Two-thirds change business model to improve employee experience

Hoofddorp – Two-thirds (66%) of companies in the EMEA region plan to adopt a different business model than before the Covid-19 pandemic. This is based on new research conducted by an IT service provider Unisys. A majority (61%) of organizations say that the new models are aimed at ensuring employee safety and achieving greater productivity (47%). Almost two-thirds (64%) say the main driver is creating a better overall employee experience. The results of this research can be found in the white paper ” Digital Workplace Insights ™: Seeking Digital Parity and Experience to Support the Hybrid Workforcefrom IDC, which is sponsored by Unisys.

Concerns about working remotely vary widely
In general, employees are more positive about the new work situation than company decision-makers. A third (33%) of employees do not see or see only a few notable challenges associated with working remotely. Business decision-makers are more concerned, especially with the practicalities of remote working. For example, 38% of business decision makers are concerned about communication and collaboration, lack of management visibility, and potential data access issues. This compares to just 24, 7, and 11 percent of employees who are concerned about it, respectively.

Productivity remains high
Despite their concerns, two-thirds (66%) of business decision-makers find that working remotely is just as productive – if not more productive – than working from a corporate site. To take advantage of this, 42% of companies plan to make targeted investments. They want to generate growth and drive innovation to thrive in a post-Covid era. 5G (48%), IoT (46%), AI (52%) and modern security platforms (40%) are seen as the biggest benefits for companies’ working environments during over the next five years.

“The real challenge for IT is to create an equal experience for all employees, regardless of their workplace,” said Kevin Turner, Head of Digital Workspace Strategy for EMEA at Unisys. , in order to find their own way of working that stimulates productivity and innovation. Artificial intelligence, automation, analytics, and proactive problem solving are part of a larger set of technologies and processes needed to make it happen. This study shows that many companies are anticipating by creating a workplace that is not only more productive, but also better for their employees. “

“One of the things we’ve seen in 2020 is that most organizations are rapidly adapting their technology, processes and policies to support hybrid ways of working,” said Holly Muscolino, vice president of research , content strategies and the future of work at IDC. “We now know that there won’t be going back to the 2019 business models for the most part. Globally, remote workers will continue to represent almost a quarter of the workforce, with some differences between sectors. A hybrid workforce will therefore be permanent. That’s why it’s important that organizations make the temporary changes they made in 2020 permanent. ”

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Note to editors
About the research
The Unisys-sponsored survey interviewed more than 1,100 respondents, including business decision makers and employees from 15 countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands , New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom and United States. The results are detailed in the IDC White Paper.