Digital workplace and hybrid work contexts

Digital workplace and hybrid workplace is the topic of the CERC Dialogue between Ana Tkalac Verčič, University of Zagreb, and Manola Manini and Pietro Marinesi, Unicoop Firenze.

A dual perspective, academic and professional, on a timely topic for internal communications.

The opinion of Ana Tkalac Verčič, Professor of Marketing Communications and Public Relations, University of Zagreb, HR

The Digital Workplace is often described through tools and platforms, but its real impact lies in how it reshapes communication. When people work across dispersed locations, the workplace becomes a digital environment in which meaning is created, shared, and sometimes lost. Hybrid work has expanded technological possibilities, yet it has moved organizational life into channels where clarity, connection, and communication design determine how work functions.

Digital interaction is now effortless, but ease does not guarantee better communication. Employees value flexibility and speed, yet their sense of connection usually rises when communication feels personal, responsive, and grounded in shared context. This tension shows that efficiency cannot replace the relational dimension of work. The challenge is balancing what technology enables with what human interaction still provides.

As work shifts into digital spaces, communication becomes more deliberate and less supported by cues once found in shared offices. Without physical presence, messages travel faster but are interpreted less consistently. Employees experience the Digital Workplace differently depending on role, technological confidence, and access to information. Digital tools can strengthen clarity and cooperation when communication is well managed, but they can also expose inconsistency, overload, and coordination gaps when foundations are weak.

Hybrid work has made communication more uneven and dependent on individual habits. Without shared physical moments, teams drift into fragmented interpretations of priorities and decisions. Informal communication, once essential for balancing misunderstandings and fostering belonging, is reduced or replaced by short, functional exchanges. Over time, this weakens trust and creates distance even among colleagues who collaborate daily. The issue is not technology but the loss of shared meaning.

Internal communication becomes the system that holds dispersed work together. It provides coherence that technology cannot create, helping employees interpret information consistently and stay connected across distance. Digital tools make work faster and more flexible, but they cannot replace the human foundations of clear and meaningful communication. Hybrid work succeeds when technology supports relationships rather than substituting them.

The opinion of Manola Manini, Head of Internal Communication and Human Resources Relations, Unicoop Firenze, and Pietro Marinesi, Internal Communication and Human Resources Relations, Unicoop Firenze

The Digital Workplace can be defined as the integrated set of digital technologies, processes, and tools that enable people to work, collaborate, and communicate effectively, regardless of their physical location.
It is not just an IT platform, but a true digital working environment that includes productivity applications, communication tools, knowledge-sharing systems, virtual collaboration spaces, and organizational models that support flexible work.

The Digital Workplace emerged in the early 2000s with corporate intranets, but it became truly central over the past decade thanks to cloud technologies, real-time collaboration tools, and the rise of remote work. The real turning point came with the 2020 pandemic, which highlighted the need for a stable, integrated, and accessible digital environment to ensure business continuity.

The Digital Workplace is essential because it makes processes more efficient, thus helping to reduce time and costs. It facilitates collaboration even remotely, and allows immediate access to company knowledge: information, guidelines, documents, and best practices become more readily available and accessible to anyone who needs them. It also supports flexible working models and helps make the company more attractive to talent, especially the younger ones.

Despite its advantages, adopting a Digital Workplace also involves some challenges that must be carefully addressed:

• Information overload: multiple tools and channels can create confusion and fragmentation.
• Data security risks: distributed access requires solid and constantly updated protection systems.
• Internal digital divide: not everyone has the same level of digital skills, which can affect operational effectiveness.
• Perception of hyper-connectivity: digital work may create expectations of constant availability, impacting employee well-being.
• Technological dependency: technical issues or system failures can slow down or interrupt critical processes.

Internal communication plays a crucial role in shaping and managing the Digital Workplace. It helps people adopt new tools by guiding them through the cultural change needed to use them effectively. At the same time, it ensures that content, language, and access to information remain clear and consistent, making the Digital Workplace a reliable point of reference. Finally, it enables more direct and personalized communication, boosting people’s engagement and strengthening their sense of connection to the organization.