Thibault Dousson, Director, Solutions and Services Group, META, Lenovo, discusses how the digital workplace could be delivered in a way which makes all employees feel like they are as tech-savvy as their technical administrators.
Most employees have had moments when workplace technology lets them down, and they wish they were someone with the ‘magic touch’ to make tech work and fix any problem. But what if IT departments had a helping hand that could give everyone the ‘magic touch’?
Today’s employees are losing time to technological issues like never before: 40% say that hybrid working is making their jobs harder (particularly in larger companies with more than 1,000 employees). For the average employee, poor digital experiences are adding around three weeks of fruitless and unproductive work per year, or 5.5 hours a week.
According to The Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears survey 2023 by PWC, as digitisation continues to thrive in the regional economy, 75% of respondents in the Middle East highlighted digital skills as a top career priority for the next five years, exceeding the global average of 57%. Additionally, 77% of those surveyed indicated a need for specialist technical skills, compared to 56% globally, and 76% valued analytical and data skills, versus 58% globally.
However, according to Freshworks’ 2022 State of Workplace Technology, 40% of MEA respondents feel that most workplace software doesn’t improve their job performance, and 54% say their company pays for unused software, leading to unnecessary overheads. The study highlights that MEA IT professionals have an average of 7.5 applications on their work computers but use only half, causing distractions and reduced system performance. Nearly all IT professionals (91%) believe reducing software contracts could boost productivity (56%), save costs (50%), and enhance job satisfaction (25%).
Ironically, many of the apps that are meant to make life simpler for employees are doing the exact opposite. The 2023 Consumer Digital Index research conducted by Lloyds Bank assessed British workers for essential work skills and found that just 46% of adults could complete 20 basic digital tasks. The task that caused people the most problems involved common productivity tools, with just over two thirds (69%) able to complete it. This puts a burden on IT administrators to simplify the digital landscape wherever possible, removing hurdles and supporting employees in their day-to-day work.
Delivering the magic touch
For system administrators and people who are naturally ‘good with tech’, the ‘magic touch’ often comes from years of experience, technical qualifications and a willingness to try everything until something works. But can the digital workplace be delivered in a way which makes all employees feel like they have that ‘magic touch’ too?
AI-powered workplace solutions offer ways to make employees feel less frustrated with their technology, while delivering a more personalised service. Harnessing AI ensures that IT teams are not overwhelmed with demands from colleagues. For the end user, generative AI chatbots let them make device decisions using plain language, with AI-infused device intelligence able to predict and fix software issues before they cause major problems, making managing and using their workplace IT feel effortless.
Harnessing the power of AI
The power of AI can help smooth over the sometimes-counterintuitive processes that seasoned IT professionals are so accustomed to. For example, no matter their device, AI-guided knowledge bases can deliver ‘self-help’ and ‘self-heal’ solutions, regardless of whether employees are working at 10am or 2am. It is a bit like having your very own IT manager available on-call 24/7. For hybrid workforces, this powerful, instant support can be a game-changer, meaning that minor IT problems never progress to the point where they stop people working. At Lenovo we have first-hand experience of the power these tools as we use them ourselves.
For service desk workers, AI can also bring powerful analytics, increasing the number of issues that can be solved pre-emptively, remotely and without the need for a ticket to be raised. This simplifies the day-to-day work of IT service desk teams, with an easy to use ‘single pane of glass’ portal delivering actionable insights in an easy-to-understand fashion.
Generative AI-powered platforms also anticipate the management of critical tasks to keep environments secure, while persona-based configuration means IT leaders can rapidly tailor suites of apps and services for different types of users. IT teams can ensure their colleagues get to work faster with the right tools at their fingertips, offering seamless and personalised digital experiences, removing hassle on both sides and freeing up IT teams to work on projects that will drive improvements and efficiencies across the workplace. In fact, 83% of CIOs expect AI to drive productivity gains within the next one to two years, further highlighting the transformative potential of AI in optimising workflows and enhancing productivity.
Solving problems before they happen
AI is also being used to predict common problems before they happen. This means devices are configured and patched so that employees always have the most up-to-date, secure and stable version of the software they need. IT managers can be freed from chasing seemingly endless day-to-day IT issues, and focus on transforming the way their businesses use technology. Managers are provided with proactive device insights and AI-driven predictive analytics which help keep devices running at peak performance, while they focus on the bigger picture and employees have a device that ‘just works’.
A smarter workplace
The workplace has changed beyond recognition in recent years, and today’s hybrid employees are switching between dozens of apps and learning new skills. Choosing the right managed service, such as Lenovo’s Digital Workplace Solutions, provides an AI-powered helping hand to both frontline employees and the IT managers helping to oversee their devices. For employees, this means personalised services and IT problems that are solved first time, making them feel like they have that ‘magic touch’ with their work PC. For IT departments, this spells a shift away from reacting to problems to anticipating them, and the freedom to focus on transforming the business through new technologies such as AI. Most importantly, more people benefit from the ‘magic touch’ and minimise downtime because of common IT issues.
Image Credit: Lenovo
