How workforce and technology will converge in 2022

By Dean Hager

The year 2021 saw a paradigm shift with respect to the operational models of organisations, hospitals, schools, etc. After having spent almost 2 years with digitised operations, they have grown more aware of the importance of building a robust digital infrastructure to minimise any disruptions. Going forward, technology will continue to remain at the forefront of the various measures that organisations may have to take to keep up with the changing business landscape.

On that note, I’d like to share four key predictions for this year in terms of how the confluence of workforce management and technology may play out.

Investments in personalised customer experience will see an uptick

Businesses today find themselves in a highly customer- driven era and are investing heavily in developing and finetuning their touchpoints to enable a personalised customer experience. This trend is expected to grow further as emerging technologies like AI/ML and VR will play a crucial role in enhancing quality experiences. In fact, in a recent survey conducted by PwC to understand the growing importance of AI among enterprises, 61% Indian respondents agreed to rely on AI-powered solutions for smarter customer service.

Access to new and right tech devices will be crucial in enhancing employee experience

From software locations to work locations, employees today are choosing their own devices to complete work. Given this rapid shift, it is imperative for organisations to equip their workforce with intelligent device choices that can adapt to the way they work. Moreover, personalising technology will enhance efficiency and improve productivity of the employees, thereby helping organisations prepare for the future of work.

Balancing remote learning with emotional well-being and digital safety

While distance learning has enabled education even in unprecedented times like these, there has been a fundamental change in how children now interact with technology. The year 2022 will continue to highlight the importance of student safety, both emotional safety and digital safety. Teachers will need to acknowledge the students’ emotional needs and empower them with the resources they need to continue their education. Teachers can help support students by continuing to offer remote learning options and implementing regular check-ins on emotional wellbeing. Additionally, schools must continue to mature their approach that combines digital security solutions to protect against cyberthreats with filtering solutions that ensure a safe learning environment for the students regardless of where they are.

Acceleration in adoption of advanced security solutions

As companies extend their commitments to hybrid work, security will continue to remain paramount. While vigilance is important for security, it should not come with privacy loss and must involve a preventive approach. Companies are therefore moving towards ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) over traditional VPNs. This technology ensures that after a user authenticates their device, business connections are secured while enabling non-business applications to route directly to the internet, preserving end-user privacy and optimising network infrastructure. This increasing importance around cybersecurity is captured by PwC’s Digital Trusts Survey 2022 which shows that around 80% of Indian organisations are likely to increase their cybersecurity budget in 2022.

(The author is Chief Executive Officer, Jamf. Views expressed are personal.)