When it comes to technology, the only constant is change. The big story over the past year was, of course, the global pandemic. From a technology perspective, the tools that enabled our remote workers became the year’s biggest story. Here’s a look at what experts have to say about the future state of tech now that we’ve adapted our workflows to enable fully remote or hybrid teams.
2022 Tech Trends
Working smarter has been the goal of most companies for decades. But in 2022, automation tools will finally help us get there. Automation is the next iteration of software innovation, intending to automate manual tasks that dumb down our work. Watch for the algorithms in machine learning and robotic process automation to continue to shift how we work. In some instances, this automation will eventually replace human workers. In others, it will free them up to perform tasks that only humans can do, including innovation and strategy. Like all technology, this push to automate will change our world. Like all innovations, there will be positive and negative impacts on your workforce. We should note that this push to automate workflows is in an adolescent phase and is nowhere near what it will become in the next decade. However, employers should act now to reskill workers to prepare them for this vital tech trend.
Big data will continue making a significant impact. Watch for an increase in the efficiency of how we use data next year. We’re moving towards a time where the information that we collect will not only inform our daily decision-making but will also allow us to use predictive analytics to base our future state on something more than guesswork. Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity that captures massive volumes of information from remote sensors and wearable devices, we’ll have more data than ever before. While your organization likely cannot pull together all of the data you capture into one cohesive framework yet, that’s the goal.
Cloud technology will continue to make an impact. While many organizations transitioned to remote operations during the pandemic shutdowns in 2020, that transformation was scrambled and incomplete. Watch for critical tools in 2022 to normalize the cloud. For example, many organizations will outsource cybersecurity or other IT architectures to cloud models next year. Cloud technology is not only here to stay; its usage is increasing.
Teleworking will also stick around in 2022. It was a sudden necessity due to COVID, but you can expect increased remote work in the coming years. This will increase our reliance on internet-based productivity and communication tools that allow our teams to continue working from anywhere there’s a WiFi signal.
Finally, artificial intelligence tools, or at least tools that use the algorithms that make up AI, will continue to grow in popularity. But watch for more discussions around the ethical use of AI tools such as facial recognition and data privacy. Stay on top of these trends to ensure your company won’t struggle to craft a response around the ethics of using AI technologies.
Blackstone Talent is on top of these trends and ready to bring you up to speed. If you’re looking for technology talent, now is the time to start the conversation. We’re here to meet your hiring goals.