Define Service Desk Metrics That Matter

Look beyond benchmarks and rely on internal metrics to drive success.

Analyst Perspective

Don’t get paralyzed by benchmarks when establishing metrics

When establishing a suite of metrics to track, it’s tempting to start with the metrics measured by other organizations. Naturally, benchmarking will enter the conversation. While benchmarking is useful, measuring you organization against others with a lack of context will only highlight your failures. Furthermore, benchmarks will highlight the norm or common practice. It does not necessarily highlight best practice.

Keeping the limitations of benchmarking in mind, establish your own metrics suite with action-based metrics. Define the audience, cadence, and actions for each metric you track and pair them with business goals. Measure only what you need to.

Slowly improve your metrics process over time and analyze your environment using your own data as your benchmark.

Benedict Chang

Research Analyst, Infrastructure & Operations

Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• Measure the business value provided by the service desk.
• Consolidate your metrics and assign context and actions to ones currently tracked.
• Establish tension metrics to see and tell the whole story.
• Split your metrics for each stakeholder group. Assign proper cadences for measurements as a first step to building an effective dashboard or effective dashboards.

Common Obstacles

• Becoming too focused on benchmarks or unidimensional metrics (e.g. cost, first-contact resolution, time to resolve) can lead to misinterpretation of the data and poorly informed actions.
• Sifting through the many sources of data post hoc can lead to stalling in data analysis or slow reaction times to poor metrics.
• Dashboards can quickly become cluttered with uninformative metrics, thus reducing the signal-to-noise ratio of meaningful data.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Use metrics that drive productive change and improvement. Track only what you need to report on.
• Ensure each metric aligns with the desired business goal, is action-based, and includes the answers to what, why, how, and who.
• Establish internal benchmarks by analyzing the trends from your own data to set baselines.
• Act on the results of your metrics by adjusting targets and measuring success.

Info-Tech Insight

Identify the metrics that serve a real purpose and eliminate the rest. Establish a formal review process to ensure metrics are still valid, continue to provide the answers needed, and are at a manageable and usable level.

Improve your metrics to align IT with strategic business goals

The right metrics can tell the business how hard IT works and how well they perform.

• Only 19% of CXOs feel that their organization is effective at measuring the success of IT projects with their current metrics.
• Implementing the proper metrics can facilitate communication between the business division and IT practice.
• The proper metrics can help IT know what issues the business has and how the CEO and CIO should tackle them.
• If the goals above resonate with your organization, our blueprint Take Control of Infrastructure and Operations Metrics will take you through the right steps.

Current Metrics Suite

19% Effective

36% Some Improvement Necessary

45% Significant Improvement Necessary

Source: Info-Tech Research Group’s CEO/CIO Alignment Diagnostic, 2019; N=622

CXOs stress that value is the most critical area for IT to improve in reporting

• You most likely have to improve your metrics suite by addressing business value.
• Over 80% of organizations say they need improvement to their business value metrics, with 32% of organizations reporting that significant improvement is needed.
• Of course, measuring metrics for service desk operations is important, but don’t forget business-oriented metrics such as measuring knowledgebase articles written for shift-left enablement, cost (time and money) of service desk tickets, and overall end-user satisfaction.

Source: Info-Tech Research Group’s CEO/CIO Alignment Diagnostic, 2019; N=622

Benchmarking used in isolation will not tell the whole story

Benchmarks can be used as a step in the metrics process

They can be the first step to reach an end goal, but if benchmarks are observed in isolation, it will only highlight your failures.

Benchmarking relies on standardized models

This does not account for all the unique variables that make up an IT organization.

For example, benchmarks that include cost and revenue may include organizations that prioritize first-call resolution (FCR), but the variables that make up this benchmark model will be quite different within your own organization.

Info-Tech Insight

Benchmarks reflect the norm and common practice, not best practice.

Benchmarks are open to interpretation

Taking the time to establish proper metrics is often more valuable time spent than going down the benchmark rabbit hole.

Being above or below the norm is neither a good nor a bad thing.

Determining what the results mean for you depends on what’s being measured and the unique factors, characteristics, and priorities in your organization.

If benchmark data is a priority within your IT organization, you may look up organizations like MetricNet, but keep the following in mind:

Review the collected benchmark data

See where IT organizations in your industry typically stand in relation to the overall benchmark.

Assess the gaps

Large gaps between yourself and the overall benchmark could indicate areas for improvement or celebration. Use the data to focus your analysis, develop deeper self-awareness, and prioritize areas for potential concern.

Benchmarks are only guidelines

The benchmark source data may not come from true peers in every sense. Each organization is different, so always explore your unique context when interpreting any findings.

Rely on internal metrics to measure and improve performance

Measure internal metrics over time to define goals and drive real improvement

• Internally measured metrics are more reliable because they provide information about your actual performance over time. This allows for targeted improvements and objective measurements of your milestones.
• Whether a given metric is the right one for your service desk will depend on several different factors, including:
  • The maturity and capability of your service desk processes
  • The volume of service requests and incidents
  • The complexity of your environment when resolving tickets
  • The degree to which your end users are comfortable with self-service

Take Info-Tech’s approach to metrics management

Use metrics that drive productive change and improvement. Track only what you need to report on.

Ensure each metric aligns with the desired business goal, is action-based, and includes the answers to what, why, how, and who.

Establish internal benchmarks by analyzing the trends from your own data to set baselines.

Act on the results of your metrics by adjusting targets and measuring success.

Define action-based metrics to cut down on analysis paralysis

Every metric needs to be backed with the following criteria:

• Defining audience, cadence, goal, and action for each metric allows you to keep your tracked metrics to a minimum while maximizing the value.
• The audience and cadence of each metric may allow you to define targeted dashboards.

Audience - Who is this metric tracked for?

Goal - Why are you tracking this metric? This can be defined along with the CSFs and KPIs.

Cadence - How often are you going to view, analyze, and action this metric?

Action - What will you do if this metric spikes, dips, trends up, or trends down?

Activity 1. Define your critical success factors and key performance indicators

Critical success factors (CSFs) are high-level goals that help you define the direction of your service desk. Key performance indicators (KPIs) can be treated as the trend of metrics that will indicate that you are moving in the direction of your CSFs. These will help narrow the data you have to track and action (metrics).

CSFs, or your overall goals, typically revolve around three aspects of the service desk: time spent on tickets, resources spent on tickets, and the quality of service provided.

1. As a group, brainstorm the CSFs and the KPIs that will help narrow your metrics. Use the Service Desk Metrics Workbook to record the results.
2. Look at the example to the right as a starting point.

Example metrics:

Download the Service Desk Metrics Workbook

Activity 2. Define action-based metrics that align with your KPIs and CSFs

1. Now that you have defined your goals, continue to fill the workbook by choosing metrics that align with those goals.
2. Use the chart below as a guide. For every metric, define the cadence of measurement, audience of the metric, and action associated with the metric. There may be multiple metrics for each KPI.
3. If you find you are unable to define the cadence, audience, or action associated with a metric, you may not need to track the metric in the first place. Alternatively, if you find that you may action a metric in the future, you can decide to start gathering data now.

Example metrics:

Download the Service Desk Metrics Workbook

Activity 3. Define the data ownership, metric viability, and dashboards

1. For each metric, define where the data is housed. Ideally, the data is directly in the ticketing tool or ITSM tool. This will make it easy to pull and analyze.
2. Determine how difficult the metric will be to pull or track. If the effort is high, decide if the value of tracking the metric is worth the hassle of gathering it.
3. Lastly, for each metric, use the cadence and audience to place the metric in a reporting dashboard. This will help divide your metrics and make them easier to report and action.
4. You may use the output of this exercise to add your tracked metrics to your service desk SOP.
5. A full suite of metrics can be found in our Infrastructure & Operations Metrics Library in the Take Control of Infrastructure Metrics Storyboard. The metrics have been categorized by low, medium, and advanced capabilities for you.

Example metrics:

Download the Service Desk Metrics Workbook

Keep the following considerations in mind when defining which metrics matter

Keep the customer in mind

Metrics are typically focused on transactional efficiency and process effectiveness and not what was achieved against the customers’ need and satisfaction.

Understand the relationships between performance and metrics management to provide the end-to-end service delivery picture you are aiming to achieve.

Don’t settle for tool defaults

ITSM solutions offer an abundance of metrics to choose from. The most common ones are typically built into the reporting modules of the tool suite.

Do not start tracking everything. Choose metrics that are specifically aligned to your organization’s desired business outcomes.

Establish tension metrics to achieve balance

Don’t ignore the correlation and context between the suites of metrics chosen and how one interacts and affects the other.

Measuring metrics in isolation may lead to an incomplete picture or undesired technician behavior. Tension metrics help complete the picture and lead to proper actions.

Adjust those targets

An arbitrary target on a metric that is consistently met month over month is useless. Each metric should inform the overall performance by combining capable service level management and customer experience programs to prove the value IT is providing to the organization.

Related Info-Tech Research

Standardize the Service Desk

This project will help you build and improve essential service desk processes, including incident management, request fulfillment, and knowledge management, to create a sustainable service desk.

Take Control of Infrastructure and Operations Metrics

Make faster decisions and improve service delivery by using the right metrics for the job.

Analyze Your Service Desk Ticket Data

Take a data-driven approach to service desk optimization.

IT Diagnostics: Build a Data-Driven IT Strategy

Our data-driven programs ask business and IT stakeholders the right questions to ensure you have the inputs necessary to build an effective IT strategy.

Enterprise Network Design Considerations

It is not just about connectivity.

Executive Summary

Info-Tech Insight

Connectivity and security are tightly coupled

Security, risk, and trust models play into how networks are designed and deployed. If these models are not considered during network design, band-aids and workarounds will be deployed to achieve the needed goals, potentially bypassing network controls.

Many services are no longer within the network

The cloud “gold rush” has made it attractive for many enterprises to migrate services off the traditional network and into the cloud. These services are now outside of the traditional network and associated controls. This shifts the split of east-west vs. north-south traffic patterns, as well as extending the network to encompass services outside of enterprise IT’s locus of control.

Users are demanding an anywhere, any device access model

Where users access enterprise data or services and from which devices dictate the connectivity needed. With the increasing shift of work that the business is completing remotely, not all devices and data paths will be under the control of IT. This shift does not allow IT to abdicate from the responsibility to provide a secure network.

Enterprise networks are changing

The new network reality

The enterprise network of 2020 and beyond is changing:

• Services are becoming more distributed.
• The number of services provided “off network” is growing.
• Users are more often remote.
• Security threats are rapidly escalating.

The above statements are all accurate for enterprise networks, though each potentially to differing levels depending on the business being supported by the network. Depending on how affected the network in question currently is and will be in the near future, there are different common network archetypes that are best able to address these concerns while delivering business value at an appropriate price point.

High-Level Design Considerations

1. Understand Business Needs

Understand what the business needs are and where users and resources are located.

2. Define Your Trust Model

Trust is a spectrum and tied tightly to security.

3. Align With an Archetype

How will the network be deployed?

4. Understand Available Tooling

What tools are in the market to help achieve design principles?

Understand business needs

Mission

Never ignore the basics. Start with revisiting the mission and vision of the business to address relevant needs.

Users

Identify where users will be accessing services from. Remote vs. “on net” is a design consideration now more than ever.

Resources

Identify required resources and their locations, on net vs. cloud.

Controls

Identify required controls in order to define control points and solutions.

Define a trust model

Trust is a spectrum

• There is a spectrum of trust, from fully trusted to not trusted at all. Each organization must decide for their network (or each area thereof) the appropriate level of trust to assign.
• The ease of network design and deployment is directly proportional to the trust spectrum.
• When resources and users are outside of direct IT control, the level of appropriate trust should be examined closely.

Implicit

Trust everything within the network. Security is perimeter based and designed to stop external actors from entering the large trusted zone.

Controlled

Multiple zones of trust within the network. Segmentation is a standard practice to separate areas of higher and lower trust.

Zero

Verify trust. The network is set up to recognize and support the principle of least privilege where only required access is supported.

Align with an archetype

Archetypes are a good guide

• Using a defined archetype as a guiding principle in network design can help clarify appropriate tools or network structures.
• Different aspects of a network can have different archetypes where appropriate (e.g. IT vs. OT [operational technology] networks).

Traditional

Services are provided from within the traditional network boundaries and security is provided at the network edge.

Hybrid

Services are provided both externally and from within the traditional network boundaries, and security is primarily at the network edge.

Inverted

Services are provided primarily externally, and security is cloud centric.

Traditional networks

Resources within network boundaries

Moat and castle security perimeter

Abstract

A traditional network is one in which there are clear boundaries defined by a security perimeter. Trust can be applied within the network boundaries as appropriate, and traffic is generally routed through internally deployed control points that may be centralized. Traditional networks commonly include large firewalls and other “big iron” security and control devices.

Network Design Tenets

• The full network path from resource to user is designed, deployed, and controlled by IT.
• Users external to the network must first connect to the network to gain access to resources.
• Security, risk, and trust controls will be implemented by internal enterprise hardware/software devices.

Control

In the traditional network, it is assumed that all required control points can be adequately deployed across hardware/software that is “on prem” and under the control of central IT.

Info-Tech Insight

With increased cloud services provided to end users, this network is now more commonly used in data centers or OT networks.

Traditional networks

Defining Characteristics

• Traffic flows in a defined path under the control of IT to and from central IT resources.
• Due to visibility into, and the control of, the traffic between the end user and resources, IT can relatively simply implement the required security controls on owned hardware.

Common Components

• Traditional offices
• Remote users/road warriors
• Private data center/colocation space

Hybrid networks

Resources internal and external to network

Network security perimeter combined with cloud protection

Abstract

A hybrid network is one that combines elements of a traditional network with cloud resources. As some of these resources are not fully under the control of IT and may be completely “offnet” or loosely coupled to the on-premises network, the security boundaries and control points are less likely to be centralized. Hybrid networks allow the flexibility and speed of cloud deployment without leaving behind traditional network constructs. This generally makes them expensive to secure and maintain.

Network Design Tenets

• The network path from resource to user may not be in IT’s locus of control.
• Users external to the network must first connect to the network to gain access to internal resources but may directly access publicly hosted ones.
• Security, risk, and trust controls may potentially be implemented by a mixture of internal enterprise hardware/software devices and external control points.

Control

The hallmark of a hybrid network is the blending of public and private resources. This blending tends to necessitate both public and private points of control that may not be homogenous.

Info-Tech Insight

With multiple control points to address, take care in simplifying designs while addressing all concerns to ease operational load.

Hybrid networks

Defining Characteristics

• Traffic flows to central resources across a defined path under the control of IT.
• Traffic to cloud assets may be partially under the control of IT.
• For central resources, the traffic to and from the end user can have the required security controls relatively simply implemented on owned hardware.
• For public cloud assets, IT may or may not have some control over part of the path.

Common Components

• Traditional offices
• Remote users/road warriors
• Private data center/colocation space
• Public cloud assets (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS)

Inverted perimeter

Resources primarily external to the network

Security control points are cloud centric

Abstract

An inverted perimeter network is one in which security and control points cover the entire workflow, on or off net, from the consumer of services through to the services themselves with zero trust. Since the control plane is designed to encompass the workflow in a secure manner, much of the underlying connectivity can be abstracted. In an extreme version of this deployment, IT would abstract end-user access, and any cloud-based or on-premises resources would be securely published through the control plane with context-aware precision access.

Network Design Tenets

• The network path from resource to user is abstracted and controlled by IT through services like secure access service edge (SASE).
• Users only need internet access and appropriate credentials to gain access to resources.
• Security, risk, and trust controls will be implemented through external cloud based services.

Control

An inverted network abstracts the lower-layer connectivity away and focuses on implementing a cloud-based zero trust control plane.

Info-Tech Insight

This model is extremely attractive for organizations that consume primarily cloud services and have a large remote work force.

Inverted networks

Defining Characteristics

• The end user does not have to be in a defined location.
• All central resources that are to be accessed are hosted on cloud resources.
• IT has little to no control of the path between the end user and central resources.

Common Components

• Traditional offices
• Regent offices/shared workspaces
• Remote users/road warriors
• Public cloud assets (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS)

Understand available tooling

Don’t buy a hammer and go looking for nails

• A network archetype must be defined in order to understand what tools (hardware or software) are appropriate for consideration in a network build or refresh.
• Tools are purpose built and generally designed to solve specific problems if implemented and operated correctly. Choose the tools to align with the challenges that you are solving as opposed to choosing tools and then trying to use those purchases to overcome challenges.
• The purchase of a tool does not allow for abdication of proper design. Tools must be chosen appropriately and integrated properly to orchestrate the best solutions. Purchasing a tool and expecting the tool to solve all your issues rarely succeeds.

“It is essential to have good tools, but it is also essential that the tools should be used in the right way.” — Wallace D. Wattles

Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN)

Simplified branch office connectivity

Archetype Value: Traditional Networks

What It Is Not

SD-WAN is generally not a way to slash spending by lowering WAN circuit costs. Though it is traditionally deployed across lower cost access, to minimize risk and realize the most benefits from the platform many organizations install multiple circuits with greater bandwidths at each endpoint when replacing the more costly traditional circuits. Though this maximizes the value of the technology investment, it will result in the end cost being similar to the traditional cost plus or minus a small percentage.

What It Is

SD-WAN is a subset of software-defined networking (SDN) designed specifically to deploy a secure, centrally managed, connectivity agnostic, overlay network connecting multiple office locations. This technology can be used to replace, work in concert with, or augment more traditional costly connectivity such as MPLS or private point to point (PtP) circuits. In addition to the secure overlay, SD-WAN usually also enables policy-based, intelligent controls, based on traffic and circuit intelligence.

Why Use It

You have multiple endpoint locations connected by expensive lower bandwidth traditional circuits. Your target is to increase visibility and control while controlling costs if and where possible. Ease of centralized management and the ability to more rapidly turn up new locations are attractive.

Cloud access security broker (CASB)

Inline policy enforcement placed between users and cloud services

Archetype Value: Hybrid Networks

What It Is Not

CASBs do not provide network protection; they are designed to provide compliance and enforcement of rules. Though CASBs are designed to give visibility and control into cloud traffic, they have limits to the data that they generally ingest and utilize. A CASB does not gather or report on cloud usage details, licencing information, financial costing, or whether the cloud resource usage is aligned with the deployment purpose.

What It Is

A CASB is designed to establish security controls beyond a company’s environment. It is commonly deployed to augment traditional solutions to extend visibility and control into the cloud. To protect assets in the cloud, CASBs are designed to provide central policy control and apply services primarily in the areas of visibility, data security, threat protection, and compliance.

Why Use It

You a mixture of on-premises and cloud assets. In moving assets out to the cloud, you have lost the traditional controls that were implemented in the data center. You now need to have visibility and apply controls to the usage of these cloud assets.

Secure access service edge (SASE)

Convergence of security and service access in the cloud

Archetype Value: Inverted Networks

What It Is Not

Though the service will consist of many service offerings, SASE is not multiple services strung together. To present the value proposed by this platform, all functionality proposed must be provided by a single platform under a “single pane of glass.” SASE is not a mature and well-established service. The market is still solidifying, and the full-service definition remains somewhat fluid.

What It Is

SASE exists at the intersection of network-as-a-service and network-security-as-a-service. It is a superset of many network and security cloud offerings such as CASB, secure web gateway, SD-WAN, and WAN optimization. Any services offered by a SASE provider will be cloud hosted, presented in a single stack, and controlled through a single pane of glass.

Why Use It

Your network is inverting, and services are provided primarily as cloud assets. In a full realization of this deployment’s value, you would abstract how and where users gain initial network access yet remain in control of the communications and data flow.

Activity

Understand your enterprise network options

Activity: Network assessment in an hour

• Learn about the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool
• Complete the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool

This activity involves the following participants:

• IT strategic direction decision makers.
• IT managers responsible for network.
• Organizations evaluating platforms for mission critical applications.

Outcomes of this step:

• Completed Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool

Info-Tech Insight

Review your design options with security and compliance in mind. Infrastructure is no longer a standalone entity and now tightly integrates with software-defined networks and security solutions.

Build an assessment in an hour

Learn about the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool.

This workbook provides a high-level analysis of a technology’s readiness for adoption based on your organization’s needs.

• The workbook then places the technology on a graph that measures both the readiness and fit for your organization. In addition, it provides warnings for specific issues and lets you know if you have considerable uncertainty in your answers.
• At a glance you can now communicate what you are doing to help the company:
  • Grow
  • Save money
  • Reduce risk
• Regardless of your specific audience, these are important stories to be able to tell.

Build an assessment in an hour

Complete the Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool.

Dispense with detailed analysis and customizations to present a quick snapshot of the road ahead.

1. Weightings: Adjust the Weighting tab to meet organizational needs. The provided weightings for the overall solution areas are based on a generic firm; individual firms will have different needs.
2. Data Entry: For each category, answer the questions for the technology you are considering. When you have completed the questionnaire, go to the next tab for the results.
3. Results: The Enterprise Network Roadmap Technology Assessment Tool provides a value versus readiness assessment of your chosen technology customized to your organization.

Related Info-Tech Research

Effectively Acquire Infrastructure Services

Acquiring a service is like buying an experience. Don’t confuse the simplicity of buying hardware with buying an experience.

Outsource IT Infrastructure to Improve System Availability, Reliability, and Recovery

There are very few IT infrastructure components you should be housing internally – outsource everything else.

Build Your Infrastructure Roadmap

Move beyond alignment: Put yourself in the driver’s seat for true business value.

Drive Successful Sourcing Outcomes With a Robust RFP Process

Leverage your vendor sourcing process to get better results.

Research Authors

Scott Young, Principal Research Advisor, Info-Tech Research Group

Scott Young is a Director of Infrastructure Research at Info-Tech Research Group. Scott has worked in the technology field for over 17 years, with a strong focus on telecommunications and enterprise infrastructure architecture. He brings extensive practical experience in these areas of specialization, including IP networks, server hardware and OS, storage, and virtualization.

Troy Cheeseman, Practice Lead, Info-Tech Research Group

Troy has over 24 years of experience and has championed large enterprise-wide technology transformation programs, remote/home office collaboration and remote work strategies, BCP, IT DRP, IT operations and expense management programs, international right placement initiatives, and large technology transformation initiatives (M&A). Additionally, he has deep experience working with IT solution providers and technology (cloud) startups.

Bibliography

Ahlgren, Bengt. “Design considerations for a network of information.” ACM Digital Library, 21 Dec. 2008.

Cox Business. “Digital transformation is here. Is your business ready to upgrade your mobile work equation?” BizJournals, 1 April 2022. Accessed April 2022.

Elmore, Ed. “Benefits of integrating security and networking with SASE.” Tech Radar, 1 April 2022. Web.

Greenfield, Dave. “From SD-WAN to SASE: How the WAN Evolution is Progressing.” Cato Networks, 19 May 2020. Web

Korolov, Maria. “What is SASE? A cloud service that marries SD-WAN with security.” Network World, 7 Sept. 2020. Web.

Korzeniowski, Paul, “CASB tools evolve to meet broader set of cloud security needs.” TechTarget, 26 July 2019. Accessed March 2022.

Develop a Targeted Flexible Work Program for IT

Select flexible work options that balance organizational and employee needs to drive engagement and improve attraction and retention.

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• IT leaders continue to struggle with workplace flexibility, and it is a top priority for IT employees; as a result, organizations who fail to offer flexibility will have a difficult time attracting, recruiting, and retaining talent.
• The benefits of remote work are not available to everyone, raising fairness and equity concerns for employees.

Common Obstacles

• A one-size-fits-all approach to selecting and implementing flexible work options fails to consider unique employee needs and will not reap the benefits of offering a flexible work program (e.g. higher engagement or enhanced employer brand).
• Improper structure and implementation of flexible work programs exacerbates existing challenges (e.g. high turnover) or creates new ones.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Uncover the needs of unique employee segments to shortlist flexible work options that employees want and will use.
• Assess the feasibility of various flexible work options and select ones that meet employee needs and are feasible for the organization.
• Equip leaders with the information and tools needed to implement and sustain a flexible work program.

Info-Tech Insight

IT excels at hybrid location work and is more effective as a business function when location flexibility is an option for its employees. But hybrid work is just a start. A comprehensive flex work program extends beyond flexible location, so organizations must understand the needs of unique employee groups to uncover the options that will attract and retain talent.

Flexible work arrangements are a requirement in today's world of work

Flexible work continues to gain momentum…

A 2022 LinkedIn report found that the following occurred between 2019 and 2021:

In 2022, Into-Tech found that hybrid was the most commonly used location work model for IT across all industries.

("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2022)

…and employees are demanding more flexibility

Offering workplace flexibility benefits organizations and employees

Higher performance

IT departments that offer some degree of location flexibility are more effective at supporting the organization than those who do not.

35% of service desk functions report improved service since implementing location flexibility.
("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2023).

Enhanced employer brand

Employees are 2.1x more likely to recommend their employer to others when they are satisfied with their organization's flexible work arrangements (LinkedIn, 2021).

Improved attraction

41% of IT departments cite an expanded hiring pool as a key benefit of hybrid work.

Organizations that mention "flexibility" in their job postings have 35% more engagement with their posts (LinkedIn, 2022).

Increased job satisfaction

IT employees who have more control over their working arrangement experience a greater sense of contribution and trust in leadership ("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2023).

Better work-life balance

81% of employees say flexible work will positively impact their work-life balance (FlexJobs, 2021).

Boosted inclusivity

• Caregivers regardless of gender, supporting them in balancing responsibilities
• Individuals with disabilities, enabling them to work from the comfort of their homes
• Women who may have increased responsibilities
• Women of color to mitigate the emotional tax experienced at work

Info-Tech Insight

Flexible work options are not a concession to lower productivity. Properly implemented, flex work enables employees to be more productive at reaching business goals.

Despite the popularity of flexible work options, not all employees can participate

IT organizations differ on how much flexibility different roles can have.

IT employees were asked what percentage of IT roles were currently in a hybrid or remote work arrangement ("State of Hybrid Work in IT," Info-Tech Research Group, 2023).

However, the benefits of remote work are not available to all, which raises fairness and equity concerns between remote and onsite employees.

Offering schedule flexibility to employees who need to be fully onsite can be used to close the fairness and equity gap.

When offered the choice, 54% of employees said they would choose schedule flexibility over location flexibility ("Global Employee Survey," EY, 2021).

When employees were asked "What choice would you want your employer to provide related to when you have to work?" The top three choices were:

Disclaimer: "Percentages do not sum to 100%, as each respondent could choose up to three of the [five options provided]" ("Global Employee Survey," EY, 2021).

Beware of the "all or nothing" approach

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to workplace flexibility.

Understanding the needs of various employee segments in the organization is critical to the success of a flexible work program.

Working parents want more flexibility

Historically underrepresented groups value more flexibility

Workplace flexibility must be customized to the organization to avoid longer working hours and heavy workloads that impact employee wellbeing

Longer hours and unsustainable workloads can contribute to stress and burnout, which is a threat to employee engagement and retention. With careful management (e.g. setting clear expectations and establishing manageable workloads), flexible work arrangement benefits can be preserved.

Info-Tech Insight

Employees' lived experiences and needs determine if people use flexible work programs – a flex program that has limited use or excludes people will not benefit the organization.

Develop a flexible work program that meets employee and organizational needs

Insight summary

Overarching insight: IT excels at hybrid location work and is more effective as a business function when location, time, and time-off flexibility are an option for its employees.

Case Study

Expanding hybrid work at Info-Tech

Challenge

In 2020, Info-Tech implemented emergency work-from-home for its IT department, along with the rest of the organization. Now in 2023, hybrid work is firmly embedded in Info-Tech's culture, with plans to continue location flexibility for the foreseeable future.

Adjusting to the change came with lessons learned and future-looking questions.

Lessons Learned

Moving into remote work was made easier by certain enablers that had already been put in place. These included issuing laptops instead of desktops to the user base and using an existing cloud-based infrastructure. Much support was already being done remotely, making the transition for the support teams virtually seamless.

Continuing hybrid work has brought benefits such as reduced commuting costs for employees, higher engagement, and satisfaction among staff that their preferences were heard.

Looking Forward

Every flexible work implementation is a work in progress and must be continually revisited to ensure it continues to meet organizational and employee needs. Current questions being explored at Info-Tech are:

• The concept of the "office as a tool" – how does use of the office change when it is used for specific collaboration-related tasks, rather than everything? How should the physical space change to support this?
• What does a viable replacement for quick hallway meetings look like in a remote world where communication is much more deliberate? How can managers adjust their practices to ensure the benefits of informal encounters aren't lost?

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

“Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”

Guided Implementation

“Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”

Workshop

“We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”

Consulting

“Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

A typical GI is 3 to 5 calls over the course of 4 to 6 months.

Workshop Overview

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

Step 1

Assess employee and organizational needs

1. Assess employee and organizational flexibility needs
2. Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility
3. Implement selected option(s)

After completing this step you will have:

• Identified key stakeholders and their responsibilities
• Uncovered the current and desired state of the organization
• Analyzed feedback to identify flexibility challenges
• Identified and prioritized employee segments
• Determined the program goals
• Identified the degree of flexibility for work location, timing, and deliverables

Identify key stakeholders

Organizational flexibility requires collaborative and cross-functional involvement to determine which flexible options will meet the needs of a diverse workforce. HR leads the project to explore flexible work options, while other stakeholders provide feedback during the identification and implementation processes.

Info-Tech Insight

Flexible work is a holistic team effort. Leaders, flexible workers, teammates, and HR must clearly understand their roles to ensure that teams are set up for success.

Uncover the current and desired state of flexibility in the organization

Info-Tech Insight

Hybrid work is a start. A comprehensive flex work program extends beyond flexible location, so organizations must understand the needs of unique employee groups to uncover the options that will attract and retain talent. Provide greater inclusivity to employees by broadening the scope to include flex location, flex time, and flex time off.

Identify employee segments

Using the data, feedback, and challenges analyzed and uncovered so far, assess the organization and identify employee segments.

Identify employee segments with common characteristics to assess if they require unique flexible work options. Assess the feasibility options for the segments separately in Step 2.

• Segments' unique characteristics include:
• Role responsibilities (e.g. interacting with users, creating reports, development and testing)
• Work location/schedule (e.g. geographic, remote vs. onsite, 9 to 5)
• Work processes (e.g. server maintenance, phone support)
• Group characteristics (e.g. specific teams, new hires)

Identify employee segments and sort them into groups based on the characteristics above.

Examples of segments:

• Functional area (e.g. Service Desk, Security)
• Job roles (e.g. desktop support, server maintenance)
• Onsite, remote, or hybrid
• Full-time or part-time
• Job level (e.g. managers vs. independent contributors)
• Employees with dependents

Prioritize employee segments

Determine whether the organization needs flexible work options for the entire organization or specific employee segments.
For specific employee segments:

• Answer the questions on the right to identify whether an employee segment is high, medium, or low priority. Complete slides 23 to 25 for each high-priority segment, repeating the process for medium-priority segments when resources allow.

For the entire organization:

• When identifying an option for the entire organization, consider all segments. The approach must create consistency and inclusion; keep this top of mind when identifying flexibility on slides 23 to 25. For example, the work location flexibility would be low in an organization where some segments can work remotely and others must be onsite due to machinery requirements.

High priority: The employee segment has the lowest engagement scores or highest turnover within the organization. Segment sentiment is that current flexibility is nonexistent or not sufficiently meeting needs.
Medium priority: The employee segment has low engagement or high turnover. Segment sentiment is that currently available flexibility is minimal or not sufficiently meeting needs.
Low priority: The segment does not have the lowest engagement or the highest turnover rate. Segment sentiment is that currently available flexibility is sufficiently meeting needs.

1. What is the impact on the organization if this segment's challenges aren't addressed (e.g. if low engagement and high turnover are not addressed)?
2. How critical is flexibility to the segment's needs/engagement?
3. How time sensitive is it to introduce flexibility to this segment (e.g. is the organization losing employees in this segment at a high rate)?
4. Will providing flexibility to this segment increase organizational productivity or output

Identify challenges to address with flexibility

Uncover the lived experiences and expectations of employees to inform selection of segments and flexible options.

1. Collect data from existing sources, such as:
   • Engagement surveys
   • New hire/exit surveys
   • Employee experience monitor surveys
   • Employee retention pulse surveys
   • Burnout surveys
   • DEI pulse surveys
2. Analyze employee feedback on experiences with:
   • Work duties
   • Workload
   • Work-life balance
   • Operating processes and procedures
   • Achieving operational outcomes
   • Collaboration and communication
   • Individual experience and engagement
3. Evaluate the data and identify challenges

Example challenges:

• Engagement: Low average score on work-life balance question; flexible work suggested in open-ended responses.
• Retention: Exit survey indicating that lack of work-life balance is consistently a reason employees leave. Include the cost of turnover (e.g. recruitment, training, severance).
• Burnout: Feedback from employees through surveys or HR business partner anecdotes indicating high burnout; high usage of wellness services or employee assistance programs.
• Absenteeism: High average number of days employees were absent in the past year. Include the cost of lost productivity.
• Operational continuity: Provide examples of when flexible work would have enabled operational continuity in the case of disaster or extended customer service coverage.
• Program uptake: If the organization already has a flexible work program, provide data on the low proportion of eligible employees using available options.

1.1 Prepare to evaluate flexible work options

1-3 hours

Follow the guidance on preceding slides to complete the following activities.
Note: If you are only considering remote or hybrid work, use the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook. Otherwise, proceed with the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook.

1. Identify key stakeholders. Be sure to record the level of involvement and responsibility expected from each stakeholder. Use the "Stakeholders" tab of the workbook.
2. Uncover current and desired state. Review and record your current state with respect to culture, productivity, and current flexible work options, if any. Next, record your desired future state, including reasons for implementing flexible work, and goals for the program. Record this in the "Current and Desired State" tab of the workbook.
3. Identify and prioritize employee segments. Identify and record employee segments. Depending on the size of your department, you may identify a few or many. Be as granular as necessary to fully separate employee groups with different needs. If your resources or needs prevent you from rolling out flexible work to the entire department, record the priority level of each segment so you can focus on the highest priority first.
4. Identify challenges with flexibility. With each employee segment in mind, analyze your available data to identify and record each segment's main challenges regarding flexible work. These will inform your program goals and metrics.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Download the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Input

• List of departmental roles
• Data on employee engagement, productivity, sentiment regarding flexible work, etc.

Output

• List of stakeholders and responsibilities
• Flexible work challenges and aims
• Prioritized list of employee segments

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• IT department head
• HR business partner
• Flexible work program committee

Determine goals and metrics for the flexible work program

Info-Tech Insight

Implementing flex work without solid performance metrics means you won't have a way of determining whether the program is enabling or hampering your business practices.

1.2 Determine goals and metrics

30 minutes

Use the examples on the preceding slide to identify program goals and metrics:

1. Brainstorm program goals. Be sure to consider both the business benefits (e.g. productivity, retention) and the employee benefits (work-life balance, engagement). A successful flexible work program benefits both the organization and its employees.
2. Brainstorm metrics for each goal. Identify metrics that are easy to track accurately. Use Info-Tech's IT and HR metrics libraries for reference. Ideally, the metrics you choose should already exist in your organization so no extra effort will be necessary to implement them. It is also important to have a baseline measure of each one before flexible work is rolled out.
3. Record your outputs on the "Goals and Metrics" tab of the workbook.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Download the IT Metrics Library

Download the HR Metrics Library

Input

• Organizational and departmental strategy

Output

• List of program goals and metrics

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee

Determine work location flexibility for priority segments

Work location looks at where a segment can complete all or some of their tasks (e.g. onsite vs. remote). For each prioritized employee segment, evaluate the amount of location flexibility available.

Note

If roles within the segment have differing levels of location flexibility, use the lowest results (e.g. if role A in the segment has a high degree of flexibility for work duties and role B has a low degree of flexibility, use the results for role B).

Identify work timing for priority segments

Work timing looks at when work can or needs to be completed (e.g. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Note

With additional coordination, flex time or flex time off options are still possible for employee segments with a low degree of flexibility. For example, with a four-day work week, the segment can be split into two teams – one that works Monday to Thursday and one that works Tuesday to Friday – so that employees are still available for clients five days a week.

Examine work deliverables for priority segments

Work deliverables look at the employee's ability to deliver on their role expectations (e.g. quota or targets) and whether reducing the time spent working would, in all situations, impact the work deliverables (e.g. constrained vs. unconstrained).

Note

For segments with a low degree of work deliverable flexibility (e.g. very constrained output), flexibility is still an option, but maintaining output would require additional headcount.

1.3 Determine flexibility needs and constraints

1-2 hours

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to document the parameters of each work segment.

1. Determine work location flexibility. Work location looks at where a segment can complete all or some of their tasks (e.g. onsite vs. remote). For each prioritized employee segment, evaluate the amount of location flexibility available.
2. Identify work timing. Work timing looks at when work can or needs to be completed (e.g. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
3. Examine work deliverables. Work deliverables look at the employee's ability to deliver on their role expectations (e.g. quota or targets) and whether reducing the time spent working would, in all situations, impact the work deliverables (e.g. constrained vs. unconstrained).
4. Record your outputs on the "Current and Desired State" tab of the workbook.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Input

• List of employee segments

Output

• Summary of flexibility needs and constraints for each employee segment

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

Step 2

Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility

1. Assess employee and organizational flexibility needs
2. Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility
3. Implement selected option(s)

After completing this step you will have:

• Created a shortlist of potential options for each prioritized employee segment
• Evaluated the feasibility of each potential option
• Determined the cost and benefit of each potential option
• Gathered employee sentiment on potential options
• Finalized options with senior leadership

Prepare to identify and assess the feasibility of potential flexible work options

Evaluate feasibility by reviewing the option's impact on continued operations and job performance

Info-Tech Insight

Every role is eligible for hybrid location work. If onsite work duties prevent an employee group from participating, see if processes can be digitized or automated. Flexible work is an opportunity to go beyond current needs to future-proof your organization.

Assess the option's alignment with organizational culture

Determine the resources required for the option

Examine the option's risks

Determine whether the benefits of the option outweigh the costs

Include senior leadership in the net benefit process to ensure any unfeasible options are removed from consideration before presenting to employees.

1. Document the employee and employer benefits of the option from the previous feasibility factors on slides 29 to 32.

• Include the benefits of reaching program goals identified in Step 1.
• Quantify the benefits in dollar value where possible.

• Quantify the costs in dollar value where possible.

Info-Tech Insight

Flexible work options must balance organizational and employee needs. If an option is beneficial to employees but there is little or no benefit to the organization as a whole, or if the cost of the option is too high, it will not support the long-term success of the organization.

2.1a Identify and evaluate flexible work options

30 minutes per employee segment per work option

If you are only considering hybrid or remote work, skip to activity 2.1b. Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to conduct feasibility assessments.

1. Shortlist flexible work options. Review the Flexible Work Options Catalog to identify and shortlist five to seven flexible work options that are best suited to address the challenges faced for each of the priority employee segments. Record these on the "Options Shortlist" tab of the workbook. Even if the decision is simple, ensure you record the rationale to help communicate your decision to employees. Transparent communication is the best way to avoid feelings of unfairness if desired work options are not implemented.
2. Evaluate option feasibility. For each of the shortlisted options, complete one "Feasibility - Option" tab in the workbook. Make as many copies of this tab as needed.
   • When evaluating each option, consider each employee segment individually as you work through the prompts in the workbook. You may find that segments differ greatly in the feasibility of various types of flexible work. You will use this information to inform your overall policy and any exceptions to it.
   • You may need to involve each segment's management team to get an accurate picture of day-to-day responsibilities and flexible work feasibility.
3. Weigh benefits and costs. At the end of each flexible work option evaluation, record the anticipated costs and benefits. Discuss whether this balance renders the option viable or rules it out.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Download the Flexible Work Options Catalog

Input

• List of employee segments

Output

• Shortlist of flexible work options
• Feasibility analysis for each work option

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
• Flexible Work Options Catalog

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

2.1b Assess hybrid work feasibility

30 minutes per employee segment

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to conduct a feasibility assessment. This exercise relies on having trialed hybrid or remote work before. If you have never implemented any degree of remote work, consider completing the full feasibility assessment in activity 2.1a.

1. Evaluate hybrid work feasibility. Review the feasibility prompts on the "Work Unit Remote Work Assessment" tab and record your insight for each employee segment.
   • When evaluating each option, consider each employee segment individually as you work through the prompts in the workbook. You may find that segments differ greatly in their ability to accommodate hybrid work. You will use this information to inform your overall policy and any exceptions to it.
   • You may need to involve each segment's management team to get an accurate picture of day-to-day responsibilities and hybrid work feasibility.

Download the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Input

• List of employee segments

Output

• Feasibility analysis for each work option

Materials

• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

Ask employees which options they prefer and gather feedback for implementation

Deliver a survey and/or conduct focus groups with a selection of employees from all prioritized employee segments.

Share

• Present your draft list of options to select employees.
• Communicate that the organization is in the process of assessing the feasibility of flexible work options and would like employee input to ensure flex work meets needs.
• Be clear that the list is not final or guaranteed.

Ask

• Ask which options are preferred more than others.
• Ask for feedback on each option – how could it be modified to meet employee needs better? Use this information to inform implementation in Step 3.

Decide

• Prioritize an option if many employees indicated an interest in it.
• If employees indicate no interest in an option, consider eliminating it from the list, unless it will be required. There is no value in providing an option if employees won't use it.

Survey

• List the options and ask respondents to rate each on a Likert scale from 1 to 5.
• Ask some open-ended questions with comment boxes for employee suggestions.

Focus Group

• Conduct focus groups to gather deeper feedback.
• See Appendix I for sample focus group questions.

Info-Tech Insight

Prioritize flexible work options that employees want. Providing too many options often leads to information overload and results in employees not understanding what is available, lowering adoption of the flexible work program.

Finalize options list with senior leadership

1. Select one to three final options and outline the details of each. Include:
   • Scope: To what extent will the option be applied? E.g. work-from-home one or two days a week.
   • Eligibility: Which employee segments are eligible?
   • Cost: What investment will be required?
   • Critical implementation issues: Will any of the implementation issues identified for each feasibility factor impact whether the option will be approved?
   • Resources: What additional resources will be required (e.g. technology)?
2. Present the options to stakeholders for approval. Include:
   • An outline of the finalized options, including what the option is and the scope, eligibility, and critical implementation issues.
   • The feasibility assessment results, including benefits, costs, and employee preferences. Have more detail from the other factors ready if leaders ask about them.
   • The investment (cost) required to implement the option.
3. Proceed to Step 3 to implement approved options.

Running an IT pilot of flex work

• As a technology department, IT typically doesn't own flexible work implementation for the entire organization. However, it is common to trial flexible work options for IT first, before rolling out to the entire organization.
• During a flex work pilot, ensure you are working closely with HR partners, especially regarding regulatory and compliance issues.
• Keep the rest of the organizational stakeholders in the loop, especially regarding their agreement on the metrics by which the pilot's success will be evaluated.

2.2a Finalize flexible work options

2-3 hours + time to gather employee feedback

If you are only considering hybrid or remote work, skip to activity 2.2b. Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to gather final feedback and finalize work option selections.

1. Gather employee feedback. If employee preferences are already known, skip this step. If they are not, gather feedback to ascertain whether any of the shortlisted options are preferred. Remember that a successful flexible work program balances the needs of employees and the business, so employee preference is a key determinant in flexible work program success. Document this on the "Employee Preferences" tab of the workbook.
2. Finalize flexible work options. Use your notes on the cost-benefit balance for each option, along with employee preferences, to decide whether the move forward with it. Record this decision on the "Options Final List" tab. Include information about eligible employee segments and any implementation challenges that came up during the feasibility assessments. This is the final decision summary that will inform your flexible program parameters and policies.

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Input

• Flexible work options shortlist

Output

• Final flexible work options list

Materials

• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee

2.2b Finalize hybrid work parameters

2-3 hours + time to gather employee feedback

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to gather final feedback and finalize work option selections.

1. Summarize feasibility analysis. On the "Program Parameters" tab, record the main insights from your feasibility analysis. Finalize important elements, including eligibility for hybrid/remote work by employee segment. Additionally, record the standard parameters for the program (i.e. those that apply to all employee segments) and variable parameters (i.e. ones that differ by employee segment).

Download the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Input

• Hybrid work feasibility analysis

Output

• Final hybrid work program parameters

Materials

• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee

Step 3

Implement selected option(s)

1. Assess employee and organizational flexibility needs
2. Identify potential flex options and assess feasibility
3. Implement selected option(s)

After completing this step, you will have:

• Addressed implementation issues and cultural barriers
• Equipped the organization to adopt flexible work options successfully
• Piloted the program and assessed its success
• Developed a plan for program rollout and communication
• Established a program evaluation plan
• Aligned HR programs to support the program

Solve the implementation issues identified in your feasibility assessment

1. Identify a solution for each implementation issue documented in the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook. Consider the following when identifying solutions:
   • Scope: Determine whether the solution will be applied to one or all employee segments.
   • Stakeholders: Identify stakeholders to consult and develop a solution. If the scope is one employee segment, work with organizational leaders of that segment. When the scope is the entire organization, consult with senior leaders.
   • Implementation: Collaborate with stakeholders to solve implementation issues. Balance the organizational and employee needs, referring to data gathered in Steps 1 and 2.

Address cultural barriers by involving leaders

To shift a culture that is not supportive of flexible work, involve leaders in setting an example for employees to follow.

Shift symbols, values, and behaviors

• Work with senior leaders to identify symbols, values, and behaviors to modify to align with the selected flexible work options.
• Validate that the final list aligns with your organization's mission, vision, and values.

Info-Tech Insight

Leaders' collective support of the flexible program determines the program's successful adoption. Don't sweep cultural barriers under the rug; acknowledge and address them to overcome them.

Equip the organization for successful implementation

Info-Tech recommends providing managers and employees with a guide to flexible work, introducing policies, and providing training for managers.

3.1 Prepare for implementation

2-3 hours

Use the guidelines on the preceding slides to brainstorm solutions to implementation issues and prepare to communicate program rollout to stakeholders.

1. Solve implementation issues.
   • If you are working with the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook: For each implementation challenge identified on the "Final Options List" tab, brainstorm solutions. If you are working with the Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook: Work through the program enablement prompts on the "Program Enablement" tab.
   • You may need to involve relevant stakeholders to help you come up with appropriate solutions for each employee segment.
   • Ensure that any anticipated cultural barriers have been documented and are addressed during this step. Don't underestimate the importance of a supportive organizational culture to the successful rollout of flexible work.
2. Prepare the employee guide. Modify the Guide to Flexible Work for Managers and Employees template to reflect your final work options list and the processes and expectations employees will need to follow.
3. Create a communication plan. Use Info-Tech's Communicate Any IT Initiative blueprint and Appendix II to craft your messaging.

Download the Guide to Flexible Work for Managers and Employees

Download the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook

Input

• Flexible work options final list

Output

• Employee guide to flexible work
• Flexible work rollout communication plan

Materials

• Guide to Flexible Work for Managers and Employees
• Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook
  Or
• Fast-Track Hybrid Work Program Workbook

Participants

• Flexible work program committee
• Employee segment managers

Run an IT pilot for flexible work

Assess the pilot's success and determine next steps

Review the feedback collected on the previous slide and use this decision tree to decide whether to relaunch a pilot or proceed to a full-scale rollout of the program.

Prepare for full-scale rollout

If you have run a team pilot prior to rolling out to all of IT, or run an IT pilot before an organizational rollout, use the following steps to transition from pilot to full rollout.

1. Determine modifications
   • Review the feedback gathered during the pilot and determine what needs to change for a full-scale implementation.
   • Update HR policies and programs to support flexible work. Work closely with your HR business partner and other organizational leaders to ensure every department's needs are understood and compliance issues are addressed.
2. Roll out and evaluate
   • Roll out the remainder of the program (e.g. to other employee segments or additional flexible work options) once there is significant uptake of the pilot by the target employee group and issues have been addressed.
   • Determine how feedback will be gathered after implementation, such as during engagement surveys, new hire and exit surveys, stay interviews, etc., and assess whether the program continues to meet employee and organizational needs.

Rolling out beyond IT

For a rollout beyond IT, HR will likely take over.

However, this is your chance to remain at the forefront of your organization's flexible work efforts by continuing to track success and gather feedback within IT.

Align HR programs and organizational policies to support flexible work

Organizational policies

Determine which organizational policies will be impacted as a result of the new flexible work options. For example, the introduction of flex time off can result in existing vacation policies needing to be updated.

Plan to re-evaluate the program and make improvements

Collect data

Info-Tech Insight

Negative performance of a flexible work option does not necessarily mean failure. Take the time to evaluate whether the option simply needs to be tweaked or whether it truly isn't working for the organization.

Insight summary

Overarching insight: IT excels at hybrid location work and is more effective as a business function when location, time, and time-off flexibility are an option for its employees.

Introduction

• Flexible work options are not a concession to lower productivity. Properly implemented, flex work enables employees to be more productive at reaching business goals.
• Employees' lived experiences and needs determine if people use flexible work programs – a flex program that has limited use or excludes people will not benefit the organization.
• Flexible work benefits everyone. IT employees experience greater engagement, motivation, and company loyalty. IT organizations realize benefits such as better service coverage, reduced facilities costs, and increased productivity.

Step 1 insight

• Hybrid work is a start. A comprehensive flex work program extends beyond flexible location to flexible time and time off. Organizations must understand the needs of unique employee groups to uncover the options that will attract and retain talent. Provide greater inclusivity to employees by broadening the scope to include flex location, flex time, and flex time off.
• No two employee segments are the same. To be effective, flexible work options must align with the expectations and working processes of each segment.

Step 2 insight

• Every role is eligible for hybrid location work. If onsite work duties prevent an employee group from participating, see if processes can be digitized or automated. Flexible work is an opportunity to go beyond current needs to future proofing your organization.
• Flexible work options must balance organizational and employee needs. If an option is beneficial to employees but there is little or no benefit to the organization, or if the cost of the option is too high, it will not support the long-term success of the organization.
• Prioritize flexible work options that employees want. Providing too many options often leads to information overload and results in employees not understanding what is available, lowering adoption of the flexible work program.

Step 3 insight

• Leaders' collective support of the flexible program determines the program's successful adoption. Don't sweep cultural barriers under the rug; acknowledge and address them to overcome them.
• Negative performance of a flexible work option does not necessarily mean failure. Take the time to evaluate whether the option simply needs to be tweaked or whether it truly isn't working for the organization.
• A set of formal guidelines for IT ensures flexible work is:
  1. Administered fairly across all IT employees.
  2. Defensible and clear.
  3. Scalable to the rest of the organization.

Research Contributors and Experts

Quinn Ross
CEO
The Ross Firm Professional Corporation

Margaret Yap
HR Professor
Ryerson University

Heather Payne
CEO
Juno College

Lee Nguyen
HR Specialist
City of Austin

Stacey Spruell
Division HR Director
Travis County

Don MacLeod
Chief Administrative Officer
Zorra Township

Stephen Childs
CHRO
Panasonic North America

Shawn Gibson
Sr. Director
Info Tech Research Group

Mari Ryan
CEO/Founder
Advancing Wellness

Sophie Wade
Founder
Flexcel Networks

Kim Velluso
VP Human Resources
Siemens Canada

Lilian De Menezes
Professor of Decision Sciences
Cass Business School, University of London

Judi Casey
WorkLife Consultant and former Director, Work and Family Researchers Network
Boston College

Chris Frame
Partner – Operations
LiveCA

Rose M. Stanley, CCP, CBP, WLCP, CEBS
People Services Manager
Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC

Shari Lava
Director, Vendor Research
Info-Tech Research Group

Carol Cochran
Director of People & Culture
FlexJobs

Kidde Kelly
OD Practitioner

Dr. David Chalmers
Adjunct Professor
Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University

Kashmira Nagarwala
Change Manager
Siemens Canada

Dr. Isik U. Zeytinoglu
Professor of Management and Industrial Relations McMaster University, DeGroote School of Business

Claire McCartney
Diversity & Inclusion Advisor
CIPD

Teresa Hopke
SVP of Client Relations
Life Meets Work – www.lifemeetswork.com

Mark Tippey
IT Leader and Experienced Teleworker

Dr. Kenneth Matos
Senior Director of Research
Families and Work Institute

1 anonymous contributor

Appendix I: Sample focus group questions

See Info-Tech's Focus Group Guidefor guidance on setting up and delivering focus groups. Customize the guide with questions specific to flexible work (see sample questions below) to gain deeper insight into employee preferences for the feasibility assessment in Step 2 of this blueprint.

Document themes in the Targeted Flexible Work Program Workbook.

• What do you need to balance/integrate your work with your personal life?
• What challenges do you face in achieving work-life balance/integration?
• What about your job is preventing you from achieving work-life balance/integration?
• How would [flexible work option] help you achieve work-life balance/integration?
• How well would this option work with the workflow of your team or department? What would need to change?
• What challenges do you see in adopting [flexible work option]?
• What else would be helpful for you to achieve work-life balance/integration?
• How could we customize [flexible work option] to ensure it meets your needs?
• If this program were to fail, what do you think would be the top reasons and why?

Appendix II: Communication key messaging

Works Cited

Baziuk, Jennifer, and Duncan Meadows. "Global Employee Survey - Key findings and implications for ICMIF." EY, June 2021. Accessed May 2022.
"Businesses suffering 'commitment issues' on flexible working," EY, 21 Sep. 2021. Accessed May 2022.
"IT Talent Trends 2022". Info-Tech Research Group, 2022.
"Jabra Hybrid Ways of Working: 2021 Global Report." Jabra, Aug. 2021. Accessed May 2022.
LinkedIn Talent Solutions. "2022 Global Talent Trends." LinkedIn, 2022. Accessed May 2022.
Lobosco, Mark. "The Future of Work is Flexible: 71% of Leaders Feel Pressure to Change Working Models." LinkedIn, 9 Sep. 2021. Accessed May 2022.
Ohm, Joy, et al. "Covid-19: Women, Equity, and Inclusion in the Future of Work." Catalyst, 28 May 2020. Accessed May 2022.
Pelta, Rachel. "Many Workers Have Quit or Plan to After Employers Revoke Remote Work." FlexJobs, 2021. Accessed May 2022.
Slack Future Forum. "Inflexible return-to-office policies are hammering employee experience scores." Slack, 19 April 2022. Accessed May 2022.
"State of Hybrid Work in IT: A Trend Report". Info-Tech Research Group, 2023.
Threlkeld, Kristy. "Employee Burnout Report: COVID-19's Impact and 3 Strategies to Curb It." Indeed, 11 March 2021. Accessed March 2022.

Select and Prioritize Digital Initiatives

Build your digital investment business case.

Info-Tech Research Group

Key Concepts

Digital initiative

A project – or a group of interdependent projects – whose primary purpose is to enable digital technologies and/or digital business models. These technologies and models may be net new to the organization, or they may be existing ones that are optimized and improved by the initiative itself.

The feasibility of any initiative is gauged by answering:

• What amount of return on investment (ROI) or value does it bring to the organization?
• What level of complexity does it pose to project execution?
• To what extent does it solve a problem or leverage an opportunity?
• To what degree is it aligned with digital business goals?

Digital strategy

The plan to deploy existing/emerging technologies to look at developing new products and services, new business models, and operational efficiency to meet or exceed performance targets.

IT strategy

The plan for deploying and maintaining applications, hardware, infrastructure, and IT services that support the business goals in a secure/regulatory-compliant manner to ensure reliability.

Digital transformation

Digital transformation is an at-scale change program – planned and executed over a finite time period – with the aspiration of creating material and sustainable improvement in the performance of an organization. Techniques include deploying a programmatic approach to innovation along with enabling technologies, capabilities, and practices that drive efficiency and create new products, markets, and business models.

Info-Tech Insight

The business has embarked on its digital transformation journey. As CIO, you are being relied on to help triage what is most important – initiatives that will move the needle to achieve and fulfill the digital goals and ambitions of the organization.

Analyst Perspective

Prioritization follows ideation, and it’s not always easy.

Your stakeholders have spent considerable time and effort identifying and articulating a digital business strategy. Now that ideas have turned into opportunities, the CIO must prioritize those opportunities as actual initiatives. Where to begin?

Your first task is to identify the criteria that will be used to conduct prioritization activities. These criteria should be immutable and rigorously applied.

Your second task will be to develop business cases for each opportunity that passes muster. But don’t worry, you won’t need an MBA to get the job done properly.

Ross Armstrong

Principal Research Director
Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech’s digital transformation journey

By now, you have established your current strategic context

You have reviewed trends to reimagine the future of your industry and undertaken a digital maturity assessment to validate your business objectives and innovation goals. Now you need to evolve the current scope of your digital vision and opportunities.

• Phase 1.1: Industry Trends Report

• Phase 1.2: Digital Maturity Assessment

• Phase 2.1: Zero In on Business Objectives

By this point you have leveraged industry roundtables to better understand the art of the possible – exploring global trends, shifts in market forces or industry, customer needs, emerging technologies, and economic forecasts and creating opportunities out of these disruptions.

In Phase 2.1, you identified your business and innovation goals and documented your current capabilities, prioritized for transformation.

Business and innovation goals have been established through stakeholder interviews and business document review.

Current capabilities have been prioritized for transformation and heat mapped.

You have also formalized your digital strategy

Throughout the course of Phase 2.2, you identified new digital opportunities, identified the business capabilities required to capitalize those opportunities, and updated the digital goals of your organization, accordingly.

The end result of this exercise is a new goals cascade that aligns digital goals and capabilities with those of the business. Digital initiatives were also identified but not yet selected or prioritized for execution at the project level.

Now you will select and prioritize digital initiatives

The goal of this phase is to ensure that initiatives that are green-lit for execution have been successfully assessed against your chosen criteria and that the business case for each initiative is firmly established and documented.

There are three key activities outlined here that describe the actions that can be undertaken by industry members to help select and prioritize digital initiatives for the business.

1. Identify your selection criteria

2. Evaluate initiatives against criteria

3. Determine a prioritized list of initiatives

Info-Tech’s approach

Step 1: Identify Your Selection Criteria

Understand which conditions must be met in order to turn an opportunity into a digital initiative.

Step 1

Identify Your Selection Criteria

Use these selection criteria to prioritize initiatives

Ideas matter, but not all ideas are created equal. Now that you have elicited ideas and identified opportunities, discuss the assumptions, risks, and benefits associated with each proposed digital business initiative.

Prioritize opportunities into initiatives

Recall that the opportunities identified in Phase 2.2 also became proposed digital initiatives demonstrated in your goals cascade.

In your discussion, evaluate each opportunity through a matrix to create tension between value and complexity or other dimensions. Capture the information based on measurable business benefits-realization; risks or considerations; assumptions; and competencies, talent, and assets needed to deliver.

Leverage opportunity profiles from your digital strategy

To start, take one of the opportunity profiles you created in Phase 2.2, Build Your Digital Vision and Strategy, and use it throughout the following steps. Once done, repeat with the next opportunity profile until all have been vetted against criteria. If you did not use Info-Tech’s approach, simply use whatever list of digital business opportunities provided to you from stakeholders.

Prioritization Criteria

Run each initiative through the following evaluation criteria. When finished, any opportunities that appear in the top left quadrant (high value/low complexity) are now your highest priority digital initiatives.

Instructions:

Assign each initiative a letter. As you decide on each one, move a copy of the circled letter to its appropriate place on the 2x2 selection matrix.

Info-Tech Insight

Evaluation should be based on the insights from analysis across all criteria. Leverage group discussion to help contextualize and challenge assumptions when validating opportunities.

Digital initiative ≠ IT project

Every idea is a good one, unless you need one that works. What “works” as a digital initiative is not the same thing as a straightforward IT project that would be typically managed by a project manager or PMO. These latter projects will be addressed in Phase 3.1 of the digital journey.

Opportunities and business needs > Business model > Impact > Mandatory > Innovation path forward

Digital Track

Focus: Transform the business and operations

1. Problem may not be well defined.
2. “Initiative” is not clear.
3. Based on market research, customer needs, trend analysis, and economic forecast, risk to the business if fit-for-purpose initiative is not identified.
4. Previous delivery results not as expected, or uncertain how to continue the project.
5. Highly complex with significant impact to transform the business or operations.
6. Execution approach is not clear.
7. Capabilities may not exist within IT.

IT PMO

1. Emerging technology trends create opportunities to modernize IT, not transform business.
2. Problem is well defined and understood.
3. Initiative is clearly identified.
4. New IT project.
5. Can be complex but does not transform the business.
6. Standard PMP approach is a good fit.
7. Capabilities exist to execute within IT.
8. Software vendor or systems integrator is initiative provider.

Step 2: Evaluate Initiatives Against Criteria

Ruthlessly prioritize which opportunities will deliver the greatest business value and pose the best chance of success.

Step 2

Evaluate Initiatives Against Criteria

Exemplar: Prioritization criteria

Your prioritization matrix should look something like this. Initiatives B and C will now have short-form business cases developed for them. Initiatives in the “Should Plan” quadrant can be dealt with later.

Draw information from the opportunity profiles

You created opportunity profiles in Phase 2.2 to clarify, validate and evaluate specific ideas for digital initiatives. In these profiles, you considered the timing, relevance, and impact of those opportunities.

Some prioritized initiatives will have an immediate and significant impact on your business. Some may have a significant impact, but on a longer timeline. Understanding this is important context for your overall digital business strategy.

Above all, you must be able to communicate to stakeholders how the newly prioritized digital initiatives are relevant to driving the strategic growth of the business.

Start by elucidating further on initiative benefits and business value as outlined in the opportunity profile. This will become crucial for completing your next step – building a short-form business case for each prioritized initiative.

Short-Form Business Case Template

Prepare your business case for each initiative

Tasks:

1. On a whiteboard, draw the visual initiative canvas supplied below.
2. For each prioritized initiative, leverage its opportunity profile (if used) to list the resulting customer or stakeholder products/services and its pain relievers and gain creators in the associated sections of the canvas.
3. Ensure that the top pains, gains, and jobs are addressed by products/services, pain relievers, and gain creators.
4. Use this information as a basis for further exercises in this section, such as defining benefits, articulating value proposition and vision, and cost estimates.

Expand on the key benefits of each initiative

Business cases are not just a vehicle with which to acquire resources for investments, they are a mechanism that helps ensure the benefits of an investment are realized. To accomplish this, a business case must have a set of clearly defined benefits, combined with an understanding of how they will be measured and an explicitly stated beneficiary who can corroborate that the benefit has been realized.

What is a benefit?

Benefits are the advantages, or outcomes, that specific groups or individuals realize as a result of the proposed initiative’s implementation.

Initiative inputs

Initiative inputs are the time, resources, and scope dedicated to the endeavor of implementing an initiative.

Identify how to measure benefit achievement

Benefits are realized when an organization either starts doing something new, stops doing something, or improves the way something is already being done. The impact of these changes must be measured in order to determine whether the change is positive and if the case warrants more resources in order to scale.

Types of benefits

• Observable: These are measured by opinion or judgement.
• Measurable: These can be identified when there is an existing measure in place for the benefit (or when one can be easily created).
• Quantifiable: Similar to measurable benefits; however, these benefits additionally feature size or magnitude (if it can be reliably estimated).
• Financial: These are benefits that can be communicated in monetary terms. A benefit should only be classified as financial when sufficient evidence is available to show that the stated value is likely to be achieved.

Benefit owners and responsibilities

1. Each benefit should have assigned to it an explicit owner who gains an advantage as a result of the initiative’s implementation.
2. For most benefits, the owner will be the primary beneficiary of the initiative.
3. These individuals are the ones who must corroborate that a benefit has been realized.
4. Assigning an owner to each benefit will foster a sense of accountability in terms of benefits realization and will also create a traceable path that helps track the success of the initiative.

Complete the benefits section of the business case

Tasks:

1. Use the Short-Form Business Case Template included in this deck.
2. Arrange a meeting with the key beneficiary or beneficiaries of your initiative. Refer back to the benefits and outcomes section of the initiative’s opportunity profile (if used) as a starting point.
3. Clearly define what the key benefits of your initiative will be and list them in the Short-Form Business Case Template.
4. Assign an owner to each benefit – the individual who will corroborate that the benefit has accrued.
5. Come to a mutual agreement with the beneficiaries as to whether each benefit is:
   • Financial
   • Quantifiable
   • Measurable
   • Observable
6. Discuss and list the methods that will be used to measure each benefit and list them in the Short-Form Business Case Template.

Craft value proposition and vision statements

The way one articulates the value an initiative provides is just as important as the initiative itself. Use the previous exercises as inputs to craft a statement that reflects the value your initiative will provide, but also describes how the initiative will create value. Specifically, a value proposition should answer the following questions:

1. Who is the initiative for?
2. What is the initiative?
3. What does the initiative do?
4. How is the initiative different from others?

Complete value prop and vision statement sections of the business case

Tasks:

1. Having already completed the benefits section of the Short-Form Business Case Template, turn your attention to the value proposition section.
2. Using your problem and initiative canvases, in addition to the benefits section, craft a value proposition statement that answers the following questions in one or two sentences:
   • Who is the initiative for?
   • What is the initiative?
   • What does the initiative do?
   • How is the initiative different?
3. Input the value proposition statement into the value proposition section of the Short-Form Business Case Template.

Identify initiative steps and add to business case

Tasks:

Turn your attention to the roadmap section of the Short-Form Business Case Template and fill it in through the following steps:

1. Select which scope, resource, and/or time reduction tactics to apply given the context of the project.
2. Use the test, run, gauge, and collect framework supplied, unless you elect to generate your own project phases. If that is the case, ensure that phases are mutually exclusive and completely exhaustive (MECE).
3. For each phase, supply a brief description of the activities to be undertaken for that phase.
4. Map the benefits to be accrued within each phase.
5. For each phase, supply a set of two to three potential factors that create risk toward the benefits listed.
6. For each risk, supply a mitigation tactic that could be employed to diffuse the risk or to mitigate it completely.

Fill out the cost section of the business case

Tasks:

1. Having already completed the roadmap part of the Short-Form Business Case Template, turn your attention to the cost section.
2. Use the scope, resource, and time reduction tactics and roadmap to estimate the cost necessary to execute the project. Remember that costs are a factor of the resources required and the cost type.
   • Resources:
     • Hardware
     • Software
     • Human
     • Network and communications
     • Facilities
   • Cost Types:
     • Acquisition
     • Operation
     • Growth and change
3. Complete the cost section of the Short-Form Business Case Template with the cost estimate for the project.

Exemplar: Short-Form Business Case

Step 3: Determine a Prioritized List of Initiatives

Green-light opportunities for digital investment and create your list of high-priority digital initiatives.

Step 3

Determine a Prioritized List of Initiatives

Compile your prioritized initiatives

There are two follow-up actions to do with your newly prioritized list of digital initiative business cases: present them to stakeholders for approval and then add them to your IT strategic roadmap.

Present business cases to stakeholders

For most high-profile digital business initiatives, the short-form business case will not be the first time stakeholders hear about them. By this point, securing approval should only be a formality if the initiative has been effectively socialized beforehand. If this is not the case, one must build an adequate understanding of the stakeholder landscape and then use this understanding to effectively present business cases for digital initiative and receive approval to proceed with them.

Gauge the importance of various stakeholders and tailor your message according to their concerns and the requirements of their role. Consider the following important questions about each stakeholder:

• Authority: How much influence does the stakeholder have? Enough to drive the initiative forward?
• Involvement: How interested is the stakeholder? How involved is the stakeholder in the initiative already?
• Impact: To what degree will the stakeholder be impacted? Will this significantly change how they do their job?
• Support: Is the stakeholder a supporter of the initiative? Neutral? A resistor?

Develop a stakeholder map

A stakeholder map helps visualize the importance of various stakeholders and their concerns so you can prioritize your time according to those stakeholders who are most impacted by a digital initiative, as well as those who have the authority to green-light them.

1. Evaluate each stakeholder in terms of authority, involvement, impact, and support, as discussed in the previous slide.
2. Map each stakeholder to an area on the right template (slide four) based upon the level of their authority and involvement (high or low).
   • Vary the size of the circle to distinguish stakeholders that are highly impacted by the IT strategy from those who are not. Color each circle to show each stakeholder’s estimated or gauged level of support for the project.
3. Ask yourself if the stakeholder map looks accurate. Is there someone who has no involvement in digital initiatives, but should?
   • A) For example, if a CFO who has the authority to disapprove project funding is heavily impacted and not involved, the success of the business cases will be put at risk.
4. Draw a dotted circle to show where that stakeholder needs to be located (increased involvement and support), and an arrow with a dotted line to signify the needed change. Some stakeholders may have influence over others.
   • B) For example, a COO who highly values the opinion of the director of operations would be influenced by that director. Draw an arrow from one stakeholder to another to signify this relationship.

Focus on key players: Relevant stakeholders who have high power are highly impacted and should have high involvement. Engage the stakeholders that are impacted most and have the authority to influence digital initiatives and approve business cases.

Summary of key insights

By now, you should have a firm understanding of the principles and desired actions, behaviors, and outcomes that have been presented in this methodology. Furthermore:

1. Prioritization of digital opportunities can be a relatively straightforward task as long as the correct stakeholders are involved and use a common and agreed upon set of criteria.
2. Developing a business case for a digital initiative in an agile manner need not be a grueling exercise provided that a vetted and repeatable process is used.
3. Above all, remember that this is a journey. Going from an intangible (macro-trend, problem, or opportunity) to a tangible (actual project or initiative) does not happen all at once.

Related Info-Tech Research

Understand Industry Trends

Assess how the external environment presents opportunities or threats to your organization.

Build a Business-Aligned IT Strategy

Align with the business by creating an IT strategy that documents the business context, key initiatives, and a strategic roadmap.

Define Your Digital Business Strategy

Design a strategy that applies innovation to your business model, streamlines and transforms processes, and makes use of technologies to enhance interactions with customers and employees.

Research Contributors and Experts

Ross Armstrong

Principal Research Director, CIO Advisory
Info-Tech Research Group

Ross Armstrong is a Principal Research Director in the CIO Advisory practice at Info-Tech Research Group, covering the areas of IT strategic planning, digital strategy, digital transformation, and IT innovation.

Ross has worked in a variety of public and private sector industries including automotive, IT, mobile/telecom, and higher education. All of his roles over the years have centered around data-driven market research – in pursuit of insightful and successful product development and product management – at their core.

In addition to his long tenure as an Info-Tech Research Group analyst, Ross has worked in research and product innovation positions at Autodata initiatives (J.D. Power), BlackBerry, and Ivey Business School (Western University).

Ross holds a Master of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from Western University (UWO) and has served as an advisory board member for a number of not-for-profit and educational institutions.

Joanne Lee

Principal Research Director, CIO Advisory
Info-Tech Research Group

Joanne is an executive with over 25 years of experience providing leadership in digital technology and management consulting across both public and private entities from initiative delivery to organizational redesign across BC, Ontario, and Globally.

A Director within KPMG’s CIO Advisory Management Consulting services and practice lead for Digital Health in BC, Joanne has led various client engagements from ERP Cloud Strategy, IT Operating Models, Data and Analytics maturity, to process redesign. More recently, Joanne was the Chief Program Officer and Executive Director responsible for leading the implementation of a $450M technology and business transformation initiative across 13 hospitals and community services for one of the largest health authorities in BC.

A former clinician, Joanne has held progressive leadership roles in healthcare with accountabilities across IT operations and service management, data analytics, project management office (PMO), clinical informatics, and privacy and contract management. Joanne is passionate about connecting people, concepts, and capital.

Bibliography

“AI: From Data to ROI.” Cognizant, September 2020. Accessed November 2022.

Bughin, Jacques, et al. “The Case for Digital Reinvention.” McKinsey Quarterly, February 2017. Accessed November 2022.

“The Business Case for Digital Transformation.” CPA Canada, June 2021. Accessed November 2022.

“The Case for Digital Transformation.” The National Center for the Middle Market, Ohio State University, 2020. Accessed October 2022.

“Digital Transformation in Government Case Study.” Ionology, April 2020. Accessed October 2022.

Louis, Peter, et al. “Internet of Things – From Buzzword to Business Case.” Siemens, 11 January 2021. Accessed December 2022.

Miesen, Nick. “Case Studies of Digital Transformations in Process and Aerospace Industries.” Jugaad, 2018. Accessed November 2022.

Proff, Harald, and Claudia Bittrich. “The Digital Business Case - Done Right!” Deloitte, August 2019. Accessed October 2022.

“Propelling an Aerospace Innovator.” Accenture, 2021. Accessed October 2022.

Schmidt-Subramanian, Maxie. “The ROI of CX Transformation.” Forrester, 15 August 2019. Accessed November 2022.

Ward, John, et al. “Building Better Business Cases for IT Investments.” California Management Review, Sept. 2007. Web.

Manage Your Chromebooks and MacBooks

Financial constraints, strategy, and your user base dictate the need for Chromebooks and MacBooks – now you have to manage them in your environment.

Analyst Perspective

Managing MacBooks and Chromebooks is similar to managing Windows devices in many ways and different in others. The tools have many common features, yet they struggle to achieve the same goals.

Until recently, Windows devices dominated the workplace globally. Computing devices were also rare in many industries such as education. Administrators and administrative staff may have used Windows-based devices, but Chromebooks were not yet in use. Most universities and colleges were Windows-based in offices with some flavor of Unix in other areas, and Apple devices were gaining some popularity in certain circles.

That is a stark contrast compared to today, where Chromebooks dominate the classrooms and MacBooks and Chromebooks are making significant inroads into the enterprise environment. MacBooks are also a common sight on many university campuses. There is no doubt that while Windows may still be the dominant player, it is far from the only one in town.

Now that Chromebooks and MacBooks are a notable, if not significant, part of the education and enterprise environments, they must be afforded the same considerations as Windows devices in those environments when it comes to management. The good news is that there is no lack of available solutions for managing these devices, and the endpoint management landscape is continually evolving and improving.

P.J. Ryan
Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• You modernized your end-user computing strategy and now have Windows 10 devices as well as MacBooks.
• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and desktop as a service (DaaS) are becoming popular. Chromebooks would be ideal as a low-cost interface into DaaS for your employees.
• You are responsible for the management of all the new Chromebooks in your educational district.
• Windows is no longer the only option. MacBooks and Chromebooks are justified, but now you have to manage them.

Common Obstacles

• Endpoint management solutions typically do a great job at managing one category of devices, like Windows or MacBooks, but they struggle to fully manage alternative endpoints.
• Multiple solutions to manage multiple devices will result in multiple dashboards. A single view would be better.
• One solution may not fit all, but multiple solutions is not desirable either, especially if you have Windows devices, MacBooks, and Chromebooks.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Use the tools at your disposal first – don't needlessly spend money if you don't have to. Many solutions can already manage other types of devices to some degree.
• Use the integration capabilities of endpoint management tools. Many of them can integrate with each other to give you a single interface to manage multiple types of devices while taking advantage of additional functionality.
• Don't purchase capabilities you will never use. Using 80% of a less expensive tool is economically smarter than using 10% of a more expensive tool.

Info-Tech Insight

Managing end-user devices may be accomplished with a variety of solutions, but many of those solutions advocate integration with a Microsoft-friendly solution to take advantage of features such as conditional access, security functionality, and data governance.

Insight Summary

Insight 1

Google Admin Console is necessary to manage Chromebooks, but it can be paired with other tools. Implementation partnerships provide solutions to track the device lifecycle, track the repair lifecycle, sync with Google Admin Console as well as PowerSchool to provide a more complete picture of the user and device, and facilitate reminders to return the device, pay fees if necessary, pick up a device when a repair is complete, and more.

Insight 2

The Google Admin Console allows admins to follow an organizational unit (OU) structure very similar to what they may have used in Microsoft's Active Directory environment. This familiarity makes the task of administering Chromebooks easier for admins.

Insight 3

Chromebook management goes beyond securing and manipulating the device. Controls to protect the students while online, such as Safe Search and Safe Browsing, should also be implemented.

Insight 4

Most companies choose to use a dedicated MacBook management tool. Many unified endpoint management (UEM) tools can manage MacBooks to some extent, but admins tend to agree that a MacBook-focused endpoint management tool is best for MacBooks while a Windows-based endpoint management tool is best for Windows devices.

Insight 5

Some MacBook management solutions advocate integration with Windows UEM solutions to take advantage of Microsoft features such as conditional access, security functionality, and data governance. This approach can also be applied to Chromebooks.

Chromebooks

Chromebooks had a respectable share of the education market before 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged the penetration of Chromebooks in the education industry.

Chromebooks are also catching the attention of some decision makers in the enterprise environment.

"In 2018, Chromebooks represented an incredible 60 percent of all laptop or tablet devices in K-12 -- up from zero percent when the first Chromebook launched during the summer break in 2011."
– "Will Chromebooks Rule the Enterprise?" Computerworld

"Chromebooks were the best performing PC products in Q3 2020, with shipment volume increasing to a record-high 9.4 million units, up a whopping 122% year-on-year."
– Android Police

"Until the pandemic, Chrome OS' success was largely limited to U.S. schools. Demand in 2020 appears to have expanded beyond that small but critical part of the U.S. PC market."
– Geekwire

"In addition to running a huge number of Chrome Extensions and Apps at once, Chromebooks also run Android, Linux and Windows apps."
– "Will Chromebooks Rule the Enterprise?" Computerworld

Managing Chromebooks

Start with the Google Admin Console (GAC)

GAC is necessary to initially manage Chrome OS devices.

GAC gives you a centralized console that will allow you to:

• Create organizational units
• Add your Chromebook devices
• Add users
• Assign users to devices
• Create groups
• Create and assign policies
• Plus more

GAC can facilitate device management with features such as:

• Control admin permissions
• Encryption and update settings
• App deployment, screen timeout settings
• Perform a device wipe if required
• Audit user activity on a device
• Plus more

Device and user addition, group and organizational unit creation and administration, applying policies to devices and users – does all this remind you of your Active Directory environment?

GAC lets you administer users and devices with a similar approach.

Managing Chromebooks

Use Active Directory to manage Chromebooks.

• Enable Active Directory (AD) management from within GAC and you will be able to integrate your Chromebook devices with your AD environment.
• Devices will be visible in both the GAC and AD environment.
• Use Windows Group Policy to manage devices and to push policies to users and devices.
• Users can use their AD username and password to sign into Chromebook devices.
• GAC can still be used for devices that are not synced with AD.

Chromebooks can also be managed through these approved partners:

• Cisco Meraki
• Citrix XenMobile
• IBM MaaS360
• ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus
• VMware Workspace ONE

Source: Google

You must be running the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade and have any licenses required by the approved partner to take advantage of this management option. The partner admin policies supersede GAC.

If you stop using the approved partner admin console to manage your devices, the polices and settings in GAC will immediately take over the devices.

Microsoft still has the market share when it comes to device sales, and many administrators are already familiar with Microsoft's Active Directory. Google took advantage of that familiarity when it designed the Google Admin Console structure for users, groups, and organizational units.

Chromebook Deployment

Chromebook deployment becomes a challenge when device quantities grow. The enrollment process can be time consuming, and every device must be enrolled before it can be used by an employee or a student. Many admins enlist their full IT teams to assist in the short term. Some vendor partners may assist with distribution options if staffing levels permit. Recent developments from Google have opened additional options for device enrollment beyond the manual enrollment approach.

Enrolling Chromebooks comes down to one of two approaches:

1. Manually enrolling one device at a time
   • Users can assist by entering some identifying details during the enrollment if permitted.
   • Some third-party solutions exist, such as USB drives to reduce repetitive keystrokes or hubs to facilitate manually enrolling multiple Chromebooks simultaneously.
2. Google's Chrome Enterprise Upgrade or the Chrome Education Upgrade
   • This allows you to let your users enroll devices after they accept the end-user license agreement.
   • You can take advantage of Google's vendor partner program and use a zero-touch deployment method where the Chromebook devices automatically receive the assigned policies, apps, and settings as soon as the device is powered on and an authorized user signs in.
   • The Enterprise Upgrade and the Education Upgrade do come with an annual cost per device, which is currently less than US$50.
   • The Enterprise and Education Upgrades come with other features as well, such as enhanced security.

Chromebooks are automatically assigned to the top-level organizational unit (OU) when enrolled. Devices can be manually moved to another OU, but admins can also create enrollment policies to place newly enrolled devices in a specific OU or have the device locate itself in the same OU as the user.

Chromebooks in Education

GAC is also used with Education-licensed devices

Most of the settings and features previously mentioned are also available for Education-licensed devices and users. Enterprise-specific features will not be available to Education licenses. (Active Directory integration with Education licenses, for example, is accomplished using a different approach)

• Groups, policies, administrative controls, app deployment and management, adding devices and users, creating organizational units, and more features are all available to Education Admins to use.

Education device policies and settings tend to focus more on protecting the students with controls such as:

• Disable incognito mode
• Disable location tracking
• Disable external storage devices
• Browser based protections such as Safe Search or Safe Browsing
• URL blocking
• Video input disable for websites
• App installation prevention, auto re-install, and app blocking
• Forced re-enrollment to your domain after a device is wiped
• Disable Guest Mode
• Restrict who can sign in
• Audit user activity on a device

When a student takes home a Chromebook assigned to them, that Chromebook may be the only computer in the household. Administrative polices and settings must take into account the fact that the device may have multiple users accessing many different sites and applications when the device is outside of the school environment.

Chromebook Management Extended

An online search for Chromebook management solutions will reveal several software solutions that augment the capabilities of the Google Admin Console. Many of these solutions are focused on the education sector and classroom and student options, although the features would be beneficial to enterprises and educational organizations alike.

These solutions assist or augment Chromebook management with features such as:

• Ability to sync with Google Admin Console
• Ability to sync with student information systems, such as PowerSchool
• Financial management, purchase details, and chargeback
• Asset lifecycle management
• 1:1 Chromebook distribution management
• Repair programs and repair process management
• Check-out/loan program management
• Device distribution/allocation management, including barcode reader integration
• Simple learning material distribution to the classroom for teachers
• Facilitate GAC bulk operations
• Manage inventory of non-IT assets such as projectors, TVs, and other educational assets
• Plus more

"There are many components to managing Chromebooks. Schools need to know which student has which device, which school has which device, and costs relating to repairs. Chromebook Management Software … facilitates these processes."
– VIZOR

MacBooks

• MacBooks are gaining popularity in the Enterprise world.
• Some admins claim MacBooks are less expensive in the long run over Windows-based PCs.
• Users claim less issues when using a MacBook, and overall, companies report increased retention rates when users are using MacBooks.

"Macs now make up 23% of endpoints in enterprises."
– ComputerWeekly.com

"When given the choice, no less than 72% of employees choose Macs over PCs."
– "5 Reasons Mac is a must," Jamf

"IBM says it is 3X more expensive to manage PCs than Macs."
– Computerworld

"74% of those who previously used a PC for work experienced fewer issues now that they use a Mac"
– "Global Survey: Mac in the Enterprise," Jamf

"When enterprise moves to Mac, staff retention rates improve by 20%. That's quite a boost! "
– "5 Reasons Mac is a must," Jamf

Managing MacBooks

Can your existing UEM keep up?

Many Windows unified endpoint management (UEM) tools can manage MacBooks, but most companies choose to use a dedicated MacBook management tool.

• UEM tools that are primarily Windows focused do not typically go deep enough into the management capabilities of non-Windows devices.
• Admins have noted limitations when it comes to using Windows UEM tools, and reasons they prefer a dedicated MacBook management solution include:
  • Easier to use
• Faster response times when deploying settings and policies
• Better control over notification settings and lock screen settings.
• Easier Apple Business Manager (ABM) integration and provisioning.
• Note that not every UEM will have the same limitations or advantages. Functionality is different between vendor products.

Info-Tech Insight

Most Windows UEM tools are constantly improving, and it is only a matter of time before they rival many of the dedicated MacBook management tools out there.

Admins tend to agree that a Windows UEM is best for Windows while an Apple-based UEM is best for Apple devices.

Managing MacBooks

The market for "MacBook-first" management solutions includes a variety of players of varying ages such as:

• Jamf
• Kandji
• Mosyle
• SimpleMDM
• Others

MacBook-focused management tools can provide features such as:

• Encryption and update settings
• App deployment and lifecycle management
• Remote device wipe, scan, shutdown, restart, and lock
• Zero touch deployment and support
• Location tracking
• Browser content filtering
• Enable, hide/block, or disable built-in features
• Configure Wi-Fi, VPN, and certificate-based settings
• Centralized dashboard with device and app listings as well as individual details
• Data restrictions
• Plus more

Unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions that can provide MacBook management to some degree include (but are not limited to):

• Intune
• Ivanti
• Endpoint Central
• WorkspaceOne

Dedicated solutions advocate integration with UEM solutions to take advantage of conditional access, security functionality, and data governance features.

Jamf and Microsoft entered into a collaboration several years ago with the intention of making the MacBook management process easier and more secure.

Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro: Better together to manage and secure Macs
Microsoft Conditional Access with Jamf Pro ensures that company data is only accessed by trusted users, on trusted devices, using trusted apps. Jamf extends this Enterprise Mobile + Security (EMS) functionality to Mac, iPhone and iPad.
– "Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro," Jamf

Endpoint Management Selection Tool
Activity

There are many solutions available to manage end-user devices, and they come with a long list of options and features. Clarify your needs and define your requirements before you purchase another endpoint management tool. Don't purchase capabilities that you may never use.

Use the Endpoint Management Selection Tool to identify your desired endpoint solution features and compare vendor solution functionality based on your desired features.

1. List out the desired features you want in an endpoint solution for your devices and record those features in the first column. Use the features provided, or add your own and edit or delete the existing ones if necessary.
2. List your selected endpoint management solution vendors in each of the columns in place of "Vendor 1," "Vendor 2," etc.
3. Fill out the spreadsheet by changing the corresponding desired feature cell under each vendor to a "yes" or "no" based on your findings while investigating each vendor solution.
4. When you have finished your investigation, review your spreadsheet to compare the various offerings and pros and cons of each vendor.
5. Select your endpoint management solution.

Related Info-Tech Research

Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy
This project helps support the workforce of the future by answering the following questions: What types of computing devices, provisioning models, and operating systems should be offered to end users? How will IT support devices? What are the policies and governance surrounding how devices are used? What actions are we taking and when? How do end-user devices support larger corporate priorities and strategies?

Best Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Software 2022 | SoftwareReviews
Compare and evaluate unified endpoint management vendors using the most in-depth and unbiased buyer reports available. Download free comprehensive 40+ page reports to select the best unified endpoint management software for your organization.

Best Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) Software 2022 | (softwarereviews.com)
Compare and evaluate enterprise mobile management vendors using the most in-depth and unbiased buyer reports available. Download free comprehensive 40+ page reports to select the best enterprise mobile management software for your organization.

Bibliography

Bridge, Tom. "Macs in the enterprise – what you need to know". Computerweekly.com, TechTarget. 27 May 2022. Accessed 12 Aug. 2022.
Copley-Woods, Haddayr. "5 reasons Mac is a must in the enterprise". Jamf.com, Jamf. 28 June 2022. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.
Duke, Kent. "Chromebook sales skyrocketed in Q3 2020 with online education fueling demand." androidpolice.com, Android Police. 16 Nov 2020. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
Elgin, Mike. "Will Chromebooks Rule the Enterprise? (5 Reasons They May)". Computerworld.com, Computerworld. 30 Aug 2019. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
Evans, Jonny. "IBM says it is 3X more expensive to manage PCs than Macs". Computerworld.com, Computerworld. 19 Oct 2016. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.
"Global Survey: Mac in the Enterprise". Jamf.com, Jamf. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.
"How to Manage Chromebooks Like a Pro." Vizor.cloud, VIZOR. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
"Manage Chrome OS Devices with EMM Console". support.google.com, Google. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.
Protalinski, Emil. "Chromebooks outsold Macs worldwide in 2020, cutting into Windows market share". Geekwire.com, Geekwire. 16 Feb 2021. Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.
Smith, Sean. "Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro: Better together to manage and secure Macs". Jamf.com, Jamf. 20 April 2022. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.

Build a Zero Trust Roadmap

Leverage an iterative and repeatable process to apply zero trust to your organization.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Internet is the new corporate network.

For the longest time we have focused on reducing the attack surface to deter malicious actors from attacking organizations, but I dare say that has made these actors scream “challenge accepted.” With sophisticated tools, time, and money in their hands, they have embarrassed even the finest of organizations. A popular hybrid workforce and rapid cloud adoption have introduced more challenges for organizations, as the security and network perimeter have shifted and the internet is now the corporate network. Suffice it to say that a new mindset needs to be adopted to stay on top of the game.

The success of most attacks is tied to denial of service, data exfiltration, and ransom. A shift from focusing on the attack surface to the protect surface will help organizations implement an inside-out architecture that protects critical infrastructure, prevents the success of any attack, makes it difficult to gain access, and links directly to business goals.

Zero trust principles aid that shift across several pillars (Identity, Device, Application, Network, and Data) that make up a typical infrastructure; hence, the need for a zero trust roadmap to accomplish that which we desire for our organization.

Victor Okorie
Senior Research Analyst, Security and Privacy
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• Many IT and security leaders struggle to understand zero trust and how best to deploy it with their existing IT resources.
• The need to move from a perimeter-based approach to security toward an “Always Verify” approach is clear. The path to getting there is complex and expensive.

Common Obstacles

• Zero trust as a principle is a moving target due to competing definitions and standards. A strategy that adapts evolving best practices must be supported by business stakeholders.
• Full zero trust includes many components. Performing an accurate assessment of readiness and benefits to adopt zero trust can be extremely difficult when you don’t know where to start.

Info-Tech’s Approach

• Every organization should have a zero trust strategy and the roadmap to deploy it must always be tested and refined.
• Our unique approach:
• Assess resources and determine zero trust readiness.
• Address barriers and identify enablers.
• Prioritize initiatives and build out roadmap.
• Identify most appropriate vendors via vendor selection framework.
• Deploy zero trust and monitor with zero trust progress metrics.

Info-Tech Insight

A successful zero trust strategy should evolve through an iterative and repeatable process by assessing the full spectrum of available technologies to apply zero trust principles to the most relevant protect surfaces.

Your challenge

This research is designed to help organizations:

• Understand what zero trust is and decide how best to deploy it with their existing IT resources. Zero trust is a set of principles that defaults to the highest level of security; a failed implementation can easily disrupt the business. A pragmatic zero trust implementation must be flexible and adaptable yet maintain a consistent level of protection.
• Move from a perimeter-based approach to security toward an “Always Verify” approach. The path to getting there is complex without a clear understanding of desired outcomes. Focusing efforts on key protection gaps and leveraging capable controls in existing architecture allows for a repeatable process that carries IT, security, and the business along on the journey.

On this zero trust journey, identify your valuable assets and zero trust controls to protect them.

Top three reasons for building a zero trust strategy

44%

Reduce attacker’s ability to move laterally

44%

Enforce least privilege access to critical resources

41%

Reduce enterprise attack surface

Common obstacles

These barriers make this challenge difficult to address for many organizations:

• Due to zero trust’s many components, performing an accurate assessment of readiness and benefits to adopt zero trust can be extremely difficult when you don’t know where to start.
• To feel ready to implement and to understand the benefits of zero trust, IT must first understand what zero trust means to the organization.
• Zero trust as a set of principles is a moving target, with many developing standards and competing technology definitions. A strategy built around evolving best practices must be supported by related business stakeholders.
• To ensure support, IT must be able to “sell” zero trust to business stakeholders by illustrating the value zero trust can bring to business objectives.

43%

Organizations with a full implementation of zero trust saved 43% on the costs of data breaches.
(Source: Teramind, 2021)

96%

Zero trust is considered key to the success of 96% of organizations in a survey conducted by Microsoft.
(Source: Microsoft, 2021)

What is zero trust?

It depends on who you ask…

• Vendors use zero trust as a marketing buzzword.
• Organizations try to comprehend zero trust in their own limited views.
• Zero trust regulations/standards are still developing.

“A cybersecurity paradigm focused on resource protection and the premise that trust is never granted implicitly but must be continually evaluated.”

Source: NIST, SP 800-207: Zero Trust Architecture, 2020

“An evolving set of cybersecurity paradigms that move defenses from static, network-based perimeters to focus on users, assets, and resources.”

Source: DOD, Zero Trust Reference Architecture, 2021

“A security model, a set of system design principles, and a coordinated cybersecurity and system management strategy based on an acknowledgement that threats exist both inside and outside traditional network boundaries.”

Source: NSA, Embracing a Zero Trust Security Model, 2021

“Zero trust provides a collection of concepts and ideas designed to minimize uncertainty in enforcing accurate, least privilege per-request access decisions in information systems and services in the face of a network viewed as compromised.”

Source: CISA, Zero Trust Maturity Model, 2021

“The foundational tenet of the zero trust model is that no actor, system, network, or service operating outside or within the security perimeter is trusted.”

Source: OMB, Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles, 2022

What is zero trust?

From Theoretical to Practical

Zero trust is an ideal in the literal sense of the word, because it is a standard defined by its perfection. Just as nothing in life is perfect, there is no measure that determines an organization is absolutely zero trust. The best organizations can do is improve their security iteratively and get as close to ideal as possible.

In the most current application of zero trust in the enterprise, a zero trust strategy applies a set of principles, including least-privilege access and per-request access enforcement, to minimize compromise to critical assets. A zero trust roadmap is a plan that leverages zero trust concepts, considers relationships between technical elements as well as security solutions, and applies consistent access policies to minimize areas of exposure.

Info-Tech Insight

Solutions offering zero trust often align with one of five pillars. A successful zero trust implementation may involve a combination of solutions, each protecting the various data, application, assets, and/or services elements in the protect surface.

Zero trust business benefits

Reduce business and organizational risk

Reduced business risks as continuous verification of identity, devices, network, applications, and data is embedded in the organizations practice.

36% of data breaches involved internal actors.
Source: Verizon, 2021

Reduce CapEx and OpEx

Reduced CapEx and OpEx due to the scalability, low staffing requirement, and improved time-to-respond to threats.
Source: SecurityBrief - Australia, 2020.

Reduce scope and cost of compliance

Helps achieve compliance with several privacy standards and regulations, improves maturity for cyber insurance premium, and fewer gaps during audits.

Scope of compliance reduced due to segmentation.

Reduce risk of data breach

Reduced risk of data breach in any instance of a malicious attack as there’s no lateral movement, secure segment, and improved visibility.

10% Increase in data breach costs; costs went from $3.86 million to $4.24 million.
Source: IBM, 2021

Info-Tech’s methodology for Building a Zero Trust Roadmap