IDC Future of Work

In today’s technology world, the pace of change is extraordinary. The Innovator’s dilemma is that every 10 or so years, technology advances. PC, Internet, Mobile, Cloud, AI – and that pace is accelerating. The Covid-19 pandemic has also pushed us to adopt to new ways of working to maintain productivity. This change in business landscape means a necessary evolution of culture. Companies that stay relevant need to be learners and able to evolve quickly, with a ready and skilled workforce. This presentation will share insights of what we have learnt as Microsoft and share some examples of how we are using this feedback to transform our own company. 

IT underwent a disruptive digital transformation last year to enable, overnight, users to work and learn from home. Organizations that were further along in their digital transformation were able to respond more quickly, more securely, and at lower cost. As the workplace continues to evolve in support of a more hybrid remote workforce the need for smarter devices and a flexible, responsive IT environment cannot be understated. In this session, you will learn about how to progress forward with your workforce modernization to build the digital workplace. 

The current pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation. Skill and travel challenges have also impacted many organizations. However, organizations that have embraced digital technologies are finding new opportunities to change their operating models and expand their services. These organizations are also addressing ongoing challenges by enabling the 'super-skilled' remote worker. This session will explore innovative collaboration approaches that enable field workers — and even end customers — to become super skilled. 

In the workplace, the COVID-19 crisis has been a catalyst for profound transformation in working models. Companies that have maintained business continuity and shown the greatest resilience were led by an agile, engaged, and highly skilled workforce. Today, everyone is using the term "new normal," but no one knows exactly what it will look like. This panel discussion will pinpoint the major – and possibly permanent - changes in FoW and the fundamental elements of successful crisis-transformed teams and organizations.

 For many organizations, COVID-19 was a rude awakening, exposing longstanding infrastructure gaps that threatened their ability to do business at a moment's notice. As the dust begins to settle, innovative, integrated solutions are emerging as key to organizational survival. This has spurred organizations to explore remote working, collaboration, mobility, and intelligent workspace solutions that utilize AI, ML, and VDI and that automate/augment manual, repetitive tasks with efficiency and accuracy, while enhancing the overall productivity of the remote working experience. This session will discuss the various ways organizations can accurately identify their needs and direct IT spend towards a range of integrated solutions and products that meet their long-term digital infrastructure demands.