How to make the most of your IT spend.
The past two years have been a period of immense change for all businesses, regardless of size or industry. Businesses and employees alike have adapted to these changes by harnessing technology to enable productivity, collaboration, and communication.
Regardless of where your business is on the journey to digital transformation, 2022 will be an exciting year with new technology trends that will reshape the way business’s function.
Looking Back at Technology in 2021
The greatest business change in 2021 was the move to hybrid work. There are many benefits associated with remote working, including a healthier work-life balance, improved flexibility, and for some employees, increased productivity. However, there are also some key benefits to office-based work, such as better workplace connections and easier communication and collaboration.
For a hybrid workplace model to work effectively, many factors must work together. A major factor is the use of technology and IT systems, employees can only communicate and collaborate whilst working in different locations if there’s a solution to enable it. Similarly, the move to hybrid work potentially carries significant security risks as businesses need to protect their own network and endpoints, as well as consider their employees home networks.
The Rise of Ransomware
Throughout 2021, 37% of all businesses were affected by Microsoft Teams ransomware. These attacks targeted small businesses, as well as major corporation and public infrastructure.
Widespread Adoption of Microsoft Teams
In Q3 of 2021, Microsoft Teams surpassed 145 million daily users. This increased adoption was due to several factors, including the rise of remote and hybrid working, as well as the plethora of new features Microsoft has added to the product. Microsoft Teams is a communication and collaboration platform that allows employees to meet, chat, call, and work, all in one space.
Increase in Process Automation
To increase profitability, businesses aim to increase revenue whilst reducing costs. A growing trend to reduce costs is through automation. A recent study found that 45% of work activities could be automated using already existing technologies. When activities are automated, employees can spend more time being productive and working to increase revenue within a business. The tasks that are perfect for automation are repetitive, time-consuming tasks, and many of these can be automated with Microsoft Power Automate.
Continued Rise of AI and Machine Learning
Over the past 5 years Microsoft has invested heavily into AI and machine learning. The advancements made are now being implemented into many Microsoft products. This has allowed businesses to take advantage of AI and ML without having to invest directly into the technology.
Widespread Adoption of BYOD Programs
With employees returning to the office, 85% of businesses are enabling a Bring-Your-Own-Device program. Such a program has many potential benefits for both businesses and employees. If employees can use their own devices, especially laptops, the business can significantly reduce expenditure on hardware.
Password-less Multi-factor Authentication
Many of the devastating cyberattacks of 2021 could have been prevented with the implementation of multi-factor authentication. MFA is an authentication process where a user must provide two or more forms of identification to login to their account.
Widespread Use of Cloud Based Phone Systems
Most businesses rely on some form of telephone system. These were traditionally on-premises PBX systems. Companies using these systems struggled with the move to working from home, and many adopted cloud-based phone systems, such as Teams Phone.
Use of Technology for a Sustainable Future
Use of Technology for a Sustainable Future Across all industries and locations, businesses are working hard to become more sustainable to create a better world for future generations. This is evidenced as 80% of the world’s top companies now report on their sustainability. As businesses move into 2022, a sustainability focus will not only help the environment, but also their bottom line.
Emphasis on Security for all Businesses
In 2021, 4 in 10 businesses reported having some form of cyber breach or attack. Businesses can’t control how cybercriminals innovate, however, they can control how they prepare for a potential attack. With the continued rise of ransomware, it’s essential that businesses have technology in place to prevent ransomware attacks, as well as a backup solution that can enable efficient disaster recovery if they do fall victim to an attack.
Innovative Workloads in the Cloud
Now, more than ever, businesses are running some form of workload in the cloud.
2022 will be an exciting year for many businesses as they continue their digital transformation journey. With recent innovations in productivity, collaboration, security, and communication, investing in a comprehensive IT solution can allow businesses to be more effective whilst improving the employee experience. If you want to make the most of your IT spend in 2022, contact us today and we will be happy to support your business through effective IT systems.
Learn more about technology trends that will shape your business by reading our eBook.
