As the world locked down in 2020, it became increasingly digitalised. Many organisations turned to tech to survive. There is no doubt that the pandemic accelerated the digital revolution and there is no going back now, as we anticipate that 2021 will continue this trend. Organisations must shift from reactive to proactive to stay competitive in an increasingly digital world.
So, what will be the key trends over the next year?
Automation
Automation was a top trend in 2020 and will continue into 2021. As companies become more automated, they increase the pace of digital transformation within their organisation. The pandemic has seen an acceleration in automation throughout industries, and this is expected to keep developing.
Automation is cost-effective and enables innovation and productivity. In the age of COVID-19, automation also crucially helps keep employees safer. Across the world, robots are now being used in sectors such as cleaning, services and in warehouses too. It has even been estimated robots could replace 2 million manufacturing workers by 2025.
There is no doubt automation is set to continue in all areas of industry.
Cybersecurity
As AI becomes embedded in our organisations, it is more crucial than ever that our networks are secure. In 2020 43 per cent of data breaches were the result of web application vulnerability. Between just January and April 2020, there was a 600 per cent increase in attacks on cloud servers.
It is vital that organizations consider the latest trends in digital transformation on an ongoing basis to understand the evolving threat landscape.
Simply put, organisations need to consider the risks to their IT infrastructure and invest in security proactively, rather than dealing with issues that arise as a result of a breach.
Democratising AI
Democratising AI makes it accessible to each and every person and role within the organisation. More companies need to consider their capability to integrate AI into their systems to reap the rewards of automation.
In order to keep up with the growth, organisations need to be empowered to self-serve and deliver solutions instead of relying on external support.
Cloud computing
2020 began the remote working trend, and it looks set to stay. Successful remote working relies on cloud computing to keep employees connected. Recent innovation in the cloud has created a multi-tenant and hybrid cloud system.
Cloud computing allows world-wide access, greater security and increased business continuity. Going forward, greater investment in cloud computing is crucial for the success of organisations.
Connectivity
Users now expect constant engagement with organisations. In order to be effective, brands need to be constantly communicating with consumers.
McKinsey found that companies are now three times more likely to conduct over 80 per cent of their customer interactions digitally and this looks set to rise. 86 per cent of consumers say they want the ability to move between channels when talking to a brand. To stay competitive, organisations need to invest in new digital methods of customer service.
Constant communication will be expected not only with consumers but also with employees. Remote working has created an emphasis on international messaging and video conferencing to support staff and enable collaboration.
It is evident that we have witnessed a quick succession of trends that are accelerating our shift to digital ways of working. What comes next for organisations looking to scale and upgrade their technologies? That’s certainly a question we will be keeping in mind.
What other trends do you expect to see?
Written by Darren Timmins
Darren is a Co-founder of Animate Search and Talent Management industry elder (sadly). Living in Barcelona and working across Europe he is inspired by the different challenges the diverse region brings up every day for his clients.If you have a Talent Management challenge and need some advice feel free to reach out on darren@animatesearch.com
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