Increased IT budgets and adoption of new mobile devices signal the need for companies to manage aggressive digital transformation, but manual workflows persist, exposing security risks
The distributed workforce now exists beyond the rise of hybrid, flexible or remote working environments, and it is having a significant impact on retail business operations across industries in Australia and globally.
New global research from SOTI, “When Work is Anywhere: Managing Technology’s Role in the Distributed Workforce,” reveals retail organisations are increasing investments in new technology and devices as the workforce and infrastructure become more widespread. As businesses expand, there is a clear need to better manage this ever-broadening scope to gain the efficiency and productivity necessary to remain competitive.
Number of Devices in the Field Continues to Increase
Advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT), e-commerce, real-time supply chain visibility and critical communications across a global landscape have resulted in a seismic shift to more distributed operations. As a result, 44% of Australian respondents reported substantial growth in the number of devices being deployed in the last 12 months, which is significantly higher than the global average of 37%.
Additionally, 57% of Australian organisations (38% globally) have seen an increase in the mix of device types (including smartphones, barcode scanners, rugged handsets, mobile computers, etc.).
“Our data shows that almost 80% of companies are now managing at least one technology – including new groups of devices and applications – that they were not a year ago, representing a significant shift in how these businesses are now running,” said Shash Anand, SVP of Product Strategy at SOTI. “Ensuring the productivity of a distributed workforce is one part of the equation. Today, businesses have access to technology to better manage the supply chain and track and control device usage in the field. This is forcing companies to invest in new ways to oversee and analyse the subsequent growth in technology and data use.”
As Devices and Data Grow, So Do Security Threats
As a result of this growth in device use, more data is being collected, processed and stored than ever before, fostering the need for data management security and compliance. The report found that over the last year, 40% of respondents in Australia cited the need for better access to devices to control and protect their IT network, while 38% increased their spend on mobile technology security.
“Distributed operations, with a wider, more fragmented global tech footprint, create a more complex dynamic of devices and data, which all need securing and managing,” adds Anand. “While security is critical, due to the increasing reliance on sharing devices alongside the connectivity of device data, there also needs to be seamless visibility and access to monitor the health and use of these devices, with issues being fixed quickly and remotely once they arise. Without it, organisations will simply not yield the productivity and efficiency gains from their investments and leave themselves open to risks.”
Outdated Processes Threaten Productivity Gains
The arrival of the distributed workforce has spurred the need for technology to be adopted on two fronts – one in the form of the physical device itself, and the other in the effective management of all devices in an increasingly dispersed operational environment.
While digital workflows are becoming more commonplace, manually enacted workflows continue to play a significant role, suggesting that organisations still have a way to go to truly manage a new operational infrastructure.
Over the past year, 44% of Australian respondents’ business workflows were done on paper, while 49% were managed via email. This unstructured method is especially concerning in the healthcare sector where the manual information and data is likely to be patient related and therefore unsecured.
A Digital Transformation is the Key to Optimising Workflow Management
The report found that Australia (67%) was second to the U.S. (70%) as the region most likely to use manual processes.
Unfortunately, many organisations across various industries and regions continue to use outdated, paper-based processes, which is concerning. This means sensitive data such as patient information and consumer payment information is unsecured, leaving personal data in the wrong hands.
“Manual work processes are outdated, inefficient and open to human error. Therefore, it is alarming that Australia ranks so highly in the utilisation of manual workflows today. Australian organisations need to move beyond manual legacy processes to an environment powered by modern mobile devices that are managed securely and follow all relevant compliance protocols,” said Michael Dyson, VP of Sales, APAC at SOTI. “Properly managed mobile devices can speed up workflows and reduce the risk of security breaches and incidents, along with improving employee productivity and retention. In the digital era, the proper management of devices and data in a dispersed and often remote operational environment is central to ensuring ongoing business health and success,” ended Dyson.
SOTI’s report, When Work is Anywhere: Managing Technology’s Role in the Distributed Workforce, can be downloaded here.