03 Feb Five things Power Apps will improve at work
Co-authored with Jolene e Sousa, Power Platform & Dynamics 365 Lead Functional Consultant at Eighty20 Solutions
For two years now the workplace challenges just haven’t stopped. As 2022 gets underway and organisations and employees are, once again, unsure of what to expect in the next 12 months, we take a look at five ways the Power Platform is creating opportunities for teams and individuals to thrive at work.
1. Productivity
When the pandemic made working from home the norm for millions around the world, technologies like Teams and Zoom have certainly been essential to getting things done. But results from Deloitte’s 2021 survey on the impact of COVID-19 on productivity and wellbeing show that more than a quarter of workers are overwhelmed by all the different technologies they now need to use for work.
Thanks to the Power Platform, organisations can easily build a customised and integrated toolkit for their employees. Instead of switching from app to app on their device or at their desktop, they can enjoy a more seamless experience of all the functions and tools they need to go about their work. Not only does this make for a better employee experience, it also boosts productivity, making it easier to complete each task, project or collaboration without interruption.
2. Competitive advantage
Even before COVID, customers and clients had come to expect products, apps and services designed for ease of use and access, and that adapt to their changing needs. Being able to respond quickly to these demands and stick to compliance, governance, security and quality standards can become a huge challenge for any organisation, whether corporate, government or not-for-profit.
When used within a framework that supports both consistency and creativity, the Power Apps approach to low code development can fast track solutions for both problems and opportunities. Apps that are secure, compliant and fit for purpose can be delivered in a matter of days instead of weeks or months.
3. Career Paths
When it comes to learning on the job, we’ve all had to step up to the plate with the new skills needed to navigate lockdowns. Some of these are the soft skills it takes to help organisations work in harmony. But there can be no doubt that employees need to expand their digital skillset to stay relevant and advance in their career. According to PwC’s Workforce of the Future report, almost three quarters of workers are ready to learn new skills or re-train to remain employable in the future.
Not only can PowerApps give IT teams a reason to hone development best practice, they also create the perfect opportunity to nurture ‘citizen developers’ across the ranks of your organisation. Everyday employees working in customer-facing or support roles can get involved in developing technology solutions. This enables them to develop the technical and soft skills – like problem solving, collaboration and creative thinking – that can supercharge their career opportunities, now and for the future.
4. Talent retention
5. New ways of working
The challenges and benefits of employees working remotely came in at number three in the KPMG survey as a pressing issue for business leaders. With 74% of Australian workers seeking a mix of remote and face-to-face working, you don’t need a crystal ball to know that a rise in hybrid work is happening across many organisations and industries.
This stat was one of several findings from PwC’s report Changing Places: How hybrid working is rewriting the rule book. One of their key takeaways from their global survey and analysis is for organisations to “use data and technology that eases the barriers between at-home and in-office work to provide employees with the best possible experiences regardless of location.” As a technology that can strike a balance between giving developers and users autonomy within a controlled framework, the Power Platform offers a pretty compelling foundation for a more inclusive and democratic tech toolkit for all, whether they’re a knowledge or frontline worker, office-based or remote.