Making Governance Work in a Digital Workplace

Understand Your Information Ecosystem

Before implementing yet more tools, take a mapping exercise: what tools are people in your business using right now? Where are documents stored; how many versions exist; which communication tools are doing overlapping work? Use surveys, informal interviews, or digital backed usage analytics. It’s often the simplest changes like consolidating overlapping channels or archives can give you more returns than yet another app.

Governance with Empathy

Governance is often seen as policing content, but it works best when it’s guided by empathy and clear expectations. Start by defining roles such as who creates, publishes and deletes content, who reviews design and who manages metadata like tags and taxonomy. Set out what “good enough” looks like instead of aiming for perfection. Give authors straightforward guidelines for storing content, handling versioning, using naming conventions, archiving old material and cleaning up. Pair these rules with support, training and regular feedback to help everyone stay on track.

Use Information Bundling and Digest-Style Communication

Constant pings and fragmented updates kill focus. One remedy: bundle similar updates into digests rather than multiple interruptions. For example, internal news posts can be grouped, multiple quick announcements can go into a weekly summary via Viva News or your intranet homepage. Let users choose what they want to receive (e.g. “only major company news,” “team-level updates,” etc.). This cuts fatigue and helps important items be seen rather than simply drowned out.

Make Search and Discoverability Work Hard for You

No matter how clean a system is, people will forget where they stored something. Strong discoverability is essential. Good taxonomy, consistent metadata, tagging, using SharePoint search properly, and configuring Viva Search or Microsoft 365 search experiences. Think also about “showing” relevant content rather than hiding it: dashboards, favourites, personalized links so that employees don’t need to search every time. Adding features like “recently used,” “suggested documents,” or “people you often collaborate with” helps too.

Rationalise Notifications and Integration Points

Every tool in the stack tends to generate alerts. Slack, Teams, Outlook, task tools, document change alerts  all create cognitive friction. Audit across the tools: what notifications are on, which are essential, which could be delayed or turned off. Sometimes less is more. Also, reduce duplication: if content appears in Teams and email and a SharePoint alert, consider whether duplication is necessary. Using platforms like Power Automate to aggregate or filter certain notifications can help. For more insights on digital workplace strategy and managing information effectively, check out Silicon Reef.

Clean Up Legacy Content and Regular Archival Processes

Old files, redundant documents, versions that haven’t been touched in years, they accumulate and degrade clarity. Set up a scheduled archival process: after a certain period of inactivity, content gets flagged, reviewed, archived or deleted. Make sure that users are part of this process (they may need to rescue something before deletion). This keeps storage manageable, search faster, and reduces “where is that thing I wrote three years ago?” wagons.

Culture, Not Just Tools

Ultimately, tools are only helpful insofar as people use them well. Leadership needs to set norms: encouraged “focus hours” with fewer interruptions, recognising good information hygiene, rewarding people who simplify rather than complicate. Encourage visible examples: someone doing a tidy document structure, someone creating a helpful dashboard. Make “information hygiene” part of onboarding. Also, encourage feedback like what's causing friction in information flow? What tools annoy people more than help them? Listening can guide better refinements.

FAQs for Making Governance Work in a Digital Workplace

What causes information overload in a digital workplace?

Information overload typically stems from a high volume of messages, endless email chains, a multitude of applications, various document versions, and a constant stream of alerts. This digital 'noise' can decrease productivity and employee wellbeing.

How can I start improving information governance?

A great first step is to map your current information ecosystem. Identify the tools your team uses, where documents are kept, and which communication channels have overlapping functions. Simple actions, like consolidating these channels, can have a significant impact.

Why is empathy important in digital governance?

Governance is most effective when it is guided by empathy rather than strict rules. By defining clear roles, setting achievable expectations, and offering support and training, you can encourage everyone to adopt the guidelines more willingly.

What is 'information bundling'?

Information bundling is the practice of grouping similar updates into a single digest, like a weekly summary, instead of sending out numerous individual notifications. This helps reduce interruptions and allows employees to choose the updates they want to see.

How can I make content easier to find?

You can improve content discoverability by establishing a good taxonomy, using consistent metadata, and properly configuring your search tools. Features like dashboards, favourites, and personalised links also help by surfacing relevant content proactively.

How can Storific help with digital workplace governance?

Storific offers valuable resources and insights to help organisations develop and implement effective digital workplace strategies. This includes guidance on managing information, improving governance, and creating a more productive environment.