Changing
working
patterns

Introduction

Empowering thehybrid workforce
The global events of the past two years have propelled flexible and hybrid working into
the spotlight. This has meant an overriding need among organizations for IT infrastructurethat is robust, secure, and flexible enough to support the new distributed workforce.
Requirements like IT agility and the ability to scale quickly have also become non-negotiable.
At the forefront of digital innovation during this period was the CIO. In the early days ofthe pandemic, it was CIOs who drove the urgent shift to digital platforms and services.
Emerging during this period as true business leaders, CIOs are now frequently seen as
high-level strategic advisers to most or all other functions of the organization. Indeed, by2024, 25% of traditional large enterprise CIOs will be held accountable for digital business
operational results, effectively becoming ‘CIO by proxy’.1
Subsequently, as the dust settles now on a period of huge transition, CIOs are looking to
now operationalize that era of accelerated innovation.

Changing CIO priorities
Post-pandemic, we are seeing a shift in IT priorities. CIOs are going backto basics, with a heightened focus on security and improving IT operations2.
•

51% of CIOs are prioritizing security management•

43% are focusing on improving IT operations / systems performance•

40% are modernizing infrastructure and applications•

38% are ensuring IT initiatives align with business goals•

Additionally, 66% of CIOs find it challenging to addressor solve data privacy and security

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Changing working patternsHybrid Work

Hybrid work is here to stayHybrid working is here to stay – in the UK alone, it’s estimated that more than 80% offirms have now adopted this approach to work3. The need to equip the new modern
workforce is therefore a priority.
The ability to work from anywhere is top of mind for most employees. If they can’t dothis, it leads to employee frustration, a lack of productivity, and calls into IT. We knowthat poor employee experience can have a noticeable impact on business performance.
And in the era of the ‘Great Resignation’ and intense competition for talent, enabling aseamless digital experience for employees is not something that any organization canafford to neglect.
Nevertheless, only 66% of employees say they have the technology they need toeffectively work remotely, compared to 80% of executives4. Only 59% of employees agree
their organization has invested in providing them with resources that allow them to work
the way they would on-site in a virtual environment, compared to 76% of executives.
Companies will need to ensure that the technology they place in the hands of employees
enables them to be productive, whether they are at home, in the office, in the field oron the move. As a CIO this means funding and rightsizing the appropriate assets tosupport the remote and hybrid workforce. It also means ensuring an exceptional digital
experience for employees, while securing systems in an age of increasingly sophisticatedcyberattacks.
You need technology partners that can provide flexible solutions that can be scaled atspeed. This is where Lenovo Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) can step in. Lenovo IaaS
provides flexible IT infrastructure that helps you innovate without constraint. It can help
you tackle the barriers to digital innovation and drive business growth – critical in the roleof a strategic business advisor5.
Whether those constraints are budgeting, procurement, managing equipment or theongoing skills and staffing shortages, IaaS can help you overcome each obstacle.

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Changing working patterns

Lenovo IaaS

What isLenovo IaaS?
Put simply, Lenovo IaaS is a secure, flexible,agile infrastructure that can be implemented
at scale, anywhere in the world. The built-in
security and data protection support
your needs to provide a safe and reliableinfrastructure for your business. Moreover,the solution can be easily modified throughLenovo’s transparent pay-as-you-go
business model.
Alongside this cloud-like experience, you get
on-prem security and control that can be
tailored to your needs. All with the expertiseof the end-to-end infrastructure lifecycle
services from the data center to the Edge
provided by Lenovo Infrastructure Services.

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Changing working patternsHybrid workforce

Powering the new
hybrid workforce
So, what does this mean for organizations
implementing a hybrid working model? Well, ina world characterized by shifting work patterns,increasing demand for flexibility and, of course,high attrition rates, you need IT that allows you
to increase or reduce capacity in line with theorganization’s needs at the time – without
any risk.

This flexible approach supports accelerated
growth without the need for hard-to-plan capital
expenditure. It enables you to fulfil your role asa changemaker while delivering the outcomesthe company needs in a challenging businesslandscape.

With Lenovo IaaS you can easily add or remove
incremental capacity, and swiftly pivot to meetchanging market demands or internal needs —without paying for unused infrastructure or
quickly scrambling for more. (This also means
you can improve spending predictability andbudgeting, and as you’re only using what youneed, you’re not wasting valuable energy
or budget.)•Plus, not owning the hardware means not having
to deal with depreciation, or with initial set-up
costs or maintenance. Most importantly, it meansthat you can dedicate your resources to revenuegenerating innovation rather than dealing withsupport queries or just keeping the lights on.

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Changing working patterns

In summary, Lenovo IaaS:••

Is scalable and customizable to suit
your particular needs
Powers digital innovation and helps
you achieve strategic aims
And the pay-as-you-go model preserves
cash and frees up staff

Securing the hybrid workforce

Hybrid work
is here to stay
Our global research study, The Future of Work and Digital Transformation6,
shows that managing data security and privacy policies is the top challenge
faced by IT leaders, followed closely by concerns around cybersecurity.
There is good reason for this; hybrid working means the attack surface forcyber threats has expanded, and threat actors have been quick to exploit
any vulnerabilities.
The cost of a data breach hit a record high during the pandemic, withcompanies paying out $4.24 million per incident on average. Moreover,
the rapid shift to remote operations appears to have led to more
expensive data breaches. Breaches cost over $1 million more on averagewhen remote work was indicated as a factor, according to IBM’s 2021
Cost of a Data Breach Report7.
Securing the hybrid workforce requires a layered approach that includes
always up-to-date technology and devices. But the big, upfront capital
expenditures often required to refresh devices can be a challenge forsome organizations.
Providing enhanced security, Lenovo IaaS helps you secure your hybrid
workforce while you continue to accelerate innovation with access to thelatest industry-leading solutions through a no-risk, no-surprise, pay-asyou-use consumption model. This means no large upfront investment inIT, while guaranteeing your infrastructure will always be up to date. And
alongside clear financial and procurement benefits, it eliminates overprovisioning, providing IT leaders with real-time cost insight.

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Changing working patterns

The rise of IT ‘as-a-Service’
The pandemic saw a huge shift to the cloud for manyorganizations, and an acceleration in as ‘as-a-service’
IT consumption, allowing them to take more control
over the enterprise IT they use and how they pay for it.
It is a trend that is set to continue. The global
Everything as a Service (XaaS) market size isanticipated to grow from $419.02 billion in 2021 toa staggering $2,384.12 billion by 2028 at a CAGRof 28.2%.
According to research from Fortune BusinessInsights8, boosting employee experience will fuel themarket’s growth. Factors such as improved businessagility and increasing operational efficiency will also
increase the footprint of the market in thecoming years.

Conclusion

Recent history has taught us all how to navigate uncertainty. It haschanged how we provision and consume products and services, including
IT. It has also driven some of the biggest changes ever seen in the global
workforce. From this, the CIO has emerged as a true business leader,leading from the front on innovation.
For its part, Lenovo IaaS takes the complexity out of running on-premisedata centers, giving you the time and resources to help build the visionthat takes your business forward. It is a simple and effective means ofcontrolling budgets, managing cash, and empowering internal people
to take on more value-added roles. With no risks, no surprises, and nocomplexity, IaaS enables you to take greater control when pursuing
digital innovation and providing reassurance in an uncertain world.

Visit our website to learn more about
how Lenovo TruScale IaaS can provide
flexible infrastructure that helps you
innovate without limits.
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https://www.gartner.com/en/doc/739468-to-accelerate-digital-business-leading-cios-act-as-coo-by-proxyhttps://foundryco.com/tools-for-marketers/research-state-of-the-cio/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60421056
https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/what-is-work-really-like-today-leaders-and-employees-see-things-differently
https://www.raconteur.net/business-strategy/leadership/why-cios-are-the-new-strategic-business-leaders/
https://www.lenovo.com/content/dam/lenovo/pcsd/global/en/campaigns/fy-2022/commercial-solutions-campaign/mid-tolarge-size-business/mid-funnel/common/future-of-work/Lenovo-REL-Future-of-Work-hybrid-health-Challenges-of-HybridWork-Checklist-193-English-IDG-WW.pdf
https://newsroom.ibm.com/2021-07-28-IBM-Report-Cost-of-a-Data-Breach-Hits-Record-High-During-Pandemic
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/02/2394958/0/en/Everything-as-a-Service-XaaS-Market-to-Rise-at-aRapid-Rate-Improved-Business-Agility-and-Increasing-Operational-Efficiency-to-Aid-Growth-Fortune-Business-Insights.htmlLenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications, at any time, without notice. Lenovo makes every effort to ensure
accuracy of information but is not liable or responsible for any editorial, photographic, or typographic errors. Images are for illustration
purposes only. For full Lenovo product, service, and warranty specifications, visit www.lenovo.com. Lenovo and the Lenovo logo aretrademarks or registered trademarks of Lenovo. Other company, product and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
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