Written by Vincent Kruse, Country Managing Director of Neptune Software for the UK and Ireland.
Rarely has the business world transformed as much or as quickly as we’ve witnessed in the past couple of years. And if we’ve learned anything from the global health crisis, it’s that getting in the prediction business is risky. But with the world continuing to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic –– and with the growing threat of climate change –– modern enterprises are adapting to our new normal. Here are some trends to look for in 2022:
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has fundamentally altered the definition of “the workplace.” The adjustment for some companies was slow and not without hiccups, but most were able to adapt fairly quickly to remote work, where possible. And there’s also no doubt that employees have a different outlook on remote work than before. In a Harris poll conducted in May, three fourths of Americans reported they preferred either permanently working remotely or favored a home-office hybrid option once the pandemic ends.
Enterprises should embrace remote work options, where possible. What’s clear is that continuing to attract top talent will require it. And remote work options can have the added benefit of tapping into a larger, more diverse talent pool.
With worsening heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires plaguing much of the world, the climate crisis is an urgent threat that enterprises must take seriously. For many companies, that means reducing their carbon footprint by doing things like eliminating paper, going all digital, and turning to renewable energy sources to fuel their operations. But some are taking it a step further and considering the carbon footprint of their entire supply chain –– and that’s key to having a truly positive impact on CO2 emissions. Raw material providers are increasingly being considered to be part of an enterprise’s carbon footprint both by the public at large and their own customers.
Not only are the benefits of reducing your carbon footprint, paper waste and supply chain simplification obvious in combating climate change, but they also makes good business sense. Renewable energy is getting cheaper, and in many parts of the world is more cost effective than fossil fuels. And beyond just the cost savings, massive investments in growing renewable energies worldwide are driving the energy sector forward.
Fallout from a once-in-a-century health crisis has disrupted global supply chains unlike anything we’ve seen in the last 30 years. Rapidly changing consumer habits, factory shutdowns, and poor collaboration and information sharing upended the system. But out of turmoil arises innovation –– and the need to accelerate innovation with tech solutions has never been greater.
That’s why more and more enterprises are turning to low-code / no-code toolsets to deliver digital transformations quickly while reducing costs and driving business value. These toolsets eliminate the need for highly skilled developers to create enterprise grade mobile applications, rapidly speeding up the development process and allowing for quick deployment into the field. Pandemic disruptions require enterprises to adapt to the changing market conditions faster, and low-code / no-code toolsets will continue to be tools of choice for driving innovation.
While we cannot predict the future, we can reasonably conclude that these trends will continue in 2022. And going forward, enterprises that embrace them and become more digital overall are likely to improve their bottom lines, deliver a positive impact against environmental and climate concerns, and become more competitive as a result.
