is here to stay. Those who embrace WFH as a positive development will find it beneficial to their business processes.

Conversely, those who resist WFH arrangements find themselves competing with other companies for knowledge workers. This trend dictates the foreseeable future.

While some CDOs already embrace this new paradigm, the traditional office environment remains an entrenched concept in many minds. As we move into 2022 and beyond, the business environment of massed workers at desks may not be horse-and-buggy territory yet, but it's quaint at best for many businesses.

Compute from home

Today's younger knowledge workers grew up with home computers. And most never had to grapple with DOS or any other command-line interfaces.

Their concept of computer technology has always featured a GUI. This was greatly beneficial to employers who didn't have to introduce computing concepts as part of employee training. Now, the employer benefit is that employees intrinsically understand their WFH environments.

Tech now permeates our work and home lives, and crossover is inevitable. Workers prefer tech equipment they're familiar with, and often it's devices that they own. This is something that firms must keep in mind ― work for the company may be performed on non-company equipment.

Knowledge workers

CDOs must manage not only their data flows but also their knowledge workers. They need to help the traditional human resources departments evolve with WFH strategies.

This will be a challenge for many but must be acknowledged. Start with the HR department's WFH policy ― for many businesses, this means a revamp.

CDOs must manage not only their data flows but their knowledge workers

In a nutshell, remote work policies describe who can work remotely, explain the firm's best practices, and state the legal rights of remote employees. HR managers should consult with the firm's legal department when drafting such a policy and work alongside CDOs to implement them.

WFH security is everyone’s problem

Knowledge workers are de facto tech-savvy, and any firm's security policies are as much in force in their homes as in the office, or even more so.

A proper analysis of WFH security is beyond the reach of any article. In a CDO Trends interview, security guru Bruce Schneier said: “This stuff is actually hard.”

Many experts suggest that remote workers use a VPN, which seems a bare minimum. But as workers are accustomed to their own devices, use thereof may be an issue. CDOs need to consult with in-house resources to develop an appropriate security policy.

Putting the WFH tiers into perspective

It's become commonplace to refer to all work-at-home under the WFH umbrella, but that isn't the case. Not all businesses are equivalent, and each case has its parameters. Let's examine three different tiers of WFH.

Remote access: This was common when employees spent most of their time working at their desks with only occasional WFH assignments. During pre-COVID-19 times, employees were sometimes given laptops and/or phones to access the corporate network when logging on from home, often outside of business hours.

Telecommuting: This describes occasional work from home during business hours, such as one day per week. Typically a scheduled arrangement considers factors like commutes into account.

Full-time WFH: This isn't new ― think of field service roles where primary job responsibilities are outside the company’s offices. But now, the playing field has shifted.

Some workers have a dedicated “home office” space; others don't. Roommates, children, and dogs often feature in a WFH office. Disruptions are not unheard of, but it helps if both workers and employers have a reasonable sense of humor.

Firms that successfully retool for WFH environments have the advantage

Needless to say, the number of full-time WFH employees has skyrocketed during COVID-19. Many desk warriors are now housebound, and some prefer this working style. It's up to CDOs to ensure that this virtual workforce is supported just as if workers were in an office environment.

It’s all in the mind

Firms that successfully retool for WFH environments have the advantage. Ideally, IT systems, business processes, and management practices will be optimized for a distributed workforce.

Meetings are held virtually via Zoom, WebEx, or other conferencing tools. Documents are shared as PDFs or in another electronic form instead of printed. Workflows are enabled by tech.

It's feasible but sometimes requires a different mindset.

Stefan Hammond is a contributing editor to CDOTrends. Best practices, the IoT, payment gateways, robotics, and the ongoing battle against cyberpirates pique his interest. You can reach him at [email protected].

Image credit: iStockphoto/Mark_KA