Innovation and well-being at work: the perfect couple?

August 27, 2019

In two decades, the companies have been profoundly transformed by the arrival of digital technology and its tools. By abolishing borders, reducing distances and accelerating time, the organization of work has been totally destabilized. As the digital wave continues to grow, the need to innovate to maintain productivity is now essential for companies. This upheaval also affects the quality of life at work for employees.

Digital technology for a better quality of life at work

Digital has made a prominent place for itself at work and brings infinite possibilities to companies. By investing in the professional sphere, digital technology has gradually made a vital place for itself. Today, more than 70% of working people say that digitalization has transformed their business. For 95% of managers, it is a strategic issue and deserves a full budget.  Internally, digital tools allow more efficient, faster and more responsive communication. More than 40% of companies have a corporate social network. This allows messages to be sent internally to all teams or events to be planned.

The contribution of digital is also ultimately ecological for us with dematerialization and electronic payslips. It also guarantees greater efficiency in the various tasks to be performed and thus saves employees time and energy. The first act, collaborative work: today it is one of the major concerns of companies. The idea is to set up small workgroups in order to optimize exchanges and efficiency in the tasks to be accomplished.

Collaborative technologies allow more reactivity in the professional world and significant automation of tasks. Other innovations designed to invade workspaces: connected objects. Virtual reality, holograms, home automation or 3D printers promise opportunities that are still difficult to measure. According to a study by the American firm Gartner, the number of connected objects for individuals and businesses will exceed 20 billion by 2020. 

The revolution: managing well-being

Pyramidal management is dead, long live participatory management. This results in a reduction in the hierarchical weight and greater proximity between teams. This type of organization aims to involve the employee by listening more, taking into account his or her opinion and thus involving him or her in the decision-making process. Indeed, according to a DREES study on well-being at work, 74% of working people believe that managerial policy plays a role in participatory innovation. With 20% of them, the opening of management to innovation and dialogue.

The numbers speak for themselves: A happy employee at work gets more involved in his or her work. Companies that adopt a new management style see their employer brands benefit drastically, attracting the most sought-after profiles. For the company, the mission is to address the demands of its employees. Containing work stress and absenteeism, allowing everyone to develop to their full potential requires daily work.

Digital transformation is a great way to make it easier to reconcile private and professional life. Today, there are important initiatives in this direction, including among legislators (example: the law on telework). In 2019, a Lavazza study revealed that telework is popular with nearly 85% of managers.

But this is not the only way to improve the quality of life at work, other innovations such as the setting up of a sports hall and/or nap room and the creation of an internal play area are now very popular. Finally, other forms such as the provision of nurseries or daycare centers are, particularly in demand.