With another year of uncertainty ahead for businesses across the globe, Neptune Software has identified three key trends to watch in 2024. To stay competitive, businesses must prioritize sustainability, embrace hybrid work models, and adapt and lean into AI.
“Uncertainty has proven to be constant in recent years, and I expect 2024 will be no different,” said Andreas Sulejewski, CEO at Neptune Software. “With the shifting employee preferences toward flexibility here to stay, the continued emphasis on sustainability with the everpresent threat of climate change, and rapid adoption of AI, we believe business leaders who embrace these trends will remain ahead of the curve.”
Sustainability is here to stay
Sustainability may have started as a trend, but sustainable business practices aren’t going away any time soon. Calls to address the climate crisis have only increased, with its impacts emphasized by global unrest and global urgency to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The emphasis on how businesses contribute to climate change and their sustainability efforts is palpable, and industries must continue to adapt accordingly. Reducing a company’s carbon footprint is becoming easier – and cheaper – and the massive investments in renewable energies will continue to drive this sector forward.
Flexible workplace: the need to connect
As the world moves beyond the low- and no-contact interactions necessary during the pandemic, the effects on the workplace are impossible to ignore. We continue to shift away from the 100% remote work model, with one recent report indicating that nearly three in four workplaces have adopted the hybrid work model.
Working remotely has been proven to increase productivity, and employers are likely to continue with hybrid workplace models. Connecting with individuals and teams will continue to change and grow, heavily emphasizing investing in their digital infrastructure, especially collaboration-driven technologies that allow employees to work together remotely like they would in person. The key is for employers to be flexible with how and when employees complete tasks while harnessing technology to make them feel connected with their colleagues.
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AI, AI, and more AI
Anyone paying attention to AI’s steady but quick growth could tell you that it will only become more commonplace in our daily lives. It has proven to be a technology businesses can leverage to boost productivity and remain competitive. In fact, the AI market is expected to reach $407 billion by 2027, creating an estimated 97 million jobs.
Careful implementation will be vital in ensuring proficient data protection, with experts saying that humans should always have the final say. This should tamp down fears about changes to work AI will bring –– human judgment cannot be replaced.
Neptune Software recently unveiled its groundbreaking AI assistant, Naia, seamlessly integrated within Neptune DXP, the leading low-code, SAP-centric app development platform. With Naia, IT teams can harness the power of AI to automate common development patterns and tasks, making it accessible to a broader range of individuals, regardless of their skill set. It also serves as a helping hand for developers that can complete code, visualize data, and help build apps effortlessly.