As Digitalization Demands Increase, IT Leaders Miss Vital Connection Between the Enterprise Network and Employee Experiences

Despite the continued demand for hybrid working, global IT leaders are failing to recognize the full extent of the connection between their enterprise network and employee experiences. That's according to the latest research released by HPE Aruba Networking, which found that while three quarters of respondents believe digitization is fundamental both to employees being able to do their jobs and for talent attraction and retention, just 55% see the strong relevance of the network to these areas.

The research, which features responses from 2,100 IT leaders across 21 countries, examined how IT leaders are currently approaching the enterprise network, and assessed the extent to which they and the organization understand its role as a business-boosting asset and the impact they are seeing as a result.

The role of the network

On a positive note, there is a growing recognition from IT and business leaders of the breadth and scope of the network’s impact. According to 44% of IT leaders the network is primarily viewed by their business and its leadership as a tool for digital transformation, while a further 33% say their organization sees it playing a role in broader business transformation. In contrast, only 23% say their organization recognizes the network merely for its functional connectivity.

However, the results also pointed to missed connections in where this transformation might come from – particularly with regards to delivering employee experiences.

Connecting employee experiences with the network

Three quarters of IT leaders believe digitization is fundamental both for talent attraction and to employees being able to do their jobs. However, with recognition of the network’s relevance to employee attraction and retention the lowest of all the business areas listed, it is perhaps unsurprising that this was also the area where IT leaders estimate that the network is currently having the least impact. Or the least positive impact.

This impact becomes apparent when considering what today’s networks seem capable of delivering – only 43% of IT leaders say their network enables staff to work from anywhere, and just 34% agree that their network can deliver seamless connectivity. Meanwhile, with digital personalization in mind, even fewer (29%) note that their network enables them to offer employees a Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) service.