Businesses create and communicate more effectively when employees have quick and easy access to top technologies, says a recent global survey reported by Forbes Middle East.
The survey was unveiled by Blue Coat Systems, Inc., which specialises in business assurance technology.
According to a worldwide survey of more than 1,900 business and IT leaders, written by the Economist Intelligence Unit and conducted by Vanson Bourne, 84% of the leaders surveyed agree that empowering employees drives greater efficiency in business. They also believe that providing technology choices to employees can increase revenue and profits by more than 35%.
The report states that business leaders and independent-minded users are driving a shift away from IT-controlled technology to at-will consumption of the best technology, devices, applications and IT services available in the marketplace. Securing this technology while empowering the business requires a new approach to security that is not just about what IT prevents, but also what it makes possible, the report adds.
“Security has traditionally been steeped in fear – of the unknown, of new technology, of loss of control – and that fear has driven a rigidity that stymies growth in the business,” said Greg Clark, CEO at Blue Coat Systems. “To empower business, the security model needs to change to one that makes it possible for employees to individually optimise on the technologies that best allow them to perform their jobs.”
According to the survey, businesses are trying to harness the power of technology to deliver new products and services, improve customer experience and drive greater competitive advantage, but traditional security methods can be too rigid and outdated to match the pace of innovation adoption. Additionally, 52% of business leaders believe IT policies slow innovation, while 53% believe they slow customer service.
The results of the survey show that the fastest growing companies in the world understand how to drive greater profitability, efficiency and innovation with technology. Worldwide, 68% of these companies increased profitability by using new technologies, compared to only 39% of slow growing companies. Likewise, 66% of them have used technology to empower their users, compared with only 48% of slow-growing companies.
“CIOs need to be business enablers who can align IT with strategic corporate initiatives,” said Phil Hochmuth, program manager, security at IDC. “When the partnership between IT and business leaders is successful, the organisation can innovate and deliver new products and services, reduce costs through greater efficiency and ultimately drive revenue growth.”
CIOs understand they need to embrace technology changes to realise strategic business goals, but they may not have the infrastructure or methods to empower people to safely use these new technologies. Globally, 76% of IT leaders believe that security is the biggest obstacle to enabling employees to choose the best technology in the world at-will.
With the results of the survey, Blue Coat introduced its Business Assurance Technology vision, a new security approach that securely empowers businesses to provide employees, customers, partners and suppliers with the flexibility to choose the best applications, devices, data sources and technologies the world has to offer.
