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AI-driven innovation is totally changing the digital workplace. Tools such as large language models, no-code platforms, and customizable AI agents are reshaping productivity by streamlining tasks and enhancing efficiency. However, these advancements come with risks, including data privacy concerns, misinformation, and security vulnerabilities.

According to Gartner®, "most digital workplace teams are in reactive mode. On the one hand, they’re adjusting to vendors turning on LLMs, no-code development and AI agents without prior approval. On the other hand, they’re grappling with persistent business demand for AI to turbocharge productivity."

So how do you determine where to invest your IT budget? Are you being pressed to consolidate tools and budgets? Should you consolidate tools in order to build a tech stack that truly works?

Enter the Gartner® Hype Cycle™ for Digital Workplace Applications, 2025™ - a report that includes a thorough assessment of the tools you should prioritize to build a successful digital workplace.

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Insight #1: Cognitive offloading enables deeper, more strategic work.

Cognitive offloading is the practice of using external tools, technologies, or processes — now often powered by AI — to shift mental tasks away from the human brain.

Cognitive offloading is not new; people have long relied on tools to shift mental tasks (using paper and pencil to perform long division is cognitive offloading; so is using a calculator).

Potential business impacts:

• Frees office workers from rote tasks, enabling deeper, more strategic work.
• Accelerates the flow from intent to outcome and fuels innovation by allowing AI to handle multi-step processes.
• Curbs costs and fosters competitive advantages while safeguarding human skills and creativity — if done responsibly.

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How LumApps approaches it:

We set out to build an employee hub that helps streamline the set of available tools.

According to Harvard Business Review, context switching — toggling between apps and websites — has a profound impact on productivity. On average, each switch takes just over two seconds, but with users toggling nearly 1,200 times per day, it quickly adds up. Over a week, workers lose nearly four hours simply reorienting after each switch.

At LumApps, we set out to do our part in addressing unnecessary context switching between apps. By including more helpful AI tools within the intranet, not only does it increase intranet adoption, but employees can spend less time switching between apps, when everything they need is linked in one place. We call it the employee hub.

LumApps leverages conversational AI and micro-apps to streamline task management, empowering employees to focus on high-value work. By integrating these tools into its platform, LumApps enables teams to address IT and HR requests effortlessly through intuitive, conversational interfaces.

This approach reduces the workload on your IT and HR employees, and allows the requesting employee to self-serve simple tasks with reduced wait time. In short, it improves user experiences while maintaining operational efficiency. Additionally, micro-apps simplify repetitive processes by automating routine tasks, ensuring that users can complete workflows seamlessly without shifting between multiple tools.

Together, these innovations highlight LumApps’ commitment to optimizing productivity and enhancing workplace satisfaction.

Plus, we feel it aligns with the Gartner® recommendation to "combine human critical thinking with AI automation for routine processes, freeing knowledge workers to pursue strategic, high-value endeavors."

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Insight #2: Frontline superapps address concerns over attrition, retention, operational productivity, and alignment.

"Globally, Gartner® estimates there are 2.7 billion frontline workers, more than twice the number of desk-based workers. In sectors such as retail, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and transportation and logistics, frontline staff can make up the majority of the workforce. Frontline superapps are a modern technology platform to improve frontline employee experience and, in turn, address key priorities such as retention, time to competency, operational efficiency and customer experience."

Frontline superapps are positioned at the top of this hype cycle, showing high interest and demand across the market. According to Gartner®, frontline superapps have a high benefit rating, with 20-50% market penetration, and expect 2-5 years before reaching the slope of productivity. 

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How LumApps approaches it:

For several years, LumApps has offered a mobile app with push notifications for employees. But, in our opinion, it's no longer good enough to be just acceptable; all employees deserve a best-in-class intranet experience. That's what we teamed up with Beekeeper, mentioned as a frontline superapp Sample Vendor in the Gartner® Hype Cycle Hype Cycle for Digital Workplace Applications, 2025, to provide a truly exceptional mobile experience for all employees.

By partnering with Beekeeper, a leader in frontline workforce solutions, LumApps is bridging the gap between deskless employees and the digital workplace. This collaboration reflects LumApps' dedication to providing seamless, innovative mobile experiences that prioritize inclusivity and connectivity.

By integrating features tailored to frontline needs, such as real-time updates, task management, and chat, LumApps is shaping the future of work to ensure every employee feels supported, engaged, and valued within their organization.

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Insight #3: The modern intranet is a vital component of a company’s digital employee experience, offering a range of technical and social capabilities that foster a connected workplace.

"An intranet packaged solution aims to provide consistent digital experiences that help employees perform their best work, connect to the organization’s culture, align with the organization’s strategy, and advance their skills and expertise. It facilitates the creation, deployment, management and evolution of multichannel communications, serving as a common engagement hub for information, community building and knowledge sharing. Business impact is often broad across many departments and the workforce at-large, such as:

• Improving employee engagement and corporate communications
• Providing unified access to employee and workplace services
• Delivering a common resource portal
• Enabling knowledge services for business areas
• Enabling better personal and team work management"

Intranet packaged solutions are positioned above the trough of disillusionment in the Hype Cycle, nearing the slope of productivity in 2-5 years. According to the Gartner® Hype Cycle, intranet packaged solutions have a high benefit rating, with only a 5-20% market penetration rate.”

Intranet Packaged Solution (IPS) platforms are evolving from niche to mainstream, supporting dynamic digital workspaces that unify communication, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across multiple channels. 

Capabilities: 

• Comprehensive digital experiences, including internal communications, self-service portals, knowledge management, and training access. 
• Use of AI-driven insights to personalize employee experiences and optimize workflows. 
• Integration with HR systems for deeper insights into employee profiles, skills, and preferences. 
• Frontline support via mobile-first features like task orchestration and specialized “miniapps.” 

Market trends:

IPS adoption is accelerating among larger enterprises, having proven successful within small to mid-sized organizations. 

• Timeframe for mainstream adoption: 2-5 years. 

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How LumApps approaches it:

LumApps takes a dynamic approach to transforming internal communications by moving beyond traditional top-down methods. The platform fosters two-way engagement, empowering employees to share knowledge, collaborate effortlessly, and feel connected to the company’s mission.

By creating a centralized and user-friendly employee hub, LumApps ensures that everyone has access to the tools, resources, and information they need to succeed — driving innovation, productivity, and a stronger sense of community throughout the organization.

LumApps takes innovation a step further by integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities into its platform, enabling employees to work smarter and more efficiently. With features like AI-powered assistants, LumApps streamlines tasks such as document searches, knowledge retrieval, and personalized content delivery.

These intelligent tools adapt to each user's unique needs, serving relevant resources and insights exactly when they're needed. By reducing time spent on repetitive tasks, employees can focus on strategic, high-impact work, unlocking their full potential. LumApps also leverages AI to analyze engagement and trends within the organization, providing leaders with actionable insights to continuously improve the employee experience.

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Our Recommendations 

1. Define clear objectives for your intranet or frontline workforce strategy—determine whether improved engagement, operational efficiency, or knowledge management is the priority. 
2. Explore vendors like LumApps and Beekeeper for robust solutions that support modern workplace demands. 
3. Leverage AI capabilities to enable personalization, predict employee needs, and refine workflows. 
4. Consider adopting mobile-first solutions—essential for deskless employees who require streamlined, accessible tools. 
5. Use frameworks like the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ to assess IPS providers and tailor solutions that align with your organization's roadmap. 

By adopting these innovative solutions, organizations will not only enhance employee satisfaction but also pave the way for a more agile, connected, and future-ready workforce.

Download your copy now. 

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GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Magic Quadrant and Hype Cycle are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. 

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

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