Why Digital Well-being Is Crucial for Today’s Diverse Workforce By The HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com
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hen the workforce grows more diverse and multinational, a need for greater digital wellness in the workplace grows along with it. It’s important to understand why these two workplace trends progress together and how organizations can enhance the well-being of an increasingly diverse and inclusive workforce.
Computers, phones, and the internet are driving work today and are bridging the proximity gap to a great extent. But with digital interventions, safety, and security concerns also appear. Data theft through public Wi-Fi hotspots, third-party websites storing personal information, and malware are just to name a few.
Remote Work Is Here to Stay
When the remote work culture exploded, an exceptionally pressing need for online and digital safety became crucial. When you have employees from different regions on your payroll, you are bound to face different arrays of digital threats. The kind of gadgets they use for work (PCs, Macs, desktops, phones, and tablets) face particularly unique threats as well. Certain geographical locations might be more prone to specific cyberattacks or scams than others. Different regions around the globe have different laws and regulations related to data protection, privacy, and digital rights. And, we cannot overlook the fact that user behaviors and attitudes toward cybersecurity may vary by culture. All these factors have a major impact on your organization.
One of the main reasons for the increase in workforce diversity is remote work. It was not just a pandemicfounded concept, but COVID-19 happened to catapult it as a phenomenon. Businesses located in the Americas now have employees working from all over the world. Today, there are some virtually boundaryless organizations made up of employees with various backgrounds in terms of cultures, languages, and nationalities. Some employees don’t even have fixed locations. So-called digital nomads can work, for example, from cafés or campsites. This means that the workforce is becoming more diverse not just in terms of ethnicity, gender, or locality but also backgrounds, lifestyles, and orientations. Organizations in the U.S. are increasingly likely to have international employees, a trend that is especially growing among small and mid-sized organizations (SMBs). A recent report states that 75% of SMBs say they plan to increase their international employee headcount over the next one to three years.
How it impacts your organization
What digital wellness solutions can do A comprehensive digital wellness program can potentially address region-specific and device-specific threats. A diverse workforce, especially one that operates globally, needs to be aware of and compliant with region-specific regulations. Digital wellness programs can help educate and ensure compliance across the company for all employees.
What makes this expansion of boundaries possible? Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence presented by HR.com
OCTOBER 2023
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