The tech evolution over the past decade

The world is a very different place today than it was 10 years ago, and changes in technology have had a big impact on all facets of our lives. The 2010s have seen the rise of everyday technology. It has been a decade of remarkable products and innovations. Many of these have changed how we live, work, and entertain ourselves, while some more recent innovations promise to impact our future.

One of the major advantages of these innovations is the reach of connectivity to mobile devices. You are no longer tied to a desk and can keep in touch with the world seamlessly through smart phones and tablets. A GetApp report released Jan 2020 identified the pre COVID workforce trends that dominated the past decade; software-as-a-service (SaaS), data security, and artificial intelligence (AI). One of the most defining tech trends of the past decade involved remote work habits, which expanded by almost 400%, the report found.

The rise of cloud-based SaaS software has been instrumental to the growth of remote work. Employees can now instantly connect and collaborate with colleagues around the world at any time.

The future of work – the employer perspective

A new survey of Australian business leaders by Gartner has found that 82% plan to allow remote work — at least some of the time — as normal business operations recommence following COVID-19 lockdown. Nearly half (47%) of the 127 respondents said they’d be happy to permit full-time remote work, with 43% preferring a ‘flex time’ model.

Some of the big multi nationals that have made the switch to remote work include:

• Adobe
• Microsoft
• Gartner
• Facebook
• Amazon
• Google

This is the first time we’ve seen large organisations adopting remote work policies at scale. For companies already integrating some remote work before the pandemic hit, the move toward a fully remote workforce was a natural one. For others, it took the world’s largest work-from-home experiment to show that remote work is productive, successful, collaborative and allows for a better work-life balance.

Remote work is here to stay

The benefits of remote work are only going to increase. A GitLab1 survey found that eighty-two percent employees believe remote work is the future, but it’s also the present, as evidenced by 83% who say they are already able to accomplish all of their tasks remotely. As technology continues to improve how we communicate and how businesses operate across the globe, the need for brick-and-mortar offices and consistent, on-site attendance will continue to decrease. Remote work is here to stay and use cases for it will only multiply.

Remote work presents a bevy of benefits for both individuals and companies. Fewer people in the office means lower real estate costs for businesses.

This work style also attracts talent and boosts employee satisfaction, the report found. A recent Gallup study revealed that 37% of employees would change jobs for one that allows for remote work at least part of the time.

Digital Transformation

As business leaders try to make sense of what’s in front of them – while mapping out a plan for the short-, mid-, and long-term for their organisations – one of the critical things to consider is the potential for digital transformation. While some businesses have already pivoted their organisations, the question is whether they are genuinely investing in the technologies they need for the future. They also need to be thinking about where the risks are in their business, particularly with regard to legacy infrastructure and technologies, as well as threats to cybersecurity.

Digital transformation within businesses across Australia has accelerated since the outbreak of COVID-19. We’ve all known what remote work looks like … it’s just that we need to ramp up how technology mediates that much more productively and effectively, and how to help people be successful.

The last couple of months of home-based working has also shed light on what digital and virtual meeting tools are needed to increase productivity. Most organisations believe that working from home will not result in a fall in productivity, if they have the right digital tools. In fact, some organisations believe that with the right technology, their company would actually increase its productivity.

The digital capabilities that can help maximise at-home productivity include:

When’s the right time to start your digital transformation journey?

The right time is now! In fact, the end of the year is a good time to begin the implementation of the long-term unified communications solution that will take your business into the future. This is primarily because:

• It’s when work slows down and staff are more open to embracing a new solution.
• It means staff will be able to work remotely in the new year if companies want to permanently enable that option so they can ramp up and be ready for peak times.
• It’s a good way to enhance company culture after such an isolating year.
• It will help your business offer more value to employees and candidates.
• Having less staff around makes it easier to implement and test new technology with a smaller group.

Talk to the UCaaS experts today. We’re ready to help you on your digital transformation journey.

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