Research: 2021 Work From Anywhere IT Impact Report
Exploring the impact of the shift to the long-term Work From Anywhere (WFA) environment on IT Infrastructure & Operations Leaders
Teneo, the Work From Anywhere IT services company, conducted its ‘2021 Work From Anywhere: IT Impact Report’ to understand the full impact of the move to a long-term hybrid working environment on IT Infrastructure and Operations (I&O) leaders.
Gathering the views of 400 I&O decision-makers across the UK (200) and the US (200), the report revealed that the pressure of transitioning to a Work From Anywhere (WFA) environment has had a detrimental effect on the mental well-being of I&O leaders.
Tasked with ensuring their organization is fully operational, a worrying 61% of respondents reported that they feel frustrated, stressed, or overworked as they seek to balance business, technical and human demands.
Piers Carey, CEO of Teneo, said: “IT burnout is a real issue, causing low energy, exhaustion, negative feelings, and reduced efficiency. For I&O leaders, this makes the parameters of their role difficult to manage and can cripple progress. Transformation requires 180-degree shifts, and to do so successfully, I&O leaders need to put their best foot forward. But, if IT continues to work in this overwhelmed state, progress will inevitably be restricted.”
Influencing this overwhelm, a staggering 81% of respondents revealed that they lack the optimization, security, and visibility tools needed for a successful transition. A further 40% said they lack the time and 32% the internal expertise required.
An influx of IT issues driven by the move to a WFA environment has also piled on further pressure. The top three IT impacts reported were an increase in network issues (31%), service desk requests (27%), and security attacks (24%).
Despite these challenges, the report revealed that the majority (75%) of I&O leaders believe organizations are likely to adopt a long-term hybrid WFA environment, with many respondents reporting a range of benefits, including improved productivity (45%), reduced costs (44%), and a reduced office footprint (44%). 32% of respondents also said that the WFA environment gives them greater access to talent.
Piers Carey continued: Influencing the move to a long-term WFA environment are the vast, often unexpected, benefits, which businesses are now reliant on to give them a competitive advantage. However, before organizations can take advantage of these benefits, they need to understand how to translate their hybrid working policy into IT policy and define what that looks like at the technology level.”
WFA success is dependent on technology solutions that can be complex to implement and manage. Solutions cited to be ‘important’ in the report include End User Experience Monitoring (75%), SD-WAN (74%), Zero Trust Security (73%), and Optimized SaaS Applications (72%).
Piers Carey concludes: “Despite myriad challenges of ensuring organizations are fully operational in a long-term WFA environment, I&O leaders must not rest on their laurels. Without addressing these challenges with urgency, they could risk their company’s operational inefficiency, competitive advantage, and reputation. And that’s not to mention that failure to take action now will further compound the overwhelm that I&O leaders are already experiencing.
“Progressive I&O leaders are now making smarter choices that save time and leverage existing resources. Working with an expert partner, they’re taking a step back to understand business processes and policies before building out an agile roadmap. Such an approach is helping them to think more clearly with input from external experts on best practices and leading technology. And it’s helping them to save time, reduce risk, and transform faster.”
Teneo’s Work From Anywhere IT services combine leading technology with expert guidance across Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) frameworks. Having helped thousands of IT professionals across the globe transform their business, Teneo can take the pressure off, enabling I&O leaders to embrace innovation with confidence.
To find out more about Teneo’s full suite of Work From Anywhere IT services, visit www.teneo.net