Here is a summary of the key points from the research report:
- The biggest IT challenges faced during the pandemic were providing access to business-critical applications and supplying suitable devices for remote working. Other issues included broadband/WiFi connectivity at home.
- 60% of IT teams saw an increase in end-user support requests, with some experiencing up to 200-300% more requests. This was largely due to the rapid shift to remote working.
- 45% believe over 70% of the workforce will continue working from home to some extent. Reasons include increased productivity and potential cost savings from reduced office space.
- The biggest areas for IT investment over the next 12 months are predicted to be cloud, hardware, security and virtual desktop infrastructure. The goals are to support the distributed workforce and provide suitable endpoints.
- Opportunities exist to optimize real estate and support changing work patterns, facilitated by a flexible IT infrastructure like VDI and cloud workspaces. These enable workforce mobility while allowing centralized management and security.
- Solutions from vendors like Citrix, VMware, Microsoft and IGEL can provide the required VDI and cloud workspace capabilities to successfully enable the future of work.