Rise of Hybrid Work Poses Challenges for Firms in Nordics

Enterprises in the Nordics are enjoying a healthy labor market as the region emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, but they face challenges in adapting their workplaces to a new world affected by multiple crises, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Future of Work — Services and Solutions report for the Nordics finds that employment is higher in the region than in Europe as a whole and the “great resignation” triggered by pandemic disruptions had less impact there than in other regions. However, some employees who suddenly found themselves working from home suffered burnout as their work-life balance suffered. As events such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine create uncertainties, companies in the Nordics are now strategizing to make workplaces more flexible while maintaining organizational culture and employee engagement.

“A growing number of companies in the Nordics are rethinking their business models, and digital workplace initiatives play a key role in their overall transformation,” said Iain Fisher, director at ISG. “More engagements with service providers emphasize business outcomes, including employee experience and retention.”

While some employees in the Nordics have returned to the office since the pandemic for in-person collaboration, many workers have moved to positions that offered work-from-home options, the report says. Employers are facilitating remote work to compete for talent, which in some cases is in short supply. However, to meet the varied work expectations of different generations of employees, companies are evaluating individual, team and organizational needs to craft hybrid work policies rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

“Companies in the Nordics want to make sure their workplace strategies enable communication, collaboration, efficiency and productivity,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “Diversity, inclusion and reducing employees’ carbon footprints are also important to Nordic employers.”

Faced with the growth of remote work, enterprises are focusing closely on end-user technology to provide the best employee experience no matter the device or location, ISG says. This includes introducing automated service desk support functions. Some companies are also exploring how workers might use cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality and the metaverse as workplace strategies continue to evolve.

The report also explores several other workplace trends in the Nordics, including digital enablement of frontline workers and strong demand for self-service support tools and virtual agents.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Future of Work — Services and Solutions report for the Nordics evaluates the capabilities of 29 providers across four quadrants: Workplace Strategy Transformation Services, Managed Workplace Services — End User Technology, Digital Service Desk and Workplace Support Services, and Managed Employee Experience Services.

The report names Capgemini, HCL, Tietoevry and Unisys as Leaders in all four quadrants. It names Accenture, Fujitsu, Infosys and Wipro as Leaders in three quadrants each and Kyndryl and TCS as Leaders in two quadrants each. DXC Technology, Hexaware, LTI, Orange Business Services and Tech Mahindra are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, Hexaware, Infosys, LTI and Tech Mahindra are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

A customized version of the report is available from Tietoevry.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Future of Work — Services and Solutions report for the Nordics is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 800 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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Contact information

Will Thoretz, ISG
+1 203 517 3119
will.thoretz@isg-one.com

Julianna Sheridan, Matter Communications for ISG
+1 978-518-4520
isg@matternow.com