The way we work has drastically changed over the last decade. As the working environment continues to evolve, Stephen Homer, Digital Workplace Portfolio Lead at Getronics, shares his thoughts on what’s next for the digital workplace and what trends we can expect to see in the future.
The concept of infrastructure modernisation is nothing new. The ‘cloud big four’ have been quietly building their versions of public cloud for years now, helping businesses move away from on-premises infrastructure towards cloud-based service models.
It’s easy to see why so many have made the move to a digital workplace. While on-premises infrastructure may have been the model of choice for many businesses historically, it can have several downsides, like high upfront costs, scalability challenges, regular maintenance, and limited geographical reach.
But the pandemic was undoubtedly the biggest catalyst for change. When office working was restricted, many companies still relied on on-premises infrastructure and servers that had been designed with perimeters in mind.
So, they had no choice but to adopt cloud-based services, allowing employees to work and collaborate from home or wherever they had an internet connection.
Four years later, having witnessed the benefits of hybrid and remote working, more and more businesses are on their digital transformation journeys. According to Gartner’s 2024 Digital Workplace Planning Guide, 64% of businesses list digital workplace infrastructure modernisation as their top priority for buying. Globally, digital transformation spending is projected to reach $3.4 trillion by 2026.
On-premises infrastructure still has its place for now
Have we completely moved from digital workplace infrastructure to digital workplace services? In short, no. One reason is that some businesses are still tied to legacy software.
Many manufacturing businesses, for example, might be using legacy software because it is complemented by a manufacturing application that has been developed specifically for them.
Regulation and compliance have understandably impacted progression rates. Customers in the financial or security sectors, where they have to operate within certain laws, aren’t able to put their data into a cloud where it could be replicated in other data centres for disaster recovery reasons.
Some countries also have more stringent data laws than others. A lot of our customers are in regulated territories where data residency laws have to be adhered to, like Germany. We also have customers in Spain who, because of the laws that govern certain principalities or institutions, can’t have their data migrated to a private cloud.
But laws are changing. As things change, companies that are restricted now may find it easier to adopt a cloud-based approach. Vendors like Google and Microsoft are also building specialised environments. For example, Microsoft has its own subset of Microsoft 365, which has been specifically designed for government entities to use.
The rise of the smart office
With IT infrastructure diminishing, you’d expect to see falling demand for on-site and field needs. But at Getronics, we’re seeing more. Why? With cloud-based models making way for more hybrid working and with more focus than ever on employee experience, we’re now getting into the era of smart offices. In fact, in 2023, the global smart office market size reached $44.9 billion. And it’s expected to reach $122.6 billion by 2032.
Modern offices are no longer spaces where PCs, printers, and servers humming away in the basement. Organisations that offer hybrid and flexible working realise that every space for employees, whether physical or virtual, needs to be a space for collaboration.
That means we’re seeing more smart conferencing with full AV solutions, including screens, cameras, and microphone pods. We’re also seeing bookable rooms, bookable desks, digital whiteboards and digital concierge platforms. All of these technologies require field people who can be on-site should things go wrong.
Supporting the transition to a digital workplace
The Global Workspace Alliance (GWA) has been pivotal in helping us provide this service to customers. Founded by Getronics, the GWA combines the strength of local members to ensure global customers receive consistent IT services and last-mile on-site support.
Its mission is to support global companies as they transition towards an increasingly mobile, connected, and secure global workspace environment, enabling them to achieve their objectives by empowering satisfied and efficient colleagues.
Today, the GWA embodies a total collective workforce of 38,000 field engineers, covering more than 185 countries and jointly managing more than 10 million workspace assets.
In conclusion, while there may always be a place for on-premises solutions, we’re seeing a consolidation of data centre digital workplace infrastructure (either in an organisation’s own environment or private cloud) to as-as-service delivery models across the board. But that doesn’t mean the need for field engineers is diminishing—far from it. With the rise and growing demand for smart offices, there’s never been more demand for on-the-ground support.
