Why technology needs to catch up with the consumer

22.01.2020

An SCC survey revealed that more workers now expect the same kind of technology experience in the workplace as they get in the home, increasing the onus on organisations to digitally transform. A recent survey of 550 individuals within organisations spread across many industries by SCC revealed that the experience people have as consumers and users of technology is having a real impact on their expectations in the workplace. This is something we have suspected to be true for some time, but our report provides firm evidence that it is actually happening. Seven out of ten respondents (69 percent) agreed that technology provided by their organisation for work is outdated compared to technology they use at home; and 78% said that they could work more efficiently if they could use the same technology at work as they use in their personal life. This brings us back to the dilemma – mobility vs security! Staying connected What are consumers of technology at work talking about? Largely, outside of work, social media enables them to freely communicate and share and exchange information with individuals and groups of friends or colleagues, and online apps and services that enable them to organise their lives – to bank, shop, book gym sessions, travel and entertainment tickets, reserve a table or order a home food delivery, even consult a GP – online. Almost certainly, they are also thinking of the freedom they have to move around and stay connected at all times, that modern smartphones and other mobile devices give them. Some may also be thinking about the kind of interaction that they have with voice-activated devices they have in the home. Workers who fall into the classification of Millennials and Generation Z will be the most likely to hold these views – and it’s important to listen as they will be the mainstay of the knowledge economy workforce of the next 20 to 30 years. These generations of digital natives have grown up and acquired spending power over the last decade. At the same time, mobile technology, WiFi and broadband connectivity has advanced at a furious pace. Competition to win their hearts and minds as consumers has been intense – supermarkets, online shops, banks and all kinds of organisations have updated their services and targeted younger consumers via social media apps (WhatsApp, Instagram and others), which these generations use almost constantly to stay in touch with their friends, social groups and what’s happening in the world. Upping the pace Business processes and applications have not kept up with the pace. Most organisations are – understandably – risk averse and have senior staff who are from the Baby Boomer or earlier generations, and consequently don’t see the world in the same way. While the digital transformation movement is starting to change this, for many workers it’s not happening fast enough. They know that, given access to the right tools, apps and services, they could be much more flexible and productive at work. It’s further evidence of the need for organisations to accelerate transformation and to deliver the seamless, instant and intuitive access to apps and services that the new generations of workers – and customers – now expect. At SCC we have over 45 years’ experience in Making IT Work as a business enabler. We have helped numerous organisations similar to yours adapt to the ever changing workplace by designing, implementing and managing innovative technology solutions that address productivity needs and providing the flexibility employees need to work effectively anywhere and at anytime. Our consultative approach helps to identify what your core challenges are and allows us to build workplace solutions that address these needs. Our portfolio of services to support the modern workplace include:

Unified End-point Management
Collaboration and Communication
Application Modernisation
Microsoft Consultancy
Product Provisioning
Service Desk
IT Service Management
End User Support

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