By: Julian Broster, Vice President of Strategic Business Development at Apogee Corporation

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives and the way we work drastically. With work at home orders coming into effect overnight, many companies and employees were left dealing with the unknown. Businesses had to take decisive action and pivot ways of working to ensure employees could continue working as normal. As we look to the future, many businesses will be seeking initiatives to prevent losses during unprecedented events – for example, going on a digital transformation journey and moving toward using cloud services, as ways to integrate hybrid working and ultimately enhance productivity.

Cloud Services

Decision makers are coming to understand the cloud as a key element for a business’s success. Greater understanding of how the ‘cloud’ can be utilised and its benefits is a clear factor in its growing popularity. The adoption of cloud services is accelerating and becoming normalised, with no signs of slowing. Indeed, 66 per cent of businesses have adopted a ‘cloud first’ strategy since 2018[1].

Cloud services are used for collaboration and connectivity by teams. Businesses operating with unlimited access to files at any time, from any location, will develop greater efficiency and accessibility for employees, simultaneously driving better service and higher satisfaction for their customers. It also enables scalability as needed to support changing priorities and strategies, while reducing the risk of wasted IT resources.

The pandemic has forced companies to re-evaluate and seek solutions that will ensure a more agile response in preparation for worst case scenarios. Cloud services incorporate a seamless hybrid model so employees can continue to be efficient while working from home, the office or anywhere in the world. It allows total flexibility for employees and employers, not just from a COVID perspective, but any future unpredictable events, for example, an unexpected a mass closure of an office. If employees cannot easily commute into the office, having cloud services in place enables business to continue as usual.

Of course, a significant concern for any business is data security, especially  in terms of GDPR compliance. Cloud services were built with cybersecurity in mind, ensuring that online systems and documents are fully protected using preventative measures to deter hackers. It is also a fully traceable, so in the rare case that companies do experience a security breach, the source of the break in can be tracked down quickly.

Digital Transformation

Switching to cloud services often comes as part of a wider digital transformation, which simply means the integration of digital technology into all aspects of a business. This will often impact process, operations, and client experiences, aiming to deliver a more streamlined and effective working environment.

Any organisation embarking on a digital transformation must understand its current market placement, its goals, and how it wants to achieve its aspirations. Identifying objectives, short, mid, and long term is key. A company cannot be successful without a clear understanding of its strategy for the future.

Plans to implement a digital transformation will vary from sector to sector, as will the rate of adoption, but in all cases a clear and thorough digital transformation strategy is key to success. Larger companies undergoing digital transformation typically have more complex systems and processes to upgrade, creating greater lead times for implementation. Additionally, companies have information that is highly classified or strictly protected, may require additional steps during the process.

The number of companies employing digital transformation practices has steadily risen for many years, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation uptake in the UK has sped up by two thirds (66%)[2]. In particular hybrid mail and document management systems were highly sought after while employees worked from home – and it is unlikely that companies will ever return to traditional methods of managing paperwork as we shift back towards more office-based work.

It is important to remember that digital transformation is a continual and ever-evolving process without a clear finish. Once a company has digitalised and moved online, it must continue to progress its practices and ensure the latest technology is being utilised effectively. The use of out-of-date technology can result in security breaches, mass cash loss, decreased efficiency, and more.

Indeed, companies should constantly employ best practice and adapting workplace systems in order to optimise employee experiences. Digital transformation aims to change organisations and address historic issues in its systems to move forward and grow.

When implemented successfully, organisations can gain a competitive edge over others when employing digital transformation. It can give firms increased sales performances, greater employee productivity, reduced costs, improved operational efficiencies, enhanced client experiences, and market differentiation to its competitors.

Conclusion

Hybrid working has completely changed the working environment and the way that we approach work. Now more than ever, companies, organisations and businesses need to adapt to these changes, transforming their operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, agility and ability to manage risk through the adoption of cloud services and digital transformation strategies. However, this can be a daunting prospect, with many unsure about where to start. Decision makers looking to enhance their business can seek out support from managed IT providers to explain the options and support the delivery of new digital processes.