Polaris: Digital Workplaces with Ed Rogers from Akumina and Michelle Caldwell

PolarisEmployee experience
Written By Chris McNulty

Is your digital workplace stuck in the past, little used, and disconnected from AI innovation? Then you’ve found the right episode of Polaris.

We dive into the future of digital workplaces with our guests, Ed Rogers, CEO of Akumina, and Michelle Caldwell, CEO of Synozur. Our discussion focuses on the key trends and strategies shaping the digital workplace landscape in 2025.

Digital workplaces are virtual work environments that integrate technology, people, and business processes to facilitate communication, collaboration, and productivity. allowing staff  to complete tasks, communicate, and collaborate from anywhere. Intranets, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace are all part of these experiences.

Akumina is a pioneer in delivering digital employee hubs that deliver:

  • Effortless communication with unified solutions for news and information

  • Tools to integrate apps and features that boost productivity

  • Streamlined processes that boost operational efficiency

Our Speakers:

Ed Rogers - CEO and co-founder of Akumina: Ed has a rich history of helping business leaders change the way they do business. Before Akumina, he was the COO of Ektron, a leader in the web content management space. Ed is a member of the New Hampshire CEO consortium and is passionate about hockey and spending time with his four children.

Michelle Caldwell – CEO and co-founder of Synozur: With over 25 years of experience, Michelle excels in spearheading business transformations. Her strategic guidance and impactful advice have been instrumental in shaping executive steering committees, refining annual strategies, and enhancing operational frameworks. An esteemed global speaker on operational design and employee engagement, Michelle is based in the Pacific Northwest.

I had a great discussion with Michelle and Ed about how they're responding to customer needs with a focus on employee engagement, two-way conversation, and high-quality content.

Key Points:

  • Transforming Internal Communications: Ed and Michelle discussed the pivotal role of news and internal communications in creating an engaging digital workplace.

  • Driving Employee Engagement: Michelle and Ed also connected employee engagement to employee effectiveness and organizational success.

We also had a great conversation about artificial intelligence and its interplay with the digital workplace. In fact, we had so much material we're going to deliver our discussion about AI as a special episode of Polaris in another week or two.

And if you need more information, or if you have questions, no problem. Join us live on March 11 for our next webinar, “Transforming the Digital Workplace” with Michelle and Ed.

Transforming the Digital Workplace: Insights and Strategies | Tuesday, March 11, 2025 8:00AM PST (Online)

Polaris is available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks.

Show Notes

In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty is joined by Ed Rogers of Akumina and Michelle Caldwell to explore the evolving landscape of digital workplaces. They discuss the importance of employee engagement, the role of marketing in shaping digital environments, and the impact of AI on workplace communication. The conversation delves into strategies for effective content management, the concept of omni-work, and best practices for implementing successful digital workplace initiatives. The episode concludes with insights on the future of digital workplaces and the importance of listening to employees.

Takeaways

  • Digital workplaces are strategies, not just products.

  • Effective communication strategies enhance employee engagement.

  • Marketing teams are increasingly controlling intranet content.

  • Two-way conversations are crucial for modern workplaces.

  • Omni-work allows employees to work from anywhere, anytime.

  • Listening to employees helps shape effective strategies.

  • Content should be targeted and relevant to employees.

Sound Bites

  • "Marketing is taking control of intranets."

  • "Content is king in the digital workplace."

  • "Listening to employees is key to success."

References

  • Remote Work Trends: "A study by McKinsey found that 58% of employees now have the option to work remotely at least part-time, highlighting the shift towards flexible work environments." McKinsey Study

  • A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking’s landmark work on cosmology, time, black holes, quarks, antimatter and physics , written for everyone.

  • Only Murders in the Building Season 4 – Yes, there were a lot of cameos in SNL50 but here’s a list of some of the guests (John McEnroe, Melissa McCarthy and more) joining Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.

Events

  • Association for Intelligent information Management, AIIM, will host their annual conference the AI+IM Summit in Atlanta, Georgia March 31 -April 2.

  • TechCon 365 Seattle - June 23-27, 2025  Synozur will be sponsoring and speaking as TC365 returns to the Seattle Convention Center. 

Production

Polaris is produced with the help of our friends at Riverside.fm. Our theme song, “Alternative Dream” is provided courtesy of Adobe. Additional music and sound provided by IndieGuy Records. Graphic design by Josh Brantley.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Digital Workplaces

02:43 Trends and News

03:49 Introducing Ed Rogers and Michelle Caldwell

04:54 The Digital Workplace in 2025

08:10 Understanding the Digital Workplace Strategy

12:23 The Role of Communication in Digital Workplaces

17:02 Omni-Work: The Future of Work

21:24 Content Strategy and Engagement

26:12 Defining Success: What Good Looks Like

30:06 Building a Journey for Customer Engagement

35:14 Upcoming Events

37:08 Conclusion

Chris McNulty
Next

Digital Workplace Webinar on March 11 with Akumina