As we contemplate returning to work from the holidays, many business leaders are concerned that they don’t have the necessary support to handle everything coming their way in the new year.
The last few years have been marked by significant change, with the latest business trends pointing towards continuing disruption of the status quo. These changes have affected the fundamental ways organizations operate, including the productivity apps and cybersecurity tools that keep businesses productive and safe.
You don’t need to change your business to respond to these trends, but you may need more technical support. A great managed IT services provider can offer the expertise and experience you need to increase your flexibility and minimize risk, keeping your business thriving through 2023 and beyond.
The Most Important Business Trends of 2023
Preparing for change in advance is the best way to ensure a thoughtful and conscientious response. If your IT is not set up for this type of flexibility, it’s easy to find your business overspending in an effort to compensate.
Here are some of the most critical business trends we will likely experience in 2023.
Hybrid work
Hybrid work is here to stay. When surveyed, 44% of employees and 51% of employers favored a hybrid working arrangement.
That’s a huge percentage of both workers and their employers who prefer to have flexibility in how and where they work. 63% of high-growth companies use a hybrid work model, allowing them to accommodate staff while fostering a close and dynamic in-office environment.
Work-from-anywhere environments
While many staff prefer the option of hybrid work, others will always choose to work remotely, where they can set up their desk anywhere they please.
However, any business that offers the option of hybrid or remote work should ensure that its cybersecurity can support this expansion of its attack surface. Employees logging in from outside the office can expose serious security vulnerabilities that are challenging for IT personnel to detect, much less defend.
IT support from anywhere
Even if employees are logging in from home, they still expect to be able to receive timely and effective IT support when they need it. The growing trend of remote work has led to a corresponding demand for IT support that can be accessed outside the office.
If your team doesn’t have the capacity to support a remote workforce, it could jeopardize not only employee productivity and satisfaction but also overall company growth and security.
Economic uncertainty
Most businesses, regardless of their size or industry, have been affected by the ongoing economic uncertainty. Rising prices and fluctuating unemployment have made it difficult to maintain steady growth, forcing businesses to pivot or risk losing all they’ve built.
Great IT support can help offset the current economic uncertainty, making it easy to respond faster to changes in demand or developments in customer behavior.
Need to downsize
Sometimes, companies working through economic uncertainty or changing customer demand need to pivot by downsizing. In these situations, you need an expert who can help rightsize your IT by ensuring you’re only paying for the IT tools and services you actually use.
Making the most of downsizing can also involve using automation, AI, and machine learning to complete or simplify tasks formerly performed by members of your team. This strategy may seem complex, but pursuing this with a trained expert can provide resources that make the most of your budget.
Increased cyber risks
With staff working remotely and cybercrime against SMBs on the rise, organizations need to be prepared to respond to increased cyber risks in 2023. This may involve everything from regular cybersecurity education workshops for your staff and phishing and ransomware training to opting for improved anti-virus software and other tools to ensure gap-free IT.
Tech Squared Is Your Partner in Cybersecurity in Nashville
If you’re looking for a partner that can help you respond to changing business trends and demands in 2023, we are here for you. With over 20 years of expertise, Tech Squared offers specialized managed IT services to Nashville businesses.
Our team is adept at working with small- and medium-sized businesses to provide IT support that keeps them flexible, productive, and safe, making it easier to serve customers and get work done. Our services will help you reduce risk, closing gaps in your IT and defending your system against intruders.
Tech Squared is the IT partner that will help you grow despite economic uncertainty. Book a meeting with us today to learn more.
