IT Trends for Businesses in 2024
While there are some things that stay the same year after year, IT isn’t one of them.
One of the things we love most about this industry is the constant evolution of tools, solutions, and technologies.
What’s going to have the biggest impact on IT for businesses in 2024? Here are ADNET’s predictions, based on industry insights, our national network of partnerships, and global trends we’re seeing – and tips for implementing them at your organization.
AI FOR BUSINESS
You’ve probably been hearing a lot about AI in the past year, and that’s not likely to change in 2024. With tons of business applications being developed for the technology, it’s poised to become an integral part of how organizations operate.
Businesses can already use AI in lots of different ways. Beyond ChatGPT, major corporations like Microsoft are investing substantial resources in the technology. These new AI applications are highly customizable and can be adapted to the unique needs of your business. They can help you generate or explain content, serve your customers, leverage search capabilities, and translate conversational language into code.
Most AI applications are available as a subscription model – some are even free. But as with any tool, “free” can be more of a warning sign than a draw. There’s nothing wrong with using free tools, but make sure you’re reading the full terms and conditions if you plan to. With the rise of new technologies comes new security risks. When incorporating AI into your business strategy, make sure you’re doing it with privacy and security in mind and discussing it with your IT partner.
ENABLING WORK-FROM-ANYWHERE
In 2020 and the years that followed, there was a mass exodus when it came to working in offices. Now, there’s a widespread push to return to a more traditional office environment. But ignoring the benefits of enabling your team to work from anywhere could be detrimental to your business. There’s no right answer to whether you should allow your team to work from anywhere, but not offering it can hurt your business.
Flexibility not only helps with talent retention and recruitment, it also helps people stay productive regardless of common barriers. While some organizations are encouraging a more traditional office environment, many are embracing what enabling their teams to work from anywhere allows. Working remotely can give your employees more work-life balance, and ultimately lead to more productivity.
ADNET has had a work-from-anywhere policy in place for years and built our new office spaces with that in mind. We’ve seen the benefits with our team – people are more productive, focused, and happier – and our clients are too. But at the end of the day, we need to prioritize security for the clients we serve. We wouldn’t allow our team to work remotely without leveraging the proper security tools and an expertly implemented cloud environment.
Is your organization looking for ways to implement a work-from-anywhere policy? Our next tips for building secure cloud environments and pursuing digital transformation can help.
SECURE CLOUD ENVIRONMENTS
No matter where your team works, a secure cloud environment can benefit your business. In addition to not having to replace aging hardware every few years, empowering you and your team to securely access your business-critical data helps when the unexpected happens. In 2020, we were able to seamlessly pivot to working from home when we needed to – with no interruption to our ability to provide service to our clients, thanks to having a secure cloud environment in place.
Cloud has been gaining momentum for years now, but with major backers like Microsoft and Amazon, the technology and support have never been better. Small and large companies are transitioning to cloud instead of upgrading on-premise hardware. If you’re not already leveraging the cloud, you’re missing out.
Before making big hardware purchases this year, you might want to discuss cloud options with your IT partner. You could save money and end up with a more efficient, flexible solution.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Digital transformation encompasses many different things – but mostly it’s about enabling your business to become more effective and efficient by using digital solutions and tools like AI, managed IT services, managed security services, application services, productivity training for your team, and more.
While it’s not a single product or piece of technology, digital transformation is one of the biggest IT trends we anticipate for 2024. Businesses are looking to compete in a challenging economy, and digital transformation is a way to do that. Focusing on what your business needs to scale and shift quickly is imperative. Modernizing your technology, policies and process has a positive impact on your clients, team and business.
But don’t get caught up in the buzzwords with these IT trends – make sure your IT partner is having real discussions about the business
challenges these tools solve. Not every single solution is right for everyone, and that’s okay. Making sure you have the right technologies and tools in place isn’t necessarily trending, but it’s the most important thing you can do.
If you have questions about any of these technologies and if they’re relevant to your business, or how you can leverage them as part of your strategy to meet your goals – reach out to a trusted IT partner and have the conversation. Implementing anything without a strategy and security in place can be a costly risk. This is by no means a comprehensive list of new tools and technologies, but if you’re looking to get ahead of the IT curve in 2024, it’s a great place to start.
Need help implementing any of these technologies and tools, or want to learn more about how they can transform your business?
Reach out to us at thinkADNET.com – we’d be happy to help.