By 2026, companies will have to rethink work around flexibility, well-being and collaboration to attract talent and respond to new uses.
Technological advances are driving rapid change in the world of work and at the same time promise real benefits for businesses of all sizes and sectors. Executives are looking to invest in a wide range of tools and resources – from automation and analytics big data to cloud connectivity and AI-powered solutions – to improve productivity and transform business models to create a more resilient foundation for the future.
As a result, companies are increasingly looking for technologies that can meet multiple objectives while future-proofing their capabilities. After all, there are still cost reductions to be made, regulations to meet, and customer expectations to meet — all of which are changing rapidly. In a competitive and constantly evolving business environment, every organization must consider transformations to gain efficiency, productivity and profitability.
Maximize internal resources
Budgetary pressures are leading many businesses to look for ways to streamline costs by reducing investments in areas such as IT, real estate or human resources, and examining how existing resources can be optimized. The question remains how to maintain the quality and volume of production with fewer resources.
Investing in the right technologies can partially address these challenges. AI-enabled devices and platforms can automate repetitive tasks that take up teams’ time while streamlining processes and providing useful information to help them with complex tasks.
When it comes to printing, businesses are using advanced technologies to support modern digital workflows, with employees collaborating through cloud and automation of administrative printing and scanning tasks. At the same time, organizations are becoming more self-sufficient and managing more printing requests in-house. This is driving demand for reliable equipment capable of producing high-quality prints, on demand.
Priority on safety
The accelerated adoption of AI has certainly given cybercriminals more sophisticated methods, but it has also given organizations better tools to monitor and detect threats.
THE small businesses tend to underinvest in cybersecurity because they often don’t have the budgets or in-house expertise of larger companies. Now, new standards such as NIS-2 (2022), the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA, 2024), and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA, 2025) require all organizations to take action to follow security best practices and best protect their businesses and customers.
Some companies also neglect printing in their security protocols. In reality, the office printer is a terminal that should be an integral part of IT security. Documents printed, copied or scanned are some of the most critical in any society, making the printer an essential bridge between the digital and physical worlds. Going forward, businesses should consider how new technologies based on machine learning can help them act preventively and protect their IT infrastructure.
Reduce downtime with predictive maintenance
For many organizations, a technology investment must deliver value from day one. To get the most out of their equipment, they should prioritize features like accessibility and simple interfaces, so employees can use them quickly without intensive training or lengthy setup times. Reliability, reinforced by predictive maintenance allowing breakdowns to be anticipated and self-repair capabilities, also helps to keep devices operating optimally.
Cutting-edge machine learning-based technologies make this possible. Devices can predict the lifespan of their parts, and smart sensors allow maintenance partners to monitor machines, diagnose problems and recommend repairs remotely. With continuous monitoring and data collection, device reliability and performance will only improve.
Adopt more informed sustainability strategies
Companies must reduce their emissions, minimize their waste and demonstrate their progress in sustainability. It’s become a priority for many industries: a Quocirca study finds that 77% of companies surveyed have a company-wide sustainability strategy in place (up from 68% in 2024), and 82% plan to accelerate their environmental initiatives in 2026.
IT purchasing managers will look for devices that use less energy, use more recycled plastic, are more durable and have a longer lifespan. Beyond hardware, they will need access to data providing real-time information on their environmental impact. This information is transparently available to users, enabling the development of more effective sustainability strategies.
The journey has only just begun
The more we advance, the more technology will offer new opportunities for growth and progress. To optimize their performance, organizations will need to enable employees to be more autonomous, maximize the productivity of existing resources and reduce interruptions through predictive maintenance.
Investing in the best security tools and having real-time environmental indicators will also help strengthen network security and improve sustainability performance, in line with regulatory obligations. AI, the cornerstone of these transformations, will build resilience and deliver tangible value, influencing both short and long-term goals.
With a leadership informed and cutting-edge technological investments, companies will embark on the road to lasting success.
