Making the new modern workplace secure and truly productive

New technology does not automatically increase your employees’ productivity. Technology is a means, not an end. By focusing on work processes and daily practices, technology truly starts to work for your employees. This is the essence of DIGITAL365

The Microsoft modern workplace

In today’s Microsoft modern workplace, major developments converge: cloud, data analytics, and AI. Responding to these developments in a timely manner is crucial for organizations to remain relevant, but rushing can also bring risks, especially in terms of cybersecurity. This article explores what the modern workplace in the cloud looks like and how DIGITAL365 contributes to real productivity gains for your employees.

From on-premise to cloud native

Cloud is hot. The shift from local servers to online servers is a lasting IT trend: cloud adoption among Dutch enterprises increased from 48% in 2018 to 61% in 2023. With the cloud, organizations become less dependent on their own hardware and IT services because every aspect can be outsourced — from infrastructure and backups to security, software, support, and access management. Large investments in hardware give way to predictable, monthly costs.

However, working in the cloud also brings new challenges, particularly cybercrime and increasing complexity. For instance, granting too many permissions — still a common practice — more often leads to security incidents in the cloud. Additionally, managing various web applications and cloud services can quickly become complex, which is especially challenging for enterprises. These challenges do not make the transition to the cloud impossible but do require extra attention to fully reap its benefits.

Working and collaborating anywhere

The way we work has transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic according to TNO research, the number of hours worked from home per week increased from an average of 2.6 hours in 2019 to nearly 7 hours in 2023. One in three employees can regularly decide where or when to work. Working from home has become the new norm in the Netherlands. However, it is more than just working from home: the ability to collaborate remotely is just as crucial. This includes collaboration with colleagues and external partners, working in the same documents, communication via chat and video, using different devices and public Wi-Fi networks. Add to this the dynamics of temporary workers, freelancers, and the necessity of adequate access management and efficient setup becomes a complex challenge. Security remains the primary concern for most organizations.

Security requires convenience

According to Microsoft’s Digital Defence Report, the biggest security risk in the entire IT organization remains the user — the one who accidentally clicks on the wrong link, downloads the wrong file, or ignores updates. Employees are also not IT specialists; the solution lies in setting up IT so that users can work and collaborate in an intuitive and secure manner. This principle is often missing in legacy systems and outdated workplace solutions like Citrix.

From Citrix to 365

Citrix introduced the first form of the online workplace in 2005, Presentation Server, which allowed employees to access the local server via the internet. Organizations still using Citrix today often experience high costs due to scarce hardware, a lack of flexibility, and performance issues. Migration to a Modern Workplace is therefore on the agenda for many organizations. In practice, there are two options to consider. Google Workspace offers an interesting alternative, especially for smaller organizations, but compared to Microsoft Office 365, it has fewer advanced options in terms of security and compliance. Office 365 offers:

• Zero trust: Without identity verification, a user does not get access to files or software.
• Single sign-on: With a single login, the user is logged into all software.
• Role-based access: Access to files and software can be set based on a specific role, such as account manager or payroll administrator.
• SharePoint as a base: Microsoft has been facilitating online collaboration with SharePoint since 2001.
• Integrated with teams: Well-known applications Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint are fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft’s platform for collaboration and communication.
• Copilot: As a major investor in OpenAI, Microsoft is keen to integrate AI into all products — the arrival of Copilot will help many organizations improve work processes with AI.
• Security by design: Microsoft views IT security as an essential condition for the modern workplace.

For larger organizations, Office 365 is the logical choice. As a solution, it combines security with advanced productivity tools, and users are generally already familiar with Microsoft products.

DIGITAL365 for custom solutions in practice

DIGITAL365 is a comprehensive workplace solution for organizations with at least 150 users, making working and collaborating in the cloud even safer and more productive. The essence of DIGITAL365 lies in translating all Microsoft tools and possibilities into the daily reality of users. This process begins with an in-depth analysis of how employees perform their tasks: from emailing and collaborating on documents to working in various applications and using devices. We conduct this evaluation in the form of workshops with key users from each department and the IT department to map out any friction points and obstacles.

For end-users, issues like unnecessary emails, delays in collaboration, or frequent logins can be frustrating. For IT administrators, topics such as shadow IT, device management, access management, and onboarding new employees often play a role. Organizations may also have specific guidelines, such as cybersecurity for Stichting BKR, which registers loans and credit.

With all these insights, we create a custom solution to efficiently and securely address all attention points and thus achieve an efficient and secure modern workplace.

Key components of DIGITAL365

As a custom solution, DIGITAL365 varies per organization, but certain components always return to address common concerns:

• License and subscription procurement: As a proud Cloud Service Provider (CSP) Tier 1, we can purchase directly from Microsoft at a better price.
• Quick onboarding of new employees: As soon as a new user logs into their laptop or device, Autopilot configures everything based on their role and access rights.
• Backups outside of Microsoft: True security requires regular backups on one or more servers outside of Microsoft, which we achieve with our partner Veeam Software.
• Ransomware protection: Our immutable storage prevents data deletion or modification. This is essential for protection against ransomware.
• Single sign-on vverywhere: Depending on the role, we determine the required access and ensure that all relevant software is available with one login.

Copilot is coming

A significant development in the Microsoft modern workplace is the arrival of AI. To keep customers informed of new developments like Microsoft Copilot, we regularly hold innovation sessions. Copilot is an AI-driven assistant that provides intelligent support within Office 365, from automating emails to creating PowerPoint presentations and visualizing Excel data. Our experiences with Copilot are promising: we see Copilot as a true game-changer for employee productivity.