A survey of European IT buyers across retail, education, healthcare and the corporate sector has revealed that 29 per cent of those in the UK admitted to not actively keeping up to date with new technology. 41 per cent stated that they are aware of the technology needs in their organisation, but are not actively addressing them; and a further 15 per cent admitted not being aware of their organisation’s needs.
Strategic decisions
Survey respondents indicated that implementation of new technology in the workplace was mostly triggered by ‘strategic decisions’ and ‘employee feedback’, which is encouraging. This comes at a time when business leaders are trying to navigate rapid digital transformation, which is impacting talent recruitment, and employee productivity and satisfaction.
The implementation of technology in the workplace is an important contributor to corporate success; a 2014 Epson survey found that 85 per cent of European businesses agreed that new technology provides a competitive advantage and that working with more efficient technology can account for 21 per cent increased employee productivity.
As information technologies continue to evolve and further improve workplace efficiency, investment decisions will have more of an impact on company growth and profitability. 76 per cent of employees today believe that the technology used in their workplace is not efficient, as previous European-wide research from Epson Europe shows.
Commenting on the survey results, Paul Steels, Vice President, Epson Europe, says: “The survey results show that companies need to respond better to today’s business needs and employee expectations – especially now with Generation Y moving into leadership roles and Generation Z entering the workforce. Keeping pace with new technologies so that workers are not left with outdated equipment needs to be a priority in the era of business digitisation. Of course, budget pressures play a role in IT buyer’s decisions, so switching to products that are cost-effective while addressing the issues of today’s workforce is crucial.”
Encouragingly, Epson’s research showed that approximately 66 per cent of IT decision makers are conducting trials to assess the impact of new technology when implemented in the workplace. Furthermore, 27 per cent claim to introduce new technology into their workplace at least once every six months; which is the best in Europe.
“Companies that don’t keep up with technology needs will start to see a bigger productivity gap as the technology evolves. Many companies are already reaping the benefits of wearable, collaborative, and automated technologies; but even something as basic and essential to daily office life as more efficient printing solutions can make a huge difference,” Steels concludes.
