Intelligent CXO Issue 02 | Page 14

TECH TRENDS

How businesses are optimising the everywhere workplace

Employers must prepare for the everywhere workplace to keep businesses running smoothly . Helen Masters , VP of International Sales , Ivanti , explains how companies need to optimise IT to enhance remote working and to satisfy their employees ’ expectations of the technology they use at work .

Remote work used to be an occasional perk provided by a small number of companies . Now , it has become an everyday reality for nearly every organisation globally due to the pandemic . According to Gartner , over 80 % of company leaders worldwide plan to let employees work remotely from now on , at least part of the time . But don ’ t mistake setting users up with a laptop at home as a job well done . Companies must go further .

This pivotal change in working patterns is forcing organisations to look at IT differently . What was workable when most employees were in the office is suboptimal when they are at home . To keep business running smoothly , IT departments must optimise their enterprise IT . They must prepare for the ‘ everywhere workplace ’.
At the centre of the everywhere workplace lies a profound shift in the user experience . Research from the Workforce Institute found that employees are unsatisfied with the technology they use at work .
Employees are used to fast , seamless interfaces from social media networks and other consumer services and are dismayed when enterprise applications fail to keep up . Nearly half ( 48 %) of all employees wish their workplace technology performed more like what they use at home . found that over half ( 58 %) consider an enhanced user experience for remote employees a top priority post-pandemic .
It ’ s a new world . Be brave .
The pandemic also diminished the old perimeter model that defined IT security . In the past , enterprise computing infrastructures were created from the inside out . From now on , they will be designed with both the office and remote locations in mind , with access from users , devices and networks scrutinised .
Many companies adapting to the everywhere workplace will be providing access to applications and data in the cloud for the first time . Even those with prior cloud experience are likely to find themselves migrating more workloads there as they optimise workflows for remote employees .
Companies must optimise IT to cope with this new remote work environment , ensuring that only trusted users , devices and networks can access company data . That means making security ubiquitous , without impacting productivity .
It ’ s essential to implement a Zero Trust framework , which takes a ‘ never trust , always verify ’ approach , to secure remote workers without compromising productivity or user experience .
That ’ s why savvy companies are waking up to the challenge . Ivanti ’ s recent survey of CISOs
Mobile will be at the centre of this optimisation . Smartphones and tablets , which were once
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