Since the pandemic, work has undergone a profound transformation. After two years of virtually everybody working remotely, hybrid working was inevitable, especially as 12% of people were already in some form of hybrid work before 2020. 

Most organisations have hybrid or flexible working practices in place now, but many are still struggling to strike the right balance. You only have to look at social media to notice the confusion and rumination hybrid is causing.  

It’s hard to imagine, but even conventions like the 40-hour work week took decades to settle into the collective consciousness. Any change on this scale won’t happen overnight. 

Let’s look at what you can do to ease hybrid working within your organisation and ensure your people and productivity thrives. 

Technology for the hybrid workplace

Understanding what hybrid workers need is crucial to keeping everything on an even keel. How do they want to move forwards? What are the resources and technology they need?

To minimise wasted time and tears, clarity and a system that allows for flexibility while also implementing policies are essential. 

Without the right technology in place, the transition to hybrid working can become messy. For every individual that switched seamlessly, another faced the daunting task of balancing work, childcare and adapting to new tech all in one go.

These difficulties can be mitigated by communicating and empowering people. With the right technology, hybrid work can reach its lofty goals of creating a new rulebook for how people engage with the office.

People make hybrid work

Employees have more power in the workplace than ever before. While this has been an overall benefit to people’s mental health, personal wellbeing, family setup and childcare time, it has also meant that employers have had to adapt to the new power balance. 

The primary basis of hybrid working should be keeping in touch with your employees. This can also mean significant changes to the office itself, with more of a focus on collaboration and socialising. 

You can find out more about how your office can become better suited to a hybrid arrangement with our blog covers an in-depth take on the subject: How to get started with Hybrid Office Design.

So, how should organisations approach hybrid working? 

Ultimately, you need to focus on creating the best working experience – this is a task for all areas of the organisation, from Facilities Managers to HR departments to business leaders.

But don’t expect to find a quick and easy solution. Take each day as it comes, gain regular feedback from them and see every obstacle as an opportunity for improvement. 

The different moving parts of the company require a different approach to ease their transition into hybrid work, and whether you are in facilities, HR or general management, using the right tools for the job will be vital. 

Facilities management

Facilities Managers have always been focused on the efficient and effective delivery of support services for the organisation they serve. In the current circumstances, this has never been more important.

In the face of new challenges, Facilities Management teams within businesses must navigate the practical elements and implementation of safety, efficiency and continuity in the workplace and beyond. They need to ensure that people feel safe and understood.

HR teams

During hybrid working, it’s key that the right support networks are in place to enable your people to work flexibly. 

This isn’t just about listening and providing assistance where needed; it’s about proactively showing that your people are at the forefront of every business decision. This will help reassure them they are very much part of any workplace changes.

Business leaders

Suppose business leaders make people rigidly follow hybrid working policies. In that case, they could fail. Instead, business leaders need to learn and test new ways of working.  They must work with people individually to ensure hybrid working success.

Businesses that are willing to engage in innovation and take advantage of the tools available are going to have the easiest time getting the best out of their employees and building a relationship that is collaborative and cohesive.  

This could mean the implementation of cloud technologies, the latest collaboration tools and any necessary hardware for each individual. And if you’re at the start of your journey, why not read our blog on building a business case for hybrid working.

Let’s co-create your hybrid workplace

Do you need help identifying exactly what your business needs to empower your staff in the hybrid workplace? A people-first partner like Ricoh can help you build the perfect package for your organisation.

We can assist you in identifying where your company needs to improve and what is presently working well, find out about our people-focused solutions and innovations here. 

The post How to optimise Hybrid Working appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

Agility: once a corporate buzzword, now, an objective on business plans everywhere. Many print businesses are looking to digital technology and software to elevate their operations and boost agility, aiming to save time and cost, enhance productivity and maintain their competitive edge.

For some in the print industry, exploring new software solutions is a natural continuation. Inhibitive in-house systems had already forced business leaders to examine the power of digital technology. Now the market demands cost-effective software, which has a strong foundation to build on, that is flexible enough to meet their unique requirements and scalable to support future business growth.

What to look out for in print software

Businesses should be searching for proven, off-the-shelf solutions they can adapt as required. Choosing a service provider is an important consideration too. Your provider should be prepared to react quickly to meet unique needs and work collaboratively with internal teams to identify the right solutions to the right challenges. 

Technically, workflow and MIS software must be flexible, scalable and compliant in terms of security and data handling. It also must be capable of running within the cloud or on-premises depending on preference. Crucially, print software should be designed to afford better visibility over operations, and offer data intelligence. Optimising processes is valuable, but knowing exactly how long processes take can identify opportunities for improvement. 

How to choose a service provider

Finding the right technology partner can help your business both in the short and long term. It goes much further than the product offering that the partner can initially put in place. Print businesses should aim to partner with a company that can take both a strategic and tactical view, focusing on the bigger picture of the company’s growth and development and the more immediate day-to-day demands.

Beyond this, the ideal software partner will be open and transparent and capable of undertaking a more wide-ranging systems integrator role. They will recognise when a company already possesses high-value systems and tools built upon and will be prepared to introduce and manage a third-party application integration if their products do not solve the dilemma.

What to expect during software implementation 

Customers often fear that requesting tailored adaptations to an off-the-shelf solution will mean long lead times before implementation. But this need not be the case. In our experience of tailoring our software to customer needs, the implementation time should be no longer than six weeks from the start of the project. Speed of delivery, even for tailored solutions, should not be a problem.

Nor should cost. Out of the box, the Ricoh Process Director software is a simplified PDF workflow. It can meet the needs of every organisation, from a small to medium-sized print business, right up to corporate enterprises and retailers. It is modular and is deployed on a ‘pay for what you use’ basis.

Businesses need to be agile. Software can deliver it

Being ready for the unknown has become as important as drafting a thorough strategic plan. The shocks of the last year and a half have made this point forcefully, sparking many printers into bringing workflow and software plans forward. They have discovered that getting the right software application and the right software partner can profoundly impact a business’s ability to quickly adapt to changing market demands and position itself for profitability and growth.

Article originally published in Printweek August 17th 2021.

How can we help

Learn more about Ricoh print software including our Process Director Workflow and the Avanti Slingshot print MIS.

And for an extra agility boost, check out our free, downloadable ebook covering the top ten time-consuming tasks you should automate.

The post How can software boost agility within your print business? appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

Amidst the many profound changes that digital technology has wrought upon the print industry is one that we at Ricoh feel is often overlooked: the relationship between a printing company and its technology suppliers has fundamentally evolved. Expectations of this new relationship have become a key consideration for us as a manufacturer.

Most printers, as they grapple with myriad pressures, want more from their vendors. In fact, they don’t want them to act like a traditional vendor at all. They want them to act as a partner – being interested in and engaged in the challenges and the opportunities the print business faces, contributing technology, yes, but much more besides – to be a sounding board, a source of ideas, fresh thoughts, knowhow, and a spirit of innovation.

The reason that printers want this level of engagement from equipment manufacturers is simple: their own customers are coming to expect very much the same from them. A print business that wants to be seen as a leader must be bold and confident; it must be a solution provider to its own customers, often in areas outside of its traditional print expertise.

It can seek to meet these challenges itself; it can partner with other service providers who perhaps bring new skills and capabilities; or it can harness the rich vein of digital experience and knowledge that sits within many technology suppliers.

The downloadable ebook covers topics from what makes a successful print company to what success looks like.

Click to read Anything in Print

At Ricoh, our response to these changes in the print market has been to ready ourselves for exactly this kind of partnership role. It is no longer just about price, or “selling boxes”. We can assist print businesses to make a digital transformation because we have already undertaken one ourselves. We can help them to innovate because it’s what we do each and every day. We are not afraid to say to our customers: whatever it is you need to find a solution for, challenge Ricoh!

Through our extensive R&D activity and the partnerships we have forged, we believe we have the biggest portfolio of print & enterprise solutions on the market. We are working with big printing firms and major brands on exciting new applications that bring both our own and other parties’ technology to the fore. Here are just a few examples where we are creating tailored solutions for our customers:

• Bespoke print with security features using infra-red toner
• Integrating robotics and third-party technologies that enable print and pack in one go
• Digital factories incorporating digital experiences
• Utilising applied print solutions
• Building custom-made, secure workflows to connect multiple production sites

These are all real-life jobs that are helping to propel our customers into new and exciting worlds of commercial growth and opportunity. We believe that anything in print is possible and we are committed to taking these kinds of journeys with our customers.

This has called for a new ethos for Ricoh as a technology partner. We have been through the digital transformation, but our culture and how we use it to approach our customers’ problems is also critical. The way we address this now is by taking a purpose-driven approach.

Everything that a print business does – from its big picture strategy to the day-to-day, minute-to-minute processes by which it tries to implement that strategy – must have a purpose. Our consultative outlook demands that, before we even talk about selling a piece of equipment, we must understand what the business is trying to achieve and how it wants to achieve it, from the big picture to the small details.

We’re happy to start small because we have done so many times and watched great things grow from it. As a partner to your print business, this is what you can expect from us: real engagement, and a tailored solution, based on an understanding of your purpose, and designed to maximise the contribution that everything makes to that purpose, at every level of the business. This is our purpose; for us, it’s how solution providers are supposed to work.

(Article first published by Printweek)

The post Suppliers supply the tools, but technology partners power business growth appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

The UK print sector is a £14bn industry. It’s made up of many small to medium-sized businesses, and a few very large enterprises. And they’ve all faced the same challenges in recent years. But it’s not just overcoming global or political events – it’s also the rapidly increasing influence and importance of digital technology.

Print may traditionally involve high-volume generic output, but these practices are moving aside for smaller volumes, targeted at specific audiences and often integrated with digital media. Leading print businesses are already adapting their processes to meet these trends.

But how do you move your own business forwards? What are the right steps to take; technologies to integrate; partners to collaborate with? We’ll find out in this article as we uncover the concept of Anything in Print.

Where does the print industry currently stand?

In a very exciting place! Today’s print technology is at the cutting edge, advancing all the time. The market the industry serves is restless, demanding new innovation and pushing the boundaries of creativity and performance. Print is on the precipice of new ways of working that will produce more value, impact and levels of excellence.

But if the print industry is to embrace that opportunity, it needs a new mindset. One which says: Anything in Print is possible.

What is an ‘Anything in Print’ mindset?

An ‘Anything in Print’ mindset is one which finds a way to adapt to changing customer needs, which makes bold moves and fundamental changes where necessary, which understands where traditional print remains strong, and how it can be effectively augmented by new media.

“Despite recent challenges, we’ve continued to invest because our vision for the business remains the same – to be the trusted expert of choice for contemporary integrated communications. We’re piecing together a formidable portfolio of technology and hardware which will allow us to continually enhance our capabilities, processes and expertise for the benefit of our clients.”

Rachel Nevins, CEO, Adare

What will success look like?

Different from even just ten years ago. It will be motivated by value, not volume. It’ll sound like classical music, rather than heavy metal. And it will blend the experience and skill of your people with automation and new technology – wherever it makes sense.

It’s all about where you invest. Identify the right technology, find the best fit for your people, work with experienced partners and start planning how you will transform your business.

“I was becoming conscious that, in terms of quality, we were in danger of becoming a commodity printer. As soon as that happens, you’re just battling on price. We’re investing in technology that gives us something extra, above and beyond our competition.”

Steve Beeching, Managing Director, FCS LaserMail

Finding a partner with an ‘Anything in Print’ mindset

The print industry has long been a cut-throat competition. A battle to win the work that keeps the presses rolling. But like in many other fields, it’s waking up to the idea that collaboration is the best way to create growth: we don’t have to tackle new challenges in isolation, and it’s better to have a smaller slice of a bigger cake.

Progressive print businesses have already seen that working together can increase the prize for all involved, whether through short-term teamwork or formal partnerships. Sharing skills, expertise and processes with other people in the sector, and wider creative and marketing industries, enables your organisation to scale up and skill up in new directions, start new conversations, and deliver a more excellent service.

Ricoh – your people-first ‘Anything in Print’ partner

After recently researching and reflecting on the opportunity that lies ahead with an ‘Anything in Print’ mindset, Ricoh has recently published the aptly named Anything in Print, which covers the possibilities that exist for print companies if they adopt this approach to market.

And you can choose to collaborate with Ricoh as your people-first partner, drawing upon their expertise, learnings, and support to provide your business with the technology, processes and practices it needs to not just survive, but thrive in the next era of print. As Ricoh would say, anything in print is possible.

“The biggest benefit to our partnership with Ricoh has been the access to talent… We needed a production partner that could work with us long-term, developing our business – and Ricoh certainly fit that bill.”

Nick Green, Founder, Printed.com

Learn and discover more about Ricoh’s Anything in Print mindset with our guide.

Click to read Anything in Print

The post Anything in Print – how today’s print leaders are setting the standards for tomorrow appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

It doesn’t matter if you work in print, finance, or healthcare, one common theme runs across all successful businesses. The need for a multigenerational workforce. From ‘Baby Boomers’ to ‘Gen Z’, the workforce has a more diverse age range than ever before. With that can come complications, but also opportunities through innovation. For industries like commercial print that have been around for decades, they must learn how to harness the multigenerational workforce.

A team made up of individuals working in commercial print for 20-30 years will have a wealth of experience and knowledge at their disposal, used to working in a certain way. In comparison, a younger team may spot opportunities for innovation but lack the know-how to execute them. Our belief at Ricoh is that commercial print companies who bring together the combined power of a generationally mixed workforce will have the most robust foundation for a successful future. 

Innovation from both Baby Boomers to Gen Z

In most companies, the generations are made up of Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Generation X (born 1965-1980), Generation Y (born after 1980), also known as Millennials, and Generation Z (born after 1990).

The younger generation has grown up believing there are no limits and they could have pretty much whatever they desired. In comparison the older generation grew up through scarcity, and people were more appreciative of what they had. 

Yet it is the Millennials who are changing the face of business, and in many cases for the better. A 2015 study by Deloitte found that millennials will make up more than 50% of the workforce by 2025. They are the most educated, ambitious, and technologically savvy generation to date. The secret to success is when multiple generations work together and through combined innovation they are able to solve challenges.  

Uniting generational expertise in innovation

A  study of 300 global companies by Forbes Insights showed that a generationally diverse workforce helps drive innovation. Anecdotally, commercial print managers tend to be slightly older with a traditional printing background that includes detailed knowledge of machine capabilities, applications and colour. Those who are younger have grown up in a world where technology is seen as the answer to most challenges. Therefore, they are typically more digitally native. Bringing the experts in commercial print and digital natives together provides a fresh perspective, helping to identify and deliver new commercial print innovation and solutions to the market. 

Multigenerational skillsets working together is where the future of commercial print is heading. A cross-generational team, which promotes the seamless blending of traditional print mediums with modern processes and best practices for true innovation. 

Embracing innovation in commercial print

It is clear is how much opportunity still exists for innovation in commercial print. You only have to look at the rapid rise of 3D printing, which uses the same heads as inkjets only with a different medium. Chuck Hull, one of the inventors of 3D printing systems, took print technology and reimagined it to create a whole new sector.

In reality, creativity varies from individual to individual but there are plenty of things within the business that can be done. These include fostering innovation and creativity by providing diverse training opportunities. There is a higher chance of creating a range of ideas by offering different training options. Having a clear leadership strategy that reaches team members from different age groups will positively influence creativity and innovation. In addition, running competitions for innovation that sees teams from diverse age groups will also bring to life new ideas. 

The power of generational differences in commercial print

As creativity and idea generation revolves around solving novel problems, having employees with diverse backgrounds creates a broader pool of ideas. These in turn can open opportunities to new revenue streams, better commercial print processes and technological advances. 

Commercial print is one of the longest-serving industries globally and has seen many changes. Embracing generational differences is the next iteration of this evolution. It will enable the print industry to continue making strides in innovation and profitability.

Listen to our podcast series and discover more about the opportunities and business benefits of a multigenerational workforce.

Alternatively, feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more.

The post How a multigenerational workforce enables innovation in the commercial print industry appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

In today’s competitive world, knowledge is power. Without insight, you are unarmed. Information and data allow you to maximise your potential, improve the productivity of your people. Plus, provide the experience your customers expect.

But how do you acquire that insight? And what are the ways and means of effectively using it to your advantage? In this article, we’ll discuss how rich insight gained using Print MIS leads to better decision making and efficiency for print businesses.

Print MIS for greater efficiency

Web-to-print solutions – when integrated with your Print MIS tech – provide both you and your teams with an accurate, real-time overview of what’s going on at your business. This clarity enables you to see the big picture. Therefore prioritise orders, prevent blockers on productivity, and optimise your people’s time.

One mistake many print businesses make is to invest in print MIS automation and then fit highly manual practices around it. For example, automatically taking orders online but then manually keying them into the production process. By sticking to standards-based software across your print shop, you can avoid this problem and free up hours for your people.

Print MIS for better customer experience

Online shopping comes with set customer expectations. Thanks to the massive success of brands like Amazon. When someone visits your online store, they expect you to be able to deliver your product with speed, service, and availability. In other words, every business is now judged in the same way.

So, for your e-commerce, you need to ensure you have systems in place to streamline the print order to the production workflow process. Third-Party Web-to-Print Software Integration (API) minimises potential complications. Therefore, allowing customers to submit orders on their own time and their terms, which automates the connection from ordering to production without manual rekeying of information.

Print MIS and e-commerce also provides additional ways to give your customers a better service experience. For instance, when ordering the system can show which products are actually in stock when they order. Giving them an option to influence how quickly their order is fulfilled. 

Likewise, dashboards can allow them to see exactly where their order is in the process, and push notifications can enhance this further by sending text or email messages at key production or delivery stages.

Introducing Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS

Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS is an excellent solution to add to any print business, offering you complete insight over the goings-on in your shop. As a result, with this Print MIS insight, you can make orders more efficient, ensure you have the right stock, manage your staff’s time, and make better business decisions.

Here are just some of its key features:

Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS  Executive Dashboard

The Executive Dashboard provides analysis tools and real-time notification functionality to help you understand and manage your business better. Therefore, Print MIS solution such as Avanti gives you answers to the most pressing questions across departments, such as:

• Are we hitting our margins?
• Reaching our sales targets?
• Using our inventory?

It’s all about measuring your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The dashboard uses graphics to easily represent customer service, financials, sales, marketing, and more. Discover more.

Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module

Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS CRM module keeps everything you know about your customers at you and your team’s fingertips.

Discover more about CRM module

Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS Reporting module

With numerous standard reports, the Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS reporting module can help you make sense of all your Print MIS data. From extensive costing, job tracking, and efficiency analytics, you can gain valuable insight into your business’ past, present, and near future. 

Learning how to save money and time just got easier. Find out more.

Customer Testimonial

“Previously, I wasn’t able to determine where we were making vs losing money, who our best clients were, and which clients had the largest growth potential. Answers to the most common business questions are now easily at my fingertips. This includes cost, inventory, and job tracking. As a result, We never risk losing money on a job, and I am no longer a bottleneck when it comes to estimating. I have experienced ‘freedom from my desk’. Creating an estimate right in a customer’s office or access my operation from any laptop or mobile device using just a browser.”

Cathy Skoglund Manager of Operations & Business Development

ASU Print & Imaging Lab

Want to find out more about Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS?

Visit our free online resource to discover more about Avanti Slingshot® Print MIS.

Our dedicated team of Print MIS experts are on hand to discuss how Ricoh can support your print business.

If you want to find out what we can do for you, please feel free to get in touch.

The post How real-time insight from your print MIS can increase efficiency in your print business appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

Collective efforts of local councils have helped the UK steer the course of the global pandemic. But each initiative introduced to help each other will incur financial consequences in the coming months and years.

“We are seeing significant losses to our income – for example, from leisure centres – as well as increased demands and costs for some services, such as housing.” Cambridge Council

Drops in local taxation, such as business rates and reductions in revenues like town centre parking, will impact budgets for 2021. In combination with new support, this could cause cash-flow problems. And it may lead to cuts, putting vital services at risk and threatening long-term sustainability.

But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. There are stories of council success we can take inspiration from. Therefore, by making a few changes, build for a brighter future.

By evolving your workforce

One of the most important ways local councils are navigating future budget challenges is by looking at how their workforce operates. Every industry in the UK has had to adapt to new agile and remote ways of working. And they’re finding that there is a long-term opportunity for both reduced costs and increased growth and productivity.

To position yourself for success, you must make meaningful investments in your technology and processes to support your people and better manage your budgets.

By increasing business resilience

Hindsight is 20-20 but imagine if you could have predicted this years’ events. You would have put things in place to prepare. You would ensure you could react and adapt quickly to change and capitalise on each new opportunity.

Well, we’re still working in uncertain times. And now we know the importance of creating business resilience, we need to put it into practice. Look at how your local council can embrace technology and software to provide greater insight and flexibility – and respond more effectively to demand and market factors.

By looking after your people

Creating a more agile workforce and increasing business resilience could lead to significant cost-savings over time. It will protect services and staff and ensure your council can maximise delivery.

But perhaps most importantly of all, it lays the foundations for you to better look after your people. You will create a more productive and positive environment that not only empowers their ability to do their jobs but also supports their mental health and wellbeing.

Local councils are collaborating with Ricoh to ensure future success

Working with a partner can be a fantastic option to hit the ground running in 2021. Here are some of the inspirational success stories that have enabled local councils to increase revenue, sustainability, and financial returns.

Camden Council

Camden Council has put in place a Smarter Working Programme to improve community service delivery. A key part of the programme is a Ricoh Business Process Service that is helping the council reduce costs, increase business process agility and make services more efficient and effective.

Read case study

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, with our digital strategy and Ricoh services in place. The council was functioning and working remotely. Staff used MailSmart from home to send letters, knowing they would be delivered. This is exactly what agile working means – doing things in the right way, measuring performance, and delivering value for money.”

Ros Daniel

Creative Services Manager, London Borough of Camden

Coventry City Council

Ricoh Smart Locker

Coventry City Council was about to deploy Ricoh Smart Locker as part of its initiative to develop a more agile workforce. But when the Coronavirus crisis hit the UK, it instead transformed the Ricoh solution into a critical tool for protecting staff and ensuring business continuity.

Read case study

“The Ricoh Smart Locker solution has become critical to protecting the Coventry City Council workforce and enabling it to deliver essential services to the community. Without it, I doubt whether we could have implemented such effective social distancing measures as we have done.”

Gary Griffiths

ICT Engagement Lead, Coventry City Council

Ricoh RansomCare

Coventry City Council was concerned about the growing threat of ransomware attacks. Lockdown sharpened focus on the risk since good security practice was difficult to apply on staff working from home. To ensure the best defence, the council decided to deploy Ricoh’s RansomCare solution.

Read case study

“Ricoh’s RansomCare solution is an insurance policy. If we didn’t do this and had an attack, we’d have to justify why, for the cost of the solution, we could have prevented months of system lock down and millions spent repairing data.”

Gary Griffiths

ICT Engagement Lead, Coventry City Council

Conwy County Borough Council

When Conwy County Borough Council launched a modernisation programme, one area that needed addressing was its inefficient print facilities. Therefore, through a national framework agreement, the council selected Ricoh as its improvement partner. The print estate has since been cut by 70% while still improving the service. More efficient business processes are being adopted and the council is starting to see significant cost savings.

Read case study

“Ricoh’s solution is more than just printing. It’s about rationalising resources, using technology to improve processes and help staff to be more efficient and agile, and ultimately filtering those improvements through to the services Conwy County Borough Council provides to the community.”

Brian Laing

Corporate Project Manager Information Technology and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council

Get in touch with Ricoh today and we’ll discuss how can meet your local needs

Ricoh has years of industry experience in collaborating with its partners to deliver solutions tailored to their business’ needs.

We adopt a people-first approach. That not only enables your entire organisation to adopt and adapt to new technologies and solutions. But also empowers the individuals who make up your teams to achieve their best work.

The post Learn how local councils are navigating future budget challenges appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

But, technology, when coupled with transformative thinking, has the ability to radically shift a business’s performance, culture, and success. It is, without doubt, a catalyst for change.

More than ever, businesses in every industry are undergoing change at unprecedented speed. Digital technologies and processes are transforming how companies operate, their customers consume, and competitors seek to gain an advantage.

Organisations that resist the technology revolution will find it difficult to satisfy consumer demands for instant, personalised services. Over time they will begin to find it nearly impossible to survive.

But is digital transformation just a case of implementing new technologies?

The term digital transformation implies that the use of technology is required to achieve transformation. However, achieving transformation isn’t simply a case of implementing different technologies, but rather the use of these technologies to achieve a transformation. There’s a subtle difference.

For instance, transformation might use technologies including cloud computing, document management, data analytics, automated workflows, AI/ML, IoT etc. But these technologies in themselves will not necessarily achieve significant transformations. However, applied as the building blocks to a wider process, purpose or service, these technologies enable the identification and realisation of new opportunities.

In essence, the purpose of digital transformation is to improve the business, delight customers, and to identify new opportunities for revenue through new business and service models.

So, what technology should you implement and why?

Digital technology can provide the building blocks to transform many areas of your business. These can be broadly categorised into the following four areas;

Productivity and business continuity

The past several months have certainly highlighted the need for businesses, and their workforce, to be agile. Remote and flexible working is here to stay, so being able to integrate new working processes and technology to enable your people to continue to do their jobs effectively, wherever they are, is key. This has led to many organisations re-evaluating their entire organisation. Cloud software, document management, end-user security, document scanning, inbound mail, and remote printing are just some of the technologies which have been embraced by organisations recently.

Strong culture and wellbeing

A good culture inspires your people and makes them proud to work for you. Creating an environment that’s both physically and emotionally supporting will help support your people to do their best work – and love doing it. So digital transformation of the workplace is key to meeting the needs of our people and in turn our businesses. This means creating a digitally seamless workplace software that extends beyond the physical office; creating an online hub of collaboration, inspiration, and communication that can be accessed anywhere.

Resilience and efficiency

Resilience and efficiency will ensure your organisation’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to future change, turning challenges to your advantage when your competitors are unable to adapt as quickly as you. Such scenarios might be your business’s ability to resist cyber-attacks, changes in legislation, or natural disasters such as fire and floods. So, technologies such as ransomware, remote IT monitoring and management, or perhaps document scanning, management, and archiving will all provide business protection and resilience. 

Security and scalability

Greater productivity, profitability, and growth are becoming more and more achievable as working practices evolve. But this also brings new risks and challenges. With remote workers accessing work systems via personal WIFI and devices, IT departments are challenged to maintain a secure infrastructure. Luckily technology has the answer. 

New advanced cybersecurity software, collaboration tools, and data processing technologies are facilitating their right level of support. Enable their people to continue to collaborate and communicate effectively in a safe and secure way. 

Which transformation technologies will be right for your business and why?

Before you make any technology decisions you need to first audit your current capabilities, assess future requirements, and, most importantly, discover the existing experiences of your people.

When it comes to new technology or processes you must first understand what you and your people need. Discover this by assessing and understanding their current experiences of the existing technology, systems, and processes. How they feel they are supported, the ease of use, and if there are any barriers to productivity. In essence, a workplace and experience assessment to identify where you are strong, where you need to improve, and what your people really require. 

With these insights, you will be better placed to identify and find the right solutions.

So, in summary…

Technology provides the building materials. But solid understanding, sound digital business thinking, and the support of an experienced transformation partner will create successful transformation.

Only then will the technology investment combine to create great experiences for both your people and customers.

Seek the support of a collaborative people-first transformation partner

Before you embark on your business transformation journey seek support from a knowledgeable and collaborative technology partner.  A support partner like Ricoh brings many years of experience and a unique people-first perspective which will enable your business to analyse, plan, and implement effective transformation.

Find out more

If you would like to find out more about business transformation and identifying a process suited to your particular business needs, please feel free to get in touch.

You will find our latest practical guide to transformation ‘Implementing a Conscious Workplace’ an invaluable read. Get your free copy here.

The post Identifying the role of technology in digital transformation and knowing which technologies are right for your business appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

In the past, many law firms have chosen tradition over transformation. But now, this isn’t a choice at all.

We’re in the ‘new normal’. Remote working is here to stay. And instead, the choice is: how do we adapt our working practices to capitalise on new opportunities?

Leading law firms have risen to that challenge – and they’re realising the benefits. Let’s uncover what they’ve discovered.

A new global agile working policy from Linklaters allows employees to work from home 20-50 percent of the time. Likewise, Herbert Smith Freehills has announced that employees can work from home up to 40 percent, even when offices are back to some sort of normality. And furthermore, Slater and Gordon have mentioned that home-working will become the norm for the majority of their employees.

What are the biggest changes happening right now?

There are multiple key decisions legal firms have to make: what do we do with our office space? Large, expensive buildings are currently left empty. A tentative return for employees has been delayed.

And how do we empower our people at home? Processes must evolve and adapt. New technology must be introduced and integrated. But ‘how?’ and ‘which technologies?’. 

People are becoming accustomed to the flexibility of agile working practices. Indeed, some leading law firms have already committed to continuing remote working in the future.

In a recent survey with 62 law firms by RSG regarding the impact of coronavirus, a quarter of law firms implied that remote working has resulted in a rise in productivity. Furthermore, nearly 50 percent of law firms expect a long-term change in the way office space used.

Do we need to reconsider our workplace?

The top law firms are renowned for their impressive workspaces. Modern art, coffee bars, gyms, swimming pools. These generous perks support staff who notoriously work grueling hours – in a culture where they were expected to be in the office.

But this lifestyle is no longer an option in the ‘new normal’. We can’t all work in the office. We won’t for some time. And even when we can, many people will choose not to. Which means we are left wondering: what to do with all that space?

No matter what shape our future workforce takes, one thing is certain. People need shared spaces for both collaboration and social interaction.

How will changing work styles affect our people?

Working remotely comes with its own challenges. Lack of social interaction makes your people feel isolated. Video conferencing will never quite be as good as face-to-face meetings. It is harder for trainee lawyers to learn from those more experienced.

But it also comes with opportunity. Flexible working enables your people to enjoy a better work/life balance. With the right technology and process in place, remote working has led to increased productivity. And many leading law firms are carrying out complex legal tasks despite teams working in multiple locations.

The four C’s that define the future of law firms

If we reimagine our workplaces to meet the changing perceptions of our people in the ‘new normal’, what are the key things law firms need to consider? These 4 C’s are crucial concepts to keep in mind:

Contemplation.

Remote working provides peace and quiet to contemplate on your work. Your people have much greater control over their time, which means they can give projects and decisions due consideration.

Concentration.

And this is also true for concentration. Remote working makes for fewer distractions. Your people can feel fully focused and engaged with their work – leading to better results.

Collaboration.

Some roles require effective collaboration. Providing processes, new technology or physical spaces that enable this is vital to business success. Your teams might need to meet to complete the final stages of a deal or file a complex piece of litigation. Your office space could provide the opportunity.

Communication.

And some roles or projects require effective communication. This can be hard to achieve remotely as, despite the benefits, video conferencing technology is not a perfect substitute for face-to-face meetings. 

What role will technology play in the ‘new normal’?

Digital transformation will play a crucial role for both people and productivity across law firms in the ‘new normal’. Processes that were possible in physical workspaces must now be automated. And this is a good thing.

Not only are leading law firms taking these tedious tasks out of the hands of busy employees – freeing them up for more important jobs – they’re reducing the risk of human error. But the question remains, which technology will be right for your firm?

Identify the right technology for your firm by auditing your current capabilities

Before you introduce new technology or processes to your firm, you must first understand what you and your people need. Discover this by assessing and understanding your current capabilities.

Identify where you are strong, where you need to improve, and what your people require. Then use these insights to find the right solutions.

Seek the support of a collaborative people-first partner

Introduce effective digital transformation into your law firm by working with a collaborative partner. 

Ricoh has years of experience in helping law firms analyse, plan and implement new processes and technologies – keeping their people front of mind at all times.

Find out more

If you would like to find out more about how we improve workplaces, using innovative technologies and services that enable people to work harder, please check out this guide.

Also, if you’d like to hear more insight from the world’s largest full-service law firm Eversheds Sutherland. You can watch our webinar on-demand: ‘Why facilities management should be at the forefront of your business continuity strategy’

You’ll also find a whole host of other topics up for discussion, and they are absolutely free for you to enjoy.

Get in touch today and we’ll discuss how we can provide the perfect solution for you.

The post Leading law firms capitalise on the ‘new normal’ for working practice appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.

At first, it seemed like mass remote working might spell doom for in-house Print Rooms, as organisations looked to cut operational costs.

Instead, many in-house Print Rooms have adapted to provide critical services to their business. At a time when many external resources are not currently available.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how Print Rooms have evolved.  What opportunities lie ahead, and three key tips to help you adapt or supply your people’s in-house print requirements.

How have in-house Print Rooms adapted?

There are some fantastic examples from across Europe. In-house Print Rooms have evolved to meet the changing needs of both their people and the wider organisation.

In Germany, a large international bank implemented its hybrid mail solution. Maintaining critical client communications. It enabled their people to create correspondence and manage printing directly through a centralised Print Room.

In UK Retail, the huge requirement for signage and posters to support social distancing guidelines has provided a large source of revenue. 

While in education, much more material is now being printed centrally by schools. Allowing their students to continue their studies from home.

What opportunities lie ahead for in-house Print Rooms?

These examples aren’t just opportunistic fulfilment of a short-term need.

As we move forward into the ‘new normal’, reliability and flexibility of print services will be key to support critical ongoing business processes.

It’s vital that customer communications continue to happen regularly.  In-house Print Rooms can drive your strategy in new ways to build both your business and develop customer loyalty.

And remote working – at least partially – isn’t going anywhere. You must provide your people with the ability to both economically and securely access Print Room services. Therefore, overall print spend is managed centrally.

Click here to watch why In-house Print Rooms are faced with a fantastic opportunity

Three tips for supplying or adapting your own in-house Print Room

If you’re thinking about how to evolve or create your own centralised in-house Print Room. These three keys bit of advice will help:

Learn from your people

One of the very first things you need to do, is investigate. Have your people been impacted by not having access to printers in the office? You may find the easiest solution is to provide a centralised Print Room service

Review mailing or customer communication workflows

Marketing, finance and customer service teams are likely to be among the most affected by the lack of print options. Therefore, see if they’ve been unable to communicate effectively and find out which supplier services have been impacted.

Implement new tools to support your workers

Adding digital tools that allow your people to submit print jobs remotely to your in-house Print Room. Preventing uncontrolled external print buying, reducing overall print costs for your organisation.

What in-house Print Room tools should you use?

The best place to start is by auditing your current Print Room capabilities . Capturing both quantitative and qualitative data from your business and your people.

Organisations could already have existing workflow tools  –  Digital StoreFront or Planet Press – that can be used to help centralised print ordering.

Ricoh’s new TotalFlow Job Ticket can be quickly added to your print workflow solutions. Allowing users to submit print requests from home.

Contact your Ricoh representative to learn more

Ricoh is a people-first provider of in-house Print Room solutions.

Get in touch and we will work alongside you. Identifying and implementing everything your organisation needs to capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead.

To find out more about how what print solution is right for your organisation, click here

The post In-house Print Rooms are faced with a fantastic opportunity – here’s why appeared first on Insights - Empowering Digital Workplaces.