Transform ways of working to drive a more innovative future

The way we work has changed — and it continues to evolve. Whether it’s the rise of hybrid work models or AI making its way into all levels of work, things just aren’t what they used to be. Similarly, customer expectations are changing dramatically. They want meaningful, personalized experiences from the brands they interact with. On top of all this, organizations everywhere are dealing with constantly changing markets and economic uncertainty.

In short, it’s clear that businesses need to set themselves up for a future of work that’s already taking shape. To do so, they’ll need to invest not just in technologies that facilitate getting more work done — they’ll need tech that focuses on how that work gets done.

Because of the challenges businesses are facing right now, they need everyone in their organization firing on all cylinders at once and working together to reach key business goals. Because when they do, these brands can deliver experiences that dazzle every customer on every channel.

We commissioned IDC to create an IDC Analyst Connection* where Amy Loomis, research vice president of the future of work at IDC, gave her take on what market trends are saying about the future of work. And all signs are pointing in one direction — businesses must evolve their operational strategies to support flexible work.

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Let’s dig into some of the details of what she said.

Make everyone’s work matter

One of the biggest evolutions in the last couple of years is the redefinition of the workplace. Gone are the days of traditional offices for everyone. Instead, businesses are focusing on digital workspaces blended with in-person environments. Whatever you want to call them, these hybrid or flexible models are empowering teams to work together no matter where they’re located.

There’s also been a noted shift to supporting employee wellbeing, both in and outside of work. Because organizations have learned that when people know their role and how their day-to-day work contributes to business success, they feel fulfilled and do their best work.

“It’s key that the applications that employees use are as integrated as possible, so that employees can spend more time engaged in being creative and productive — and less time struggling to navigate the means to do so,” says Loomis.

Support flexible work by building in the cloud

As work continues to evolve to support more flexibility, teams need even more ways to collaborate. Brands can’t afford to let physical location be a silo anymore — especially if they want to attract and keep top talent all over the world.

Loomis points out, “Whether teams are broadly distributed or working side by side — full time or part time, in-house or contractors — they all benefit from having integrated tools to communicate and collaborate.”

And the market is responding. Companies are investing in intelligent digital workspaces where everyone across the organization can plan, collaborate, make decisions, and deliver work in a single, cloud-based application. “Organizations are putting more priority on cloud-based connectivity…the backbone of a hybrid work model,” says Loomis.

Clearly, employees want flexibility. But it’s up to brands to deliver it.

Keep an eye on the future and mitigate against risk

As markets shift rapidly and talks of recession increase, it’s becoming even more apparent to businesses that they need to protect themselves against future risk now. And the way people work is increasingly becoming a way to reduce that risk.

Loomis adds that organizations are investing in work tools that help them shift gears quickly and reprioritize work. “More digitally mature organizations are better prepared to respond to shifting markets with the highest spending levels, experiencing better business outcome improvements as a result,” she says.

And that feeling of fulfillment that’s so vital to employee happiness? It’s just as important to the security of the business. “Managers are investing in building a culture of trust and collaboration to ensure that employees feel invested in their work, encouraging them to stay productive,” says Loomis. “They are investing in intelligent digital workspaces, team collaboration solutions, and remote desktop management — as well as secure remote access to enterprise files and resources.”

Finally, Loomis points to integrated tools that people love to use as an added layer of security. “Exposure also comes from not providing tools and technologies that are well integrated or easy to use, prompting employees to investigate less secure ways of communicating,” she says.

In a digital age, brands must support digital work to be successful. And with the right tech, you can support the flexible, meaningful work that employees everywhere crave.

Enter Adobe Workfront

That’s where Adobe comes in.

With Adobe Workfront, you can make it so much easier to orchestrate work, foster collaboration, and integrate all your critical tools. What’s more, it connects everyone’s work to your core strategies, so that everyone in the business feels a sense of accomplishment. Best of all, with the power of AI, it helps you automate repetitive, manual tasks so that people can spend more time focused on the things they love to do — and ultimately produce their best work.

The future of work has arrived, and Workfront is here to help you deliver on its promise.

If you’re ready to revolutionize the way you work, check out how Workfront can get you started. Or, check out the full IDC Analyst Connection to get even more insights on the future of work.

*Building the Future of Flexible Work Management, IDC Analyst Connection, sponsored by Adobe, doc #US50483523, March 2023