Flexible work valued, but not always offered

Ivanti has unveiled findings from its 2024 Everywhere Work report, which details how the concept of Everywhere Work is now much broader, encompassing where, when and how professionals get their

work done — and flexibility has become a key workplace priority.

“Employers seeking to hire top talent should prioritize workplace flexibility, as it has a clear business advantage,” said Jeff Abbott, Ivanti CEO. “To effectively implement flexible work arrangements, it's essential to provide employees with the necessary resources, support and secure infrastructure to ensure their success. Neglecting these factors may lead to higher turnover rates and dissatisfaction among valuable employees you are trying to keep engaged.”

Key findings from the report include the following:

Flexible work options rank higher than remote work: According to the research, the vast majority of professionals (80%) say flexible work is highly valuable compared to the ability to work anywhere (70%). Yet just 25% of professionals say their jobs afford them high flexibility, and at least 40% would change jobs to gain flexibility.

Women prioritize flexibility more than their male counterparts: 36% of women consider flexible work essential compared to 22% of men. Additionally, 28% of women view being able to work anywhere as essential, compared to 18% of men. Organizations that take a more rigid approach may be undermining a critical segment of their workforce.

Leaders are out of touch with IT and Security needs: Although over 90% of leaders surveyed say employees have the tools to be productive in a remote or hybrid work environment, that’s not the case for IT and Security teams. Just 46% say it’s easy to access tech tools when working remotely. This disconnect has weighty implications for employers — nearly one in four IT professionals (23%) say a colleague has resigned due to burnout.

AI utilization rates are lower than anticipated: The overwhelming majority (76%) say AI and automation can help decrease ticket volume and provide better service. However, Ivanti’s research shows adoption rates for AI and automation solutions are low. How come? AI can’t deliver useful insights based on inaccurate data, and long-standing data silos prevent organizations from deploying AI and automation at scale.

If leaders want to empower employees to work flexibly, deploy AI and automation at scale and address IT and Security needs, then CIOs and CISOs need to align priorities. Ivanti’s research shows that 52% of IT and security professionals say security data and IT data are siloed inside their organizations. Of those, 84% say silos have a negative impact on security, and 82% say silos drive down productivity. This has a domino effect on how employees work both productively and securely … anytime and anywhere.

To address this, the report outlines how companies can align the priorities and interests of IT and Security, consider “flexibility” in Everywhere Work strategies and gain a comprehensive view of their IT estate.