Public sector preparing for high level of digital transformation

Kyocera Document Solutions UK, today announc has published the results of its Office of the Future survey, examining the public sector’s progress towards smarter working and how technology, user and citizen needs are shaping the office of the future.

The research was carried out by marketing company GovNewsDirect and incorporated the views of 406 staff across 348 public sector organisations. The survey also explored attitudes and perceptions to digital transformation, in addition to uncovering potential areas for improvement in the public sector’s rapidly changing office environment.

Driven by the adoption of technologies including automation and artificial intelligence, the public sector is set to create a more efficient, collaborative workplace and provide a better experience for citizens. However, the research also reveals that organisations within the sector will face substantial challenges on the road to digital transformation, with legacy infrastructure and wider public sector trends likely to disrupt adoption.

Key research findings include:

• 73% of respondents agreed that service delivery is at least somewhat restrained by legacy hardware.
• 89% of respondents say that mobility and remote working will be an important or very important workspace feature in ten years.
• Deployment of automation is expected to increase by 15% over the next five years.
• Only 13% of respondents ‘strongly agree’ they have the workplace tools and devices needed to carry out work efficiently.
• 31% cited their IT infrastructure as their biggest security concern.

A lack of confidence in the investment of workspace tools and devices

Almost a quarter (23%) of those surveyed believe that their organisation isn’t fully equipped with the workspace tools and devices to carry out work efficiently. This is particularly apparent when we look at flexible and remote working in the public sector, with only 2% of respondents describing their organisation’s “Bring Your Own Device” progress as extensive.

However, the research suggests that staff are optimistic that more advanced technologies are on their way, with 64 percent expecting ‘major’ or ‘considerable’ use of automation within the next five years.

Rod Tonna-Barthet, CEO at Kyocera Document Solutions UK comments: “Automating workflows could alleviate the administrative burden from staff, freeing them to focus on more value-added tasks and providing a better service to citizens. From a citizen’s perspective, this technology could help to accelerate processes such as social security benefits applications or business licenses, making their experience faster and almost pain-free. On top of that, citizens often want to self-serve wherever possible: automation can be a major asset for satisfaction levels.”

A paper-light, rather than paperless office

The survey also indicates that the office of the future will not be paperless but is more likely to become paper-light. Despite automation eliminating some paper-based processes, users will continue to print and see value in paper documents. However, they will do so in a more sensible and less wasteful way, with 61% believing that their organisation’s use of printing will be minimal in 5 years.

“With only 4% of those surveyed feeling they won’t have any printer in five years, and 99% stating that their organisations have some level of its use now, there’s no doubt that printing is and will still be a valued function within the public sector. Although, it is encouraging to see that organisations will use it in smarter, more efficient ways, aligning to a more paper-light way of working.

Individual organisations must understand their unique function, related characteristics and demographics of the communities they serve. Digital transformation is not about technology itself; it is also about citizens. And if printing is - and will continue to hold value – its use need only lessen for economic and environmental reasons, whilst ensuring citizens remain at the forefront of transformation.” Rod concluded.