What’s Driving the Digital Workplace?

01 January 2020

The world has changed dramatically over the last decade. The manners in which we live, eat, socialise and work have changed forever. New terminology has emerged around digitisation – the digital age, the digital economy, digital transformation and the digital workplace for example, but what drives these new buzz terms and trends? At The Instillery, we’ve put our heads together and evaluated three of the key pillars we believe are driving the digital workplace, and how New Zealand organisations can best adapt to, and embrace them.

  1. The Cloud
    At first it was simply about moving some workloads to the cloud. Then it became about protecting those workloads in a private cloud, before finally arriving at the hybrid cloud conversation – incorporating the best of both public and private to suit your unique requirements. One of the biggest impacts from a cloud perspective has been the explosion of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, from CRM and ERP, to Email and more bespoke requirements. The beauty of these applications is the accessibility they provide organisations, and the flexibility it delivers employees. Courtesy of the cloud, the workplace no longer has to be a physical space, it’s become more of an activity, something that can be done from anywhere, at anytime and on any device – a truly digital workplace.
  2. Shifting Demographics
    In 2018, Millennials (born between 1982 and 2004) accounted for approximately 34 percent of the New Zealand workforce, and that number is predicted to go beyond 50 in 2020.[1] They’re numbers that are being reflected across the world as Millennials also account for the largest percentage of the American workforce, and that number is projected to reach 75 percent by 2025.[2] Millennials are the first generation to grow up with technology and a digital world being the norm. As tech-savvy, independent thinkers, Millennials desire the same things from their professional lives that they enjoy in their personal. Highlighted in a recent study by our trusted partner HP – 45 percent of Millennials would choose workplace flexibility over pay, 45 percent use a personal smartphone for work purposes, and 34 percent would prefer to communicate online as opposed to face to face.[3] With flexibility a priority, the cloud is helping facilitate a change to the traditional workstyles. Millennials desire endpoint devices that can leverage such technologies for streamlined online collaboration, from anywhere and at any time. Organisations need to be aware of this and provide the right technology to attract the right talent for the digital workplace.
  3. Cyber Security
    Security is an underlying attitude that should underpin every level of business activity in the digital workplace. As cloud technologies and shifting demographics transform the workplace, they present new and complex challenges from a cyber security stance and as a result, organisations are required to think differently about how both their users and applications are secured. Although it doesn’t stop there, security in the digital workplace definitely begins at the endpoint. As our trusted partner HP advises, “Every PC decision is a security decision”[4]. And it’s true, every endpoint is a potential entry point for an attacker looking to capitalise on lackadaisical security practices. And with workers now accessing critical data from anywhere and at any time, its imperative that endpoints are up to date, regularly patched and continuously monitored for unusual activity or performance patterns. So how do you best adapt with the times? Delivering a true digital workplace can be a challenging journey to navigate, and with IT skills and resources in such short supply, it makes sense to work with a trusted service provider who knows the technology, understands the market and your organisation, and can deliver the right solution for your unique requirements, from the cloud, to devices and security. The Instillery’s service portfolio has been designed to face today’s digital workplace challenges using best in breed toolsets and working with leading vendors like HP to provide a total package for our customers. To speak with an expert, or to learn more about what drives the digital workplace, get in touch with us.

[1] //www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/101484083/as-of-2020-millennials-are-going-to-be-the-largest-part-of-the-workforce [2] Inside the Modern Workplace – The New Role of Desktop PCs in Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. [3] The Evolving Workplace: Global Trends, Copyright © 2017, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. [4] //www8.hp.com/au/en/solutions/computer-security.html