Enterprise Work Management (EWM) is a set of collaborative work management tools and processes that an organization uses to more effectively manage work across the entire organization. Think of it as a project management command center for everything— projects, tasks, resources, and people — ensuring that every effort aligns with your company’s big-picture goals.
The world has seen a rapid rise in project management tools driven by trends in remote and hybrid working. While these tools have quickly gained a foothold in enterprises due to their ease of use and quick adoption, they often fall short in meeting the comprehensive needs of larger organizations. Enterprise Work Management (EWM) goes beyond basic collaboration; it must also provide context and control to truly support business objectives.
What is Enterprise Work Management?
Enterprise work management refers to the practice of effectively planning, organizing, executing, and monitoring all work and work processes within an organization at a large scale. It involves the strategic coordination of resources, tasks, and processes to achieve business objectives and optimize productivity. Enterprise work management encompasses various aspects, including project management, task assignment, workflow automation, collaboration, resource allocation, and performance tracking.
Benefits of Enterprise Work Management
Enterprise Work Management offers numerous benefits, including streamlining work processes, enhancing communication and collaboration, and improving visibility into project status. It drives efficiency and productivity across the organization by optimizing resource utilization and supporting better decision-making. With EWM, companies achieve better resource allocation, improved project management, and reduced costs, ultimately boosting customer satisfaction and competitiveness in the market.
- Improved Project Management
Enterprise work management tools offer powerful features that enhance project management, making it easier to plan, schedule, and execute projects. These tools support project planning, task assignment, and resource allocation, allowing managers to track performance and make data-driven decisions. With clear insights into project progress and the ability to adjust resources as needed, these tools ensure that projects stay on track and deliver results efficiently. - Enhanced Task Management
Enterprise work management tools streamline task management by assigning tasks, tracking progress, and managing workflows. Teams can set deadlines, receive reminders, and collaborate easily with stakeholders, keeping everyone aligned. With integrated document sharing and version control, these tools ensure that all team members have the information they need at their fingertips, enhancing productivity and accountability. - Collaborative Work Management
Collaboration is at the heart of enterprise work management, empowering teams to work seamlessly together on projects and tasks. These tools provide real-time communication, shared workspaces, and document-sharing features that keep everyone connected. Workflow automation and task assignment features further simplify processes, enabling teams to focus on their work rather than administrative tasks, ultimately driving better outcomes and more cohesive teamwork.
Importance of Enterprise Work Management in Today’s Complex Business Environment
EWM is not just about collaborative work management, it’s about connecting work to strategic goals and providing the guardrails needed to steer work towards measurable outcomes. It integrates various tools, ensures visibility, enhances collaboration, and optimizes efficiency across departments, all while aligning work with broader enterprise objectives.
While many project management tools are great for collaboration, they often lack this deeper level of guidance and oversight. The problem gets worse when companies use too many disconnected tools, leading to scattered information and inconsistent decision-making. EWM addresses these challenges by bringing everything together, keeping work on track, and aligning it with what matters most to the business.
Integration Across Departments
Many modern work management tools address collaboration but lack the robust functionality to integrate fully with enterprise needs. EWM addresses this by connecting project management, resource management, and collaboration platforms, ensuring that all tools work together seamlessly to assign tasks and support strategic goals.
Real-Time Visibility
Enterprises need visibility not just into project progress but also into how work aligns with overall business strategy. EWM provides real-time insights across the organization, allowing decision-makers to track progress, assess resource allocation, and make informed adjustments. This continuous monitoring helps prioritize investments based on current resources and financial realities.
Enhanced Collaboration
While many work management apps excel at facilitating teamwork, they often lack the enterprise-level context required for strategic alignment. EWM fosters better communication and collaboration across departments while also providing the necessary control to ensure that all work contributes to the organization’s goals. OnePlan’s suite of work management tools, including Kanban, Agile, and Waterfall, meets the needs of any work style, providing a versatile platform for all types of teams.
Efficiency in Workflow Management
Efficiency in EWM is about more than streamlining tasks; it’s about eliminating redundancy and optimizing productivity across the organization. Automated processes and clear visibility into workflows ensure that resources are used effectively. As one customer noted, a work management tool should be as intuitive as a banking app but designed for complex, shared use—like managing hundreds of people sharing a single account.
Strategic Alignment
Context and control are critical for maintaining alignment between work and strategy. EWM provides the guardrails that connect every project and task to the organization’s strategic objectives, ensuring that efforts are not just busy work but are driving the company forward. This includes setting priorities, aligning resources, and adjusting plans as enterprise needs evolve.
Key Features of Enterprise Work Management Tools
Enterprise Work Management software offers a range of features designed to help organizations manage their work more effectively from a centralized platform. From robust project and portfolio management to streamlined workflows and enhanced collaboration, these tools empower teams to stay productive and aligned with their goals. Below, we highlight the key features that make Enterprise Work Management an essential solution for modern businesses:
- Project and Portfolio Management enables teams to oversee multiple projects while optimizing resource allocation to meet strategic goals.
- Capacity Planning and Workflow Automation streamlines processes to maintain balanced and efficient workflows across the organization.
- Support for Multiple Work Methodologies allows teams to adapt to various work styles and frameworks, such as Agile, Kanban, and Waterfall.
- Request Management and Approval Processes ensures smooth work transitions with clear approvals and streamlined handling of all requests.
- Collaboration and Communication Tools foster teamwork through integrated communication channels and shared digital workspaces.
- Document Management and Sharing keeps everyone up to date by providing easy access to the latest information and versions of documents.
- Mobile Access allows teams to stay connected and productive regardless of location, supporting flexible and remote work arrangements.
- Social Recognition Features boost motivation and engagement by celebrating team achievements and fostering a positive work environment.
Business Case for Implementing Enterprise Work Management
A strong business case for implementing Enterprise Work Management should clearly outline the expected ROI and how it will be achieved. Efficiency benefits, such as time savings and streamlined project management processes, are often easier to quantify, while effectiveness benefits, like improved decision-making and enhanced collaboration, are equally important despite being less tangible. Business leaders should focus on the key advantages of Enterprise Work Management, including improved project management, more effective task management, and enhanced collaboration, all of which contribute to a more productive and aligned organization.
Implementation and Future of Enterprise Work Management
Implementing Enterprise Work Management software requires a holistic approach that integrates strategy, people, and processes. Organizations need to prioritize change management and seek expert services to ensure a smooth implementation that supports their goals. The future of Enterprise Work Management will be shaped by trends like collaborative work management technologies, flexible work policies, and the growing focus on work-life balance, making it essential for companies to adapt and evolve their work management strategies accordingly.
Finding The Right EWM Solution
Enterprise Work Management (EWM) is essential for organizations looking to streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and align work with strategic goals. By integrating the right tools, project leaders can gain greater visibility across all projects, more effectively optimize and manage workflows, and leverage data driven decision making, so their project teams can work more efficiently and effectively. As work environments continue to evolve, adopting a comprehensive EWM solution like OnePlan’s enterprise software can provide the structure, flexibility, and control needed to support team collaboration, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Comprehensive solutions should also include resource and cost management, ensuring that every aspect of work is aligned with strategic goals. One that offers and supports a range of built-in work and project management tools, such as Kanban, Agile, and Waterfall, ensures that the solution will cater to any work-style right out of the box. It’s also critical that any solution seamlessly connects to all of your preferred work tools to create a unified and flexible work environment that adapts to your organization’s specific needs.
Embracing one centralized EWS platform can help organizations transform how they manage work, ensuring they stay competitive and drive the meaningful outcomes needed to achieve success in today’s complex business landscape.
