SINGAPORE, 26 NOVEMBER 2009 — The new generation of workers has a different set of demands in the workplace and these are seen to affect the shape of IT in the future.
A recent study showed that the traditional balance sheet approach may not entirely hold true to keep today’s so-called Generation Y productivity in the workplace.
Results of the latest Microsoft-commissioned study showed that ramping up productivity levels and cutting IT costs were both identified by 98 per cent of the respondents as the current biggest challenges confronting IT professionals in Singapore these days.
However, in the next 12 to 18 months, the key priorities for 94 per cent, 87 per cent and 98 per cent of the respondents are collaboration, mobility and better management, respectively.
The 221 respondents to the survey are IT managers working for multinational and Singapore firms that range from small to large in terms of size.
Demanding workforce
After putting their ears close to the ground, 88 per cent of the respondents felt the need for IT development to be shaped according to the new as well as emerging demands of the Generation Y employees.
Haresh Khoobchandani, senior director of Microsoft Singapore’s business and marketing organisation, described Generation Y as a “demanding workforce”.
“As digital natives, their productivity is dependent on mobility, connectivity and speed,” Khoobchandani said. “From our survey, it was heartening to see that nine out of 10 IT professionals acknowledge that this is a trend they need to pay attention to, and that they are prepared to provide flexibility and choice to users.”
Microsoft viewed consumerisation of IT — the condition where users expect the same experience at work as they do at home — as a driver for these needs.
In the workplace, a proof of this is the extensive use of free instant messaging tools. The survey showed that 63 per cent of employees use instant messaging tools for internal communications while 53 per cent use it to communicate with customers.
Well-connected workforce
Because IT managers see the importance of a well-connected workforce, organisations must find ways to equip employees with mobile resources. Of the respondents surveyed, 87 per cent recognise the need to improve employee mobility.
The figures also indicate that because organisations expect to gain from the mobility of its workforce, IT managers are searching for business solutions carrying mobile computing and collaboration features. This is to ensure of the uninterrupted productivity regardless of the employee’s location.
In supporting the view that smart phones are no longer a corporate status symbol, 88 per cent of the respondents said they are asked to provide wider support for mobile or remote synchronisation.
Moreover, the organisations surveyed predicted a 50 per cent increase in the number of laptop PCs in the next three years. This is compared to the desktops’ horizontal sales growth forecast.
Too close for comfort
Not all IT managers feel comfortable with the arrangement that files and e-mails must be made accessible to an employee wherever the person is located. Only 51 per cent would allow such access. This further indicated a gap between user demand and what IT managers believe is the output of the employee.
Instant messaging and other free software tools have also increased worries about security and control.
At least nine in 10 respondents are constantly exploring ways to enhance the security of their operating systems, rationalise the approach to high availability and disaster recovery as well as stay compliant.
A large number of managers are also searching for ways to unburden help desk teams. The options include automating the deployment of software to users and simplifying common tasks and improving e-mail management.
But the greater concern of respondents, as reflected in the study, is the lack of management support for IT professionals in being able to effectively address related problems.
Seventy-one per cent of IT managers said management does not understand the potential security risk of using popular software in the market while 68 per cent said their companies do not understand the importance of a centrally managed operating system or server.
