Not every employee in your business is wired the same, so they don’t all want the same things out of business technology. Not only that, various roles have differing needs and may benefit from different technology integrations. These statements are backed up by industry research, which identifies six workplace personas that cover roughly 92% of employees at the typical business.
We’ve found these personas to be broadly helpful, and you can gain specific insights into ideal integration strategies by understanding how these personas relate to tech and the pain points they see.
Persona #1: Office Collaborator
The Office Collaborator makes up some 27% of the workforce. These employees enjoy – perhaps prefer – the in-person office experience, relying on collaboration with colleagues to get their work done. But they’re increasingly comfortable with digital collaboration tools, not just traditional office devices.
Office Collaborators appreciate face-to-face, in-person interaction, but this group also seems to be on the decline. Challenges to this group include difficulty managing communication across a range of devices and platforms, along with the disruptions and background noise typical of most office environments.
Persona #2: Flex Worker
The flex worker splits work time between home, the office, and travel, and we conclude that a full 20% of modern office workers fit this profile. These workers are forced to be innovative, adapting their approach to work and communication based on where they’re working from at the moment.
Risks to this persona include the need to feel always available (and the burnout that can result), plus the sense from colleagues that they’re not sure where or when the flex worker might pop up.
Flex workers have higher technology integration needs, especially for roles that require separate hardware (or at least accessories) both at home and at the office.
Persona #3: Road Warrior
Workers who spend more than half their working time outside the corporate office (and don’t spend the majority of that time at home) fall into the Road Warrior persona. About 5% of workers fall into this category.
Road Warriors need the most highly mobile technology solutions since they could need to work from almost anywhere, including remote field deployments. They need strong connectivity, including over LTE or 5G, and powerful yet portable devices that allow them to work in the most challenging environments
Persona #4: Office Communicator
Office Communicators are most comfortable in a conventional office, using conventional technology that’s stood the test of time, like a desk phone and a desktop computer. Around 13% of the workforce fall into this persona.
These workers struggle with the distractions and interruptions of a modern open or semi-open office coupled with a constant barrage of digital notifications, some of which they might not fully understand.
Office Communicators felt intense disruption from COVID and are eager to return to normal – even if their idea of normal isn’t fully coming back.
Persona #5: Connected Executive
Making up around 12% of the workforce, the Connected Executive is tech-savvy and ready to make business happen. They work where they need to – and where they want to, depending on the needs of the moment.
Connected Executives are comfortable with a wide range of communication tools and devices, using more than nearly any other persona. However, with that comfort comes risks of diversions and interruptions – especially when working in a less-than-conventional setting.
This group is highly dependent on high-performance communication technology and doesn’t have time for a lackluster solution.
Persona #6: Remote Collaborator
Around 15% of the workforce is made up of Remote Collaborators, people who work at a distance either exclusively or for a majority of their work time. This category is expected to continue growing as some workers elect to stay home permanently after the pandemic sent them home temporarily. Poly believes the most likely persona to transition to Remote Collaborator is Office Collaborator.
These workers enjoy the flexibility and freedom of working remotely, but they need additional support in terms of communication and collaboration.
We’ve all seen just how possible remote work is over the past couple of years, but we’ve also discovered the challenges to doing it well. Remote collaborators need the right tools and channels to communicate and collaborate effectively with their in-person colleagues.
Bluewater Helps You Reach Every Persona
Whatever mix of personas you find in your own business, it’s critical to consider what kind of AV integration support each one needs. the Bluewater team can help you through this process so you can get the right devices and tools into the right hands, to meet your workforce needs.
