Today’s hybrid work environment has made us more dependent on digital technologies. But, while they allow us to connect and collaborate, they are not always straightforward to use. Given that these new ways of working are likely to stick around in both the short and long term, how will IT leaders ensure they’re improving agility and making us more productive, rather than less? So what are the IT priorities that will affect work in 2022?
As adaptations to new working methods become permanent, businesses will look to leverage them for positive gains, leading to an increased IT focus on productivity. The 2022 State of IT Report from Spiceworks Ziff Davis revealed that most companies (53%) plan to increase technology spending or maintain the same budgets (35%) year over year. The publication also states that 80% of companies expect to maintain or increase their IT budgets in the next year and that CIOs are looking for a clear return on investment in their software options.
2021 has given frontline workers a status upgrade, and empowering these essential workers will be one of IT’s new priorities. In IDC’s Global CIO Agenda 2022 predictions, the research consultancy anticipates that “through 2026, 65% of CIOs will maintain a cycle of technology-based empowerment, agility, and resiliency through governance.” collaboration, new service delivery models, and an orientation towards commercial results.”
In that same study, 93% of CIOs said that employee communications and engagement had been top priorities for them since the pandemic began. We predict that the hybrid workforce will see this trend continue into 2022: As some jobs go permanently remote, technology will be all that keeps these distributed employees tied to company culture.
Maintaining safety and morale among essential workers is also likely to be a critical engagement objective. At the same time, C-suite leaders will want to ensure the entire workforce receives important company news. Technology will be the factor that makes it possible to achieve these goals.
To maintain IT budgets while remaining profitable during a pandemic, CFOs will focus more on workforce analytics. Gartner research backs this up, with their recently released survey listing “advanced data analytics technologies” at the top of CFO priority lists. This priority should also shift to IT, as COVID-related belt-tightening will mean an even greater need to demonstrate the ROI of your technology investments. Advanced analytics and reporting will be crucial to showing value for financial leadership.
Most employees now use an average of 6-10 different communication tools, and the number is growing along with the distributed workforce. The resulting friction will offset the productivity gains expected from remote work. This will result in a mandate for IT to create a seamless digital experience that works for every employee role, whether those roles are on-site, in the field, remote, or a combination of all three. CIOs are expected to invest in integrated solutions that enable employees to switch between multiple tools, systems, and types of information within a single environment.
We have spent 2021 developing many new ways of working. IT leaders will have to pay the following year, ensuring they keep working. What IT priorities are you taking in your company?
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