What is Enterprise Agility and What Impact Does It Have on Workplace Productivity?

The modern enterprise model is shifting. While big business used to thrive with rigid work models based on core principles and ideas about the market and customers, the modern market demands an adaptable approach.

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It’s sink or swim for many businesses scrambling to adapt to lasting changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. In many ways, power has shifted from the hands of senior management to the talent, and the customer. A failure to adapt to these shifting dynamics can spell disaster for any enterprise, which has led to the emergence of enterprise agility.

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In this guide we’ll address exactly what this term means, and how shifting towards an agile work environment can have a positive impact on workplace productivity. We’ll also explore how tools like an internet monitoring software for business or an employee monitoring solution is tailor-made for today’s increasingly agile working world.

What is Enterprise Agility?

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Let’s start with the basics: what makes an enterprise agile, and why is this a worthwhile goal to pursue.

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The agile enterprise is a business which adapts to the market and evolving customer demands. It doesn’t falter in the face of unexpected change, which makes it far more fluid and responsive than the traditional enterprise.

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There are so many variables in the current world of business, such as the growing need for digital transformation, rising demand for remote and hybrid work models, and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of such adversity and change, for many companies it’s becoming less viable to stick to rigid 9-5 work days, office working, and outdated systems.

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The agile enterprise knows how to navigate such obstacles, and do so in a way which boosts productivity levels and keeps employees, and customers, happy. Since it’s impossible to always bend to consumer demand and employee wishes, there is a balance to be struck.

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The right balance can bring a wealth of benefits, such as the following:

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•  More employee engagement
•  Greater customer satisfaction
•  Operational improvements
•  A better bottom line

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The Importance of Becoming Agile

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The McKinsey and Company report highlights just how much of an impact a shift towards agile methodology can have for the modern enterprise. The report suggests agility can increase operational efficiency by as much as 50% and profitability by up to 30%. Yet, as with anything that promises the world, there’s a catch.

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In order to bring about said improvements, you need to commit to workplace agility holistically and wholeheartedly. A piecemeal approach may get you some results, but it’s unlikely to drastically change your employee engagement or bottom line.

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If you do decide to fall in line with the requirements for the agile enterprise, one of the greatest rewards you could reap is the positive impact it can have on overall productivity levels.

How Agility Breeds Productivity

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While it would be easy to say that becoming agile instantly guarantees higher levels of productivity, it would be naive to make such a claim. Nothing guarantees you results; productivity is a multifaceted phenomena. However, there’s mounting evidence to suggest that becoming more agile is one of the most meaningful productivity levers you can pull in the enterprise.

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When you measure productivity in terms of financial gains, streamlined operations, and speed, then the agile enterprise comes out on top. According to the McKinsey report, agile enterprises tend to notice improvements across these metrics, and many more besides.

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The reason for improvement in all these areas is down to fundamental operational changes that have a knock-on effect on everything from the individual employee’s day-do-day tasks all the way up to the role of senior leadership within the enterprise.

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Yet, there’s no way of telling whether becoming an agile enterprise will have the same results for your business. Unless, of course, you have a means of tracking key metrics enterprise-wide, and can implement the systems successfully.

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To those ends, we’ve compiled a list of tools that can help you reach enterprise agility quickly, and sustainably. Equip your enterprise with these tools, which range from systems to software solutions, and you’ll boost your chances of enjoying a smooth and successful transition.

Tools for the Agile Enterprise

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From user activity monitoring to establishing the right systems, there are two core pillars that can hold up an agile enterprise and ensure its ongoing success.

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Employee tracker software is a great starting point if you want to monitor progress from day one, but you also need to consider your gameplan for transitioning with minimal impact on your current results.

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Software

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User activity monitoring is one of several ways you can measure the success of your transition to an agile work environment, and software can streamline this process. Tools like Insightful enable senior leadership to accurately assess the impact of a more agile work dynamic by understanding work priorities and time spent on projects and tasks. 

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Employee tracker software provides you with the tools and time data to monitor individual performance and ultimately track productivity levels. With it, you can transition your enterprise to a more agile model, while ensuring each cog in the wheel plays its part. After all, you can’t expect to shift the work model without having your workforce onboard and fully committed.

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It’s a mistake to think user activity monitoring is unnecessary, since this implies you’re relying on the word of your employees when it comes to their output. For small businesses, this may be feasible, but for enterprises you need tools in place for accountability. Employee web monitoring software provides accurate time data to influence positive change and build productivity as employers tracking employees can evaluate performance effectively.

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There’s employee monitoring software for Linux, Mac, and Windows OS, so you can find a solution that works for your company.

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Systems

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To become an agile enterprise, it isn’t enough to only implement employee tracker software; this software should provide you with a solid foundation from which you can build your new agile work environment.

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Once you have a way of tracking key metrics pertaining to performance, on an individual and company level, you need to put the right systems into place.

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For the agile enterprise, there are several core ideas you’ll need to factor into your business strategy:

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•  Overall strategy
•  Network for communication
•  Workflows and processes
•  Employee engagement 
•  Technology-driven systems

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If you can incorporate these five elements into your current business model over time, you could reap the rewards down the line. But like a card tower, each element relies on the last to stand up, so that’s what makes a holistic approach to agility so important.

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Final Thoughts

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If you want to build an enterprise that lasts, you need to demonstrate your adaptability in the face of changing situations and evolving demands.

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Develop your agile enterprise from the ground up using the right systems and software, and you’ll set yourself up for long-term success regardless of the obstacles that arise. It won’t be easy, but growth requires discomfort, so this difficulty is a necessary part of enterprise evolution.

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