The ‘Magic Touch’: Ways IT Leaders Can Enhance Employee Experience with Technology

In today’s fast-paced work environment, many employees experience moments of frustration when technology fails them. A significant portion of the workforce wishes they had the expertise or “magic touch” to resolve tech issues effortlessly. The situation is particularly acute in the era of hybrid working; a staggering 40% of employees report that this arrangement complicates their jobs, especially within larger organizations of over 1,000 employees. On average, employees are wasting around three weeks of unproductive time each year—equivalent to 5.5 hours a week—struggling with digital challenges that detract from their overall efficiency and effectiveness.

The 2023 PWC Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears survey reveals that as digitization takes hold in the regional economy, 75% of respondents in the Middle East view digital skills as a top career priority for the next five years, surpassing the global average of 57%. Moreover, a notable 77% of participants expressed a desire for specialized technical skills, compared to 56% globally. Additionally, 76% valued analytical and data skills, in contrast to 58% globally. These findings highlight the growing importance of digital proficiency in today’s job market and the urgency for organizations to equip their workforce with the necessary skills.

Despite the increasing emphasis on digital skills, a paradox exists: many employees feel that the workplace technology at their disposal does not enhance their job performance. According to Freshworks’ 2022 State of Workplace Technology report, 40% of respondents in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) believe most workplace software fails to improve their efficiency. Furthermore, 54% of employees stated that their companies pay for unused software, contributing to unnecessary operational overheads. The data reveals that IT professionals in the MEA region typically have around 7.5 applications on their work computers but only utilize half, leading to distractions and diminished system performance. Almost all IT professionals (91%) recognize that reducing software contracts could significantly boost productivity (56%), lower costs (50%), and enhance job satisfaction (25%).

Ironically, many applications designed to simplify workflows are having the opposite effect. The 2023 Consumer Digital Index study by Lloyds Bank found that only 46% of British workers can complete 20 basic digital tasks. A significant source of frustration lies in the productivity tools, where just over two-thirds (69%) could successfully execute tasks involving these common applications. This reality places a considerable burden on IT administrators, who must work to streamline the digital landscape, eliminating obstacles and enhancing support for employees in their daily lives.

The solution to these challenges may lie in leveraging AI-powered workplace solutions that empower employees to navigate their technology with greater ease. By harnessing AI, organizations can alleviate the strain on IT teams, providing a helping hand that can give every employee a semblance of the “magic touch” they desire.

Generative AI chatbots, for example, enable employees to make device-related decisions using plain language, while AI-driven device intelligence can predict and resolve software issues before they escalate into major problems. This capability transforms the employee experience, making the management and use of workplace technology feel seamless and intuitive.

AI technology can help demystify the complex processes that seasoned IT professionals often take for granted. AI-guided knowledge bases can deliver self-help and self-healing solutions around the clock, providing support to employees regardless of their working hours. This level of instant assistance is particularly beneficial for hybrid workforces, ensuring that minor IT glitches do not disrupt productivity.

For service desk workers, AI can provide robust analytics that enables a greater number of issues to be resolved proactively, remotely, and without the need for traditional ticketing. This streamlines the daily operations of IT service desk teams, who can leverage an easy-to-use “single pane of glass” portal to access actionable insights in a straightforward manner.

Additionally, generative AI-powered platforms can enhance the management of critical tasks, bolstering security while allowing IT leaders to quickly customize app and service suites tailored to different user personas. This means IT departments can ensure that their colleagues have quick access to the right tools, facilitating seamless and personalized digital experiences. This shift not only reduces hassle for employees but also frees IT teams to concentrate on initiatives that will drive workplace improvements and efficiencies. Research shows that 83% of CIOs anticipate AI will boost productivity within the next one to two years, underscoring the transformative potential of AI in optimizing workflows.

AI’s capabilities extend to predicting potential issues before they arise, ensuring that devices are configured and patched to provide the latest, most secure versions of necessary software. This proactive approach allows IT managers to shift their focus away from mundane, day-to-day issues and concentrate on transformative technology initiatives. With AI-driven predictive analytics, IT managers can gain valuable insights into device performance, enabling them to maintain peak operational efficiency while employees can enjoy technology that “just works.”

The workplace landscape has evolved dramatically in recent years, with hybrid employees now juggling numerous applications and constantly learning new skills. By selecting the right managed service—such as Lenovo’s Digital Workplace Solutions—organizations can provide an AI-powered support system for both frontline employees and the IT managers overseeing their devices. This approach ensures that employees receive personalized services and swift resolutions to IT challenges, giving them the sense of empowerment they crave.

For IT departments, this transition signifies a shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive management, allowing them to focus on advancing business objectives through innovative technologies such as AI. Most importantly, as more employees benefit from enhanced support and experience fewer disruptions due to common IT issues, organizations can cultivate a more productive and satisfied workforce. Ultimately, embracing AI in the workplace paves the way for a more efficient, effective, and engaging work environment, where every employee can feel they possess that elusive “magic touch.”