Technology Reseller - v12 2018

technolog y reseller.co.uk BULLETIN : TRENDS 05 Ageing workforce a threat to productivity The combination of an ageing UK workforce and more millennials entering the workplace (63%) is seen as the biggest threat to workplace productivity over the next five years, according to a survey of HR professionals by MintCentral – way ahead of other concerns like Brexit (21%) and stagnating wages (14%). When asked specifically about the effectiveness of company communications, employee apathy and distance were cited as the two biggest factors. Over a third (35%) of respondents say an internal communications app would help boost productivity and improve staff morale. Almost three quarters (71%) view online surveys as the most effective means of measuring staff engagement. Company intranets are seen as the least effective technology for this purpose. www.mintcentral.com The more you invest, the greater the reward British workers have a rose-tinted view of technology, with the results of their employer’s investment in digital technology often failing to meet expectations. In a survey by network solutions provider HPE Aruba, 92% of UK workers said their workplace would be improved through greater use of technology, with 69% saying they would welcome a fully automated workplace in the next 5-10 years. Yet, when asked to rate the impact of existing digital technology, only 68% say it has improved the speed of work and just over half believe it has had a beneficial effect on work-life balance (54%) and workplace motivation (53%). One explanation for the gap between expectation and reality identified in Digital Revolutionaries Unlock the Potential of the Digital Workplace is the level of investment involved. Aruba’s analysis of results from 7,000 workers in 15 countries reveals a chasm between the experience of ‘Digital Revolutionaries’ working in fully-enabled digital workplaces and ‘Digital Laggards’ with less access to the latest workplace technologies. Compared to Laggards, Revolutionaries are 51% more likely to have strong job satisfaction; 43% more likely to be positive about their work-life balance; 56% more likely to say they are motivated at work; and 83% more likely to praise their company’s vision. Advanced digital working is also perceived to be good for professional development, with 65% of Revolutionaries claiming that access to digital technology has helped in their professional development, compared to 31% of Laggards; and 72% of Revolutionaries reporting a higher ability to adopt new work skills, compared to 58% of Laggards. www.arubanetworks.com Mobile PC sales boost from K-12 Global sales of mobile PCs into the K-12 sector increased in the first quarter of 2018, with shipments growing 4% year-on-year to reach 5.8 million units, up from 5.5 million in the first quarter of 2017. Futuresource Consulting’s latest research on the global K-12 mobile PC education market shows that most growth came from the European and Asia Pacific regions. In Europe, the education devices market grew by 14.3% (year-on-year), driven by strong sales in Benelux, France, Italy and Spain. Globally, Windows devices accounted for 44% of mobile PC device shipments to K-12 schools, ahead of Chrome devices with 29% market share. www.futuresource-consulting.com Spike in use of unsecured networks Duo Security warns that more work is being done remotely via potentially unsecure Wi-Fi networks in homes, airports, coffee shops and other public spaces, putting corporate applications and data at risk. The 2018 Duo Trusted Access Report , based on monthly analysis of 11 million devices and half-a-billion user requests to access protected corporate applications and data, shows that the average number of unique networks used by employees, contractors and partners to access protected data has increased by 24% year-on-year in enterprises and by 17% in mid-market companies. Almost half (43%) of requests to access protected applications and data now come from outside the corporate office and network, due to the rise in remote working. https://duo.com The2018Duo Trusted Access Report TheStateofEnterpriseRemoteAccess China on course to overtake US for trademark applications China is on course to overtake the USA as the world’s leading source of foreign trademark applications by 2020, according to research by CompuMark. Jeff Roy, President of CompuMark, said: “By filing volume, our report shows that in just four years Chinese brands have jumped from number 10 in the world to number two. If current trends continue, Chinese brands are likely to challenge US brands for global supremacy in the near future.” The number of US trademark applications made by Chinese brands has increased by 800% since 2014. Out of 120,000 foreign trademark applications made by Chinese brands in 2017, more than 50,000 were filed in the USA. www.compumark.com From national security to cyber security A group of former Royal Marines Commandos has launched a business providing free cyber security training, accredited qualifications and careers for ex-servicemen and women looking for a career on Civvy Street. Crucial Academy’s accredited training courses, held in Brighton, cover offensive cyber security, defensive cyber security, information assurance and threat intelligence. Chief Executive and former Royal Marine Commando Captain Neil Williams said: “People who have spent time in the forces have an incredible work ethic, resilience and a security-driven mindset that makes many very well suited to a career in cyber security.” Once graduates have successfully completed their training, Crucial Academy introduces them to a cyber security career with one of its commercial partners. https://academy.crucialgroup.co.uk/