It bears repeating – 2020 was a year of rapid change and necessary, on-the-spot innovation. The tech trends were catapulted in a new direction in order to accommodate the social distancing and remote workplace challenges. Businesses were forced to evaluate their business models and find new ways to generate revenue – and the tech world kept pace, helping companies of all sizes to streamline and adapt.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the tech trends are once again concentrating on remote workforce productivity, privacy controls and protocols, telehealth, and ecommerce. Here are some of the hot topics of 2020, which have subsequently become the hottest tech trends of 2021.
Internet Of Behavior
The Internet of Behavior (IoB) is defined as the utilization of data and technology to influence and alter people’s behavior. Technology has been used in this way for decades, but IoB was set in stone during the pandemic. Video monitors were placed to monitor and enforce mask-wearing, and RFID tags and positional sensors were used to keep people compliant with social distancing mandates. Thermal sensors assisted in the monitoring of temperatures among those in public places. What was once seen as an invasion of privacy is now accepted as an essential way to protect the population.
However, IoB has many diverse applications which reach far beyond pandemic response. Fitbit and Apple Health employ IoB to assist with fitness goals by monitoring behavior and suggesting activity. Insurance companies keep track of driver behavior in an effort to minimize bad driving habits, rewarding good drivers with better rates. IoB is being considered in national parks to monitor illegal smoking or campfires, potentially saving millions of acres of land vulnerable to forest fires.
Efforts Towards Carbon Neutrality
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Hyper-automation is on the Horizon
Many companies these days combine analog and digital processes, implementing the digital wherever increased efficiency and productivity is needed. However, there is always room for improvement when it comes to tech trends, so get ready for “hyper-automation.”
Hyper-automation simplifies, digitizes and streamlines processes so that it can be automatically processed via software-based solutions. The more repetitive, repeatable or predictable a process is by nature, the more easily automation can happen. Complete digitization and automation of a legacy process is the goal.
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For today’s companies, falling victim to one of these attacks is no longer a question of “if” but “when
Accepting Remote Work as the Norm
Now almost a year into the crisis, you would be hard pressed to find any organization that hasn’t implemented some work-from home protocols. A recent study reported that 4 out of 5 company executives plan on continuing remote work and flexible work options for employees even after the pandemic is history. While most companies express an interest in being able to return to a more “normal” onsite work environment, management is more willing to consider alternative work arrangements than ever before. Simply put, when the work-from-home experiment was a forced measure, many leaders were surprised at how well it worked.
With new ways of working come new challenges for IT personnel, who will be responsible for expanding IT infrastructure to support the new arrangements. virtual machines, firewall upgrades, portable devices and advanced video conferencing capability are all on the 2021 tech trends list.
Alliance IT is on the forefront of managed services and IT solutions for Sarasota area small and medium sized business. Call today to learn more about how we can help you to move bravely into the new IT reality.
