Distributed workforce growth is redefining global business

The distributed workforce now exists beyond the rise of hybrid, flexible or remote working environments, and it is having a significant impact on business operations in industries around the world. New global research from SOTI, “When Work is Anywhere: Managing Technology’s Role in the Distributed Workforce,” has revealed that organisations in healthcare, transportation and logistics (T&L) and retail are increasing their investment in new technology and devices as workforces and infrastructure become more widely distributed.

SOTI’s research suggests that the distributed workforce is expanding beyond the rise of hybrid, flexible or remote working environments and is increasingly creating significant implications for industries that are not traditionally office based. As businesses expand, the report emphasises the need to better manage the ever-broadening scope of devices and technologies used if leaders want to avoid security risks and maximise efficiency and productivity gains.

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. SOTI’s research has revealed that in the UK, over one-third (36%) of respondents reported substantial growth in the number of devices being deployed across companies in the last year.

Additionally, 35% of UK organizations have seen an increase in the mix of device types (including smartphones, barcode scanners, rugged handsets, mobile computers, etc.).

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, 44% of UK respondents cited the need for better access control to protect their IT network, while 32% increased their spend on mobile technology security.

“The distributed workforce brings with it the potential for heightened productivity and flexibility, but it also creates more data challenges and complexity for businesses as the number of devices and applications increases,” said Stefan Spendrup, VP of Sales, Northern and Western Europe at SOTI. “In addition to managing elevated data security concerns, organisations must consider the need for seamless visibility and device health monitoring. Our research shows that many larger businesses are already doing this very well, but smaller businesses that are still adapting to more distributed and remote workforces will need to invest more in device oversight going forward.”

Outdated Processes Threaten Data Integrity

While digital workflows are becoming more common practice, manually enacted workflows continue to play a significant role. Over the past 12 months, 26% of all manually enacted workflows in UK businesses were done on paper, while 38% 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.

The report found that 54% of UK respondents’ workflows are managed manually. Globally, healthcare organisations were the most likely to manage workflows manually at 61%, with retail (59%) being the second most likely. The report also found that U.S. (70%) and Australia (67%) respondents used manual processes most frequently.

With many organisations across various industries and regions continuing to use outdated, paper-based processes, this creates an elevated risk of sensitive data, such as patient and consumer payment information, falling into the wrong hands.

“Outdated legacy processes and software pose significant risks to organisations’ data integrity and security. As workforces continue to become more widely distributed and device numbers grow, organisations need to move to prioritise overhauls of outdated systems or risk exacerbating the vulnerabilities that legacy processes pose,” adds Spendrup. “Robust management of data in this increasingly dispersed workforce landscape is critical to ensuring a businesses’ overall health and success. It can help enhance productivity, prevent malware attacks or breaches and even help address employee retention.”