4 key IT trends to watch as we enter 2021

The bottom line is, business right now is changing faster than it ever has before. Gartner recently highlighted this trend – in its report, “Top 10 Strategic Predictions for 2021 and Beyond,” the organization laid out that 2021 is going to be a reset period for a lot of businesses worldwide, given that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted so much about the ways we do business in 2020. This year will be a time to assess what worked and what didn’t during the economic crisis of the past year, and to map out a plan for moving forward.

“Technologies are being stretched to their limits,” said Daryl Plummer, a Gartner analyst. “Non-traditional approaches will enable the next rebound of innovation and efficiency.”

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four ways your business may want to adapt in the years ahead.

• Moving on from traditional technologies: The growth of your business is limited by the capabilities of your workplace technology. You can only go so far using traditional desktops and laptops – new technologies like the Internet of Things are driving success in the next decade. Gartner predicts that “traditional computing technologies will hit a digital wall” by the year 2025, which isn’t as far off as you think.
• Improving data storage strategies: Especially as your business adapts to the pandemic, having a reliable and agile way of storing data is essential. Companies today are looking more than ever at private and hybrid cloud solutions as an efficient approach to storage – and Gartner even expects that 30% will be mandating trials of “DNA storage” by 2024.
• Rethinking meetings and conversations: Nowadays, every meeting we conduct – nay, every conversation we have – is held in a digital realm, which means it’s being digitized and recorded. How can this new approach be streamlined, and how can these recordings be used to glean information that will drive future business success? These are key questions for all of us to ponder in 2021 and beyond.
• Drawing real leadership from IT: Last year, as companies worked quickly to craft a “new normal” way of doing business using technology, technology leaders took center stage. Gartner reported that in many cases, companies’ chief information officers (CIOs) effectively took over as chief operating officers (COOs), calling the shots on how the business could move forward. Expect this to become even more true in 2021. Your IT has the potential to truly lead your business.

As you look to adapt to how the world evolves in 2021, look to Zones to be a key strategic partner. We’ve always had a key eye for the changing IT landscape, and that’s especially true today. We have a team of experts who can help you thrive in the new normal – and a host of IT offerings, such as our Remote Worker Solution, that can play a key strategic role. Connect with us today to find out more.

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