The rise of new tech has indeed dramatically changed the way businesses operate in a seemingly short span of time. Although it has been decades since policymakers decided to put the IT sector in the limelight on account of other technological developments, the span of digitalization has just recently accelerated.
The push has been forced by recent global developments; to an untrained eye it may seem that things are out of control.
They well may be as businesses seem to be struggling to keep up.
However, the rise of remote work has opened new perspectives for employees left and right while at the same time empowering businesses to broaden their talent pool.
Let’s focus on the benefits first.
Remote Working and Hybrid Work Models
The emergence of remote work is a huge change. Not all businesses are necessarily going fully remote; many are deploying various hybrid work models (see below) to improve their operations.
The fact that any business anywhere in the world can now look for employees anywhere in the connected world is a huge change.
Still, good old office work hasn’t gone obsolete. While it may be interesting to debate whether generations to come will look for remote positions exclusively, presently there are still some roles that can benefit from both models.
The fairest option is to offer both choices and it can be made possible by applying a hybrid work model.
Let’s see what the choices are:
- Partially remote work, with flexible office space - no permanent offices; rented flex space used for periodic collaboration (but not connectivity)
- Almost entirely on premises - limited remote work, large office space the majority of managers and workers
- Partially remote work, multiple hubs - multiple offices with the workforce dispersed among them
- Partially remote work, large office space - the majority of managers and workers spend most, but not all, of their time at the office
- Almost entirely off premises - mostly remote work with no office space
- Multiple microhubs - management and employees are dispersed across small microhubs located in different cities (or countries, depending on the scope of your business operations)
Obviously the work model depends on the target role and we won’t expand on the topic further as many businesses are aware of their options.
Communication Has Changed
When people connect online rather than in person, it naturally follows that the way they communicate will also change. Many psychologists have been warning about the rise in cognitive issues as a result, but nobody seems to care.
In truth, this trend has been present ever since the internet made its great debut. Email was the first service used to keep people connected; nowadays there are social networks, online meeting apps, and many other tools to help people from around the world come together.
However, email seems to be once again on an upward trend. It’s hard to beat a stellar email marketing strategy, as long as you’ve done your research, set out to avoid email spam lists,
Information Sharing Has Changed
Businesses are shifting towards big data and the trend seems unstoppable at this point. This means that information needs to be stored and analyzed continually and it’s not an easy task.
Many technologies have emerged to meet the demand. The need to consolidate information in one central platform accessible by everyone involved has unearthed complex technologies that are being used globally. Cloud computing is one notable example and there are many other efforts underway.
Businesses are Focusing on Mobile Device Users
A trend within trend would be the mobile-first business environment, which popped up a couple of years ago to accommodate the rising rates of mobile device users.
The market is huge and so the shift is only understandable. Newer generations are solely focused on online shopping but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
With the rise of social networks, everyone has got a voice. Nowadays, sharing customer experience is a global trend.
Artificial Intelligence Is Struggling to Keep up
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been aggressively promoted for some time now, with leading brands doubling down on their efforts to test and apply the technology.
Some segments of the technology are already being used by businesses and people alike (e.g., the IoT).
Contact centers have benefited from AI, in particular. Contact center automation, Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP), interactive voice response (IVR) systems, and automated call distribution (ACD) systems have become a standard and they indeed make frontline employees’ lives easier.
Construction firms have also found multiple usages for AI. One notable example is BIM (building information modeling) software, which uses a combination of IoT and AR technologies.
Digital Transformation
Finally, we come to the main deal: digital transformation. That’s the whole point of new tech. Keywords of the future are agility, customer-focused, and collaboration. Cloud computing is just the first step!
It’s only fair to say that technology has taken over all aspects of human interest. In this context, learning is the most important to mention. eLearning and mLearning are becoming essential fast, with people now looking for instant information rather than profound knowledge.
Overall, new tech is omnipresent and seemingly omnipotent, so it’s no wonder businesses are struggling to keep up!
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