Embracing the future with technology

13 February, 2020

It largely goes without saying that SMBs are key to a country’s economic growth, representing over 90% of the business population, 60 to 70% of employment, and 55% of GDP in developed economies. The new study gathered responses from 813 employees and 803 device buyers from companies with fewer than 1000 employees globally to evaluate EX trends among SMBs. The markets include the UK, US, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

According to an earlier Forrester report, enhanced EX leads to benefits including better work performance, lower turnover and improved customer experience, suggesting an imperative for SMBs to address the disconnect and prioritise technology that will create a positive work environment for employees.

To improve EX, the new Lenovo study suggests SMB employers actively listen to employee feedback on current work environments. Improving technology use is central, as most employees at SMBs still use desktops as their main device (71%, according to the study). Additionally, a hefty 74% of SMB employee respondents do not have access to cloud-based tools, nor have the flexibility to choose technologies that are most suited for their tasks. It will be key for SMB IT decision makers to invest in more mobile and portable device options, such as laptops, smartphones, 2-in-1s, and next-generation smart devices like augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) and smart office set-ups, to improve EX. Creating an environment where employees can work remotely and achieve better work-life integration is essential.

Dilip Bhatia, vice president of Global User and Customer Experience, Lenovo, makes the point that SMBs pioneered the now widely held ideas about the mobile workforce. However, he adds that this notion is unmatched in SMB organisations’ ability to offer their own employees more flexible technology for a better employee experience.