The Future of Work: Insights from Ivanti's 2024 Everywhere Work Report
This episode delves into Ivanti's 2024 Everywhere Work Report, beginning with an introduction to its key findings. It explores flexible work environments, organizational challenges, and gender perspectives. Discusses IT challenges, security concerns, and the impact of AI and automation. Examines employee well-being, productivity, and work-life balance in remote work settings. Reviews organizational strategies, support measures, and cybersecurity budgeting. Highlights risks associated with AI and security threats, summarizing the report's findings. Concludes with closing remarks and a teaser for the next episode.
Chapters:
0:00
Welcome and introduction to Ivanti's 2024 Everywhere Work Report
0:37
Flexible work environments, organizational challenges, and gender perspectives
2:35
IT challenges, security, and the impact of AI and automation
3:49
Employee well-being, productivity, and work-life balance in remote work
4:27
Organizational strategies, support, and cybersecurity budgeting
5:22
Risks of AI and security threats; Summary of findings
6:00
Closing remarks and next episode teaser
Key Points:
- Flexible work environments are in high demand, but there is a significant gap between what employees expect and what organizations currently offer.
- Women prioritize flexible work more than men, making it a crucial factor for attracting and retaining female talent.
- Siloed data poses a major challenge for Information Technology and security professionals, impacting both security and productivity.
Transcript:
Welcome to another episode of Beyond Tech Frontiers! I am Sabine VanderLinden, your host, and today we are diving into the fascinating world of flexible work, as highlighted in Ivanti's 2024 Everywhere Work Report. This is the third edition of the report, and I have been evaluating and diving into it for over three years. Each year, this report provides us with critical insights into the state of flexible work, the role of technology, and the implications for Information Technology and security teams.
The 2024 Everywhere Work Report by Ivanti underscores the growing demand for flexible work environments and the challenges organizations face in meeting these demands. Today, we will synthesize some key findings from the most recent study. This report offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of flexible work, the role of technology in facilitating it, and the implications for Information Technology and security teams.
Let's start with the value of flexibility. A significant majority of professionals—80 percent—and Information Technology workers—85 percent—consider flexible working highly valuable. However, only 25 to 27 percent report that their jobs offer high flexibility. This discrepancy highlights a gap between employee expectations and organizational offerings. Organizations need to do more to bridge this gap and meet the flexibility demands of their workforce.
Job mobility for flexibility is another crucial aspect. At least 40 percent of professionals would consider changing jobs for more flexibility. Additionally, similar to last year's 2023 research, nearly two-thirds of respondents would choose the ability to work from anywhere over a promotion. This indicates that flexibility is a critical factor in job satisfaction and retention.
Gender differences in flexibility prioritization are also noteworthy. Women prioritize flexible work more than men, with 36 percent of women considering it essential compared to 22 percent of men. This suggests that flexible work policies could be necessary for attracting and retaining female talent.
Now, let's discuss Information Technology and security challenges. Access to technology is a significant issue. Only 46 percent of professionals find it easy to access tech tools when working remotely. This indicates a need for better infrastructure and support to facilitate remote work.
Siloed data is another major challenge. A significant portion of Information Technology and security professionals—72 percent—report that Information Technology and security data are siloed within their organizations. This negatively impacts security and productivity because siloed data slows down security response times and weakens the organization's security posture.
Artificial Intelligence and automation also play a role in this landscape. While 76 percent believe Artificial Intelligence and automation can help reduce helpdesk ticket volume and improve service, adoption rates for these technologies remain low. This suggests a potential area for improvement in leveraging Artificial Intelligence to enhance Information Technology operations.
Employee well-being and productivity are also critical areas of focus. Nearly one in four Information Technology professionals has witnessed a colleague resign due to burnout. This underscores the importance of addressing workload and providing support to prevent burnout.
Interestingly, employees report working more outside of office hours while working remotely, but they also report higher levels of happiness. This indicates that while remote work can blur the lines between work and personal life, it can also enhance overall job satisfaction.
Organizational support and strategy are essential for navigating these challenges. Most organizations—73 percent—report that their cybersecurity budgets are increasing, and 87 percent believe they are sufficient to meet their goals. Additionally, 91 percent view cybersecurity as a core strategic asset. This reflects a strong organizational commitment to security.
Despite the potential benefits of Artificial Intelligence, 95 percent of Information Technology and security professionals believe that Artificial Intelligence will make security threats more dangerous, and nearly one in three have no documented strategy to address generative Artificial Intelligence risks. This highlights the need for proactive measures to manage Artificial Intelligence-related risks.
In summary, the updated Everywhere Work Report by Ivanti reveals a strong demand for flexible work environments. It highlights significant Information Technology and security challenges that need to be addressed to support this shift. Organizations must bridge the gap between employee expectations and current solutions, enhance access to technology, and address data silos to improve security and productivity. Additionally, leveraging Artificial Intelligence and automation while managing associated risks will be crucial in empowering flexible work and ensuring organizational resilience.
By addressing these key areas, Chief Information Officers and Chief Information Security Officers can better support the Everywhere Work revolution and create a more flexible, productive, and secure work environment for their employees. I very much hope you enjoy this new research. Make sure to download a copy of the report from Ivanti's website.
That is all for today's episode of Beyond Tech Frontiers. Thank you for joining me, Sabine VanderLinden, as we explored the insights from Ivanti's 2024 Everywhere Work Report. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we will continue to delve into the mechanics of disruptive innovation, market trends, the future of work, and ethical tech. Until next time, keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible!