Future Workforce Study Provides Insights into Global Workplace Trends

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Have you adjusted to working out of your kitchen with your dog at your feet or at your local coffee shop? If so, you’re not alone. Today, over half of global employees already work outside of a traditional office at least one day a week, while 18 percent are working remote every week, according to Dell and Intel’s third Future Workforce Study.

In fact, not only do employees find working remotely convenient, workers are finding virtual work provides greater productivity as well. Over one third of all employees believe they are more productive working outside of the office, while 28 percent note they get more work done while remote due to the reduced commute.

 82 percent of millennials belive that workplace technology would influence them when deciding to accept a new job

The Future Workforce Study identified millennials as the primary influencer of the work remote trend. Thanks to this generation’s flexible lifestyles and desire to adopt new technologies, they are expected to inspire additional changes in the workplace in the near future. With their willingness to embrace new technologies, millennials globally care strongly about having access to these tools on the job – 82 percent say tech would have an influence when deciding to take a new job.  In contrast, 67 percent of workers over 35 years old feel the same way. The survey results show that employers that don’t start recognizing this now will likely be facing major talent and retention challenges in the near future.

With the influx of innovative tools including virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) making great gains – employees, and not just millennials, are becoming more open and wiling to embrace these offerings at work. Two thirds, of the global workforce we surveyed would be willing to use AR/VR products in their professional lives, while nearly half believe the technologies will improve productivity within their role at work.

More and more employees have made it clear that they’re ready for workplace tech to keep up with their way of life – providing resources and tools that create and stir collaboration and productivity. The direction employers need to move in is clear – 70 percent of millennials feel that advanced tech/smart offices are crucial to a collaborative, productive and efficient work environment.

At the same time, the move towards a smarter and more mobile workforce still presents challenges for the employer.  According to our recent Dell Data Security survey, 95 percent of all security breaches originate from an employee device/endpoint and 73 percent of businesses are concerned about malware and advanced persistent threats. Integrating these new technologies means companies need to be thinking of a pragmatic and secure approach to managing these expanded IT environments.

Check out the full Future Workforce Study and let us know how the findings match up with what you’re seeing in your job/office on Twitter using #FutureWorkforce.

 Dell and Intel Future Workforce Study Global Report

Allison Dew, CMO, Dell Technologies

About the Author: Allison Dew

Allison Dew is Dell Technologies’ chief marketing officer (CMO). She is directly responsible for the global marketing strategy and all aspects of Dell Technologies marketing efforts, including brand and creative, product marketing, communications, digital, and field and channel marketing. Allison believes in combining creative excellence with data-driven decision-making in service of business outcomes and greater customer relevance. Since joining Dell Technologies in 2008, she has been instrumental in its marketing transformation, leading an emphasis on data-driven marketing, customer understanding and integrated planning. She is the proud executive sponsor of Dell Technologies Women in Action and PRIDE employee resource groups. Prior to her role as CMO, she led marketing for Dell Technologies Client Solutions Group. Previously, Allison held marketing leadership roles at Microsoft. She also worked agency-side in a regional advertising shop in Tokyo, Japan, and an independent, multi-cultural agency in New York. Allison earned her MBA from the Wharton School and an MA in International Studies with a concentration in Japanese and a BA in French and Japanese from the University of Pennsylvania.
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