Technology needs have changed. Our expectations of technology are now that it should be accessible, responsive, dependable, and visually easy to understand. As our expectations of technology will continue to change and grow, we will hold these expectations across all levels of an organization, from the executives to the customers to the workforce.
Research shows that the modern workforce is more effective and efficient than ever. Employees can produce great work, even from the comfort of their homes. Businesses across the world are taking advantage of work from home culture, leading to increased employee morale and loyalty, while at the same time reducing operational costs.
According to SurePayroll, “employers lose an estimated $1.8 trillion in lost productivity each year because of lack of engagement with the job, parents stressed over the cost of child care, hangovers, chronic health problems and more.”
A report from CoSo Cloud revealed that 77% of remote work respondents reported “greater productivity and 52% are less likely to take time off.”
Should You Modernize for Remote Work Accessibility?
Before you make the decision to modernize your legacy systems to enable more off-premises accessibility, it’s important to evaluate the software itself. First, work with IT, business, and HR teams to determine if accessibility is one of your organization’s major goals for your legacy software. In most instances, the answer should be yes. Then, continue to collaborate with your IT and business teams to ask a series of questions including:
What is the software’s primary function?
How would we operate if the system failed?
Can you handle the added security needs?
How many systems work with this software?
Does the software have to abide by industry regulations?
Work with Your Workers
The question next becomes how to create efficient workflows and user experiences that best suit your user base and organization’s needs, all while retaining the business logic and data that make your legacy software important to your business.
The best way to help end users be more efficient is to perform a use case analysis. Use automated software to monitor workflows and business processes within your legacy software. This will help you compile actionable data at scale and see first-hand how to fix inefficiencies and remove unused code before making the leap to software modernization.
Also keep your team informed of your proposed changes. Ask what features they’d like to see. Determine what shadow apps and workarounds they’ve put in places to get around the legacy software’s restrictions. Then, work with your employees to assure that they will be appropriately trained, supported, and prepared to work from anywhere to make the most of your improved systems.
Choose a Solution Now
According to Telework Research Network, 30 million Americans now “work from home at least one day a week.” This number is forecasted to increase, meaning that an increasing number of skilled workers have different expectations of your legacy systems.
If your organization was on the fence about remote work before, now is definitely the time to re-evaluate and make a plan.
Your best bet for enabling work from home culture is to migrate your legacy software to the cloud. However, there are lots of cloud-based options on the market, and not all of them are right for your business and system needs. If you need help making the move, partner with experienced legacy application modernization experts to assist with your cloud migration project.
Join the growing number of organizations offering flexible workspaces and remote access. Put your legacy systems to work for you and your workforce, no matter where they’re located.
Meet our team to see how we can transform the systems that matter most to your business.
