March 29, 2024

Top Three Priorities for IT Leadership in the Digital Workplaces

The year 2020 led to a major shift in attitude towards work and workplaces. Until then, digital tools were taken to be means of increasing productivity. However, as the world went into a lockdown, the leaders understood that the digital tools have an equally significant role to play in productivity maintenance. As such, the leaders seeking digital workplace services had the given strategic priorities to consider:

Efficient cost optimization

It should come as no surprise that the cost takeout actions are the main reasons for a digital workplace transformation drive. Workplace automation, along with prescient and reasonable measures for cost reduction, have immense benefits for future growth.

The pandemic made margins and revenues take a hit across all industries. It meant a greater cost pressure on IT. The immediate response to the situation was looking for cost reductions in IT, particularly to make investments in such capabilities that would help employees work better in the pandemic. Though cost optimization is necessary, efficiently freeing up capital is important so that critical IT capabilities can be given the necessary boost.

Here are the ways to curtail costs without affecting productivity:

Remote work:

Setting remote desktops means that, with the right approach, the level of productivity remains unaffected. But at the same time, there is a reduced need for office space.

Online collaboration:

The fact is that IT workers need more physical proximity compared to other jobs. Thus, there is a vast potential for adopting remote-working tools. The use of modern workplace services and online collaboration tools is on the rise. It serves as sure way to reduce costs without affecting workflow.

Investments in business value

Until recently, tech investments were made with the aim to boost short-term gains and ensure incremental benefits. It’s time to change that thought process in favor of making investments towards tapping into major workplace habits that lead to competitive advantages for the company. Organizations have to invest in such tech solutions that help in remote work, automation of business processes, and so on.

Leaders need to understand the level of digital maturity their company has. It forms the core of future possibilities and lets the company aspire for a better position, while knowing its limitations.

Exploring new models of operation

Organizations need to rethink the core business models as the lines start getting blurred between the real and the virtual. It is crucial in a world where multi-channel strategies are meant to be prioritized. Companies that don’t adopt a digital strategy within the present paradigm will lose out eventually. Thus, it is okay to see remote service desk support or helpdesk support when necessary.

An organization trying to expand can do the same in either of the two ways:

  • Capture more market shares
  • Create new markets

These approaches need companies to innovate along several lines that aren’t restricted to marginal improvements and incremental fixes.

IT leaders need to think of new value propositions to build products and services in future. As such, they have to lead the teams towards underserved markets, while moving away from conventional business models and getting closer to favorable markets.