Four major drivers for digitised working in the financial sector

Written by Jane Wheeler, Reseller Sales Manager at Sennheiser

Recent years have seen the way we live and work completely transformed by digitisation. Innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and automation have impacted every industry – with the financial sector perhaps leading the way in its adoption of transformational solutions.

While these technologies hold the potential to accelerate vital processes in every company, the human element struggles to keep pace as the workplace as we know it adapts to stay competitive. In particular, four major drivers will shape this rapid evolution: workplaces will have to become smart, secure, productive and flexible. As technology advances, businesses need to invest in the tools and equipment that allow their workforce to strive in this new environment.

The smart workplace

The financial sector has been reshaped by digitisation that is driving smarter, optimised ways of working: This evolution touches on virtually every aspect of businesses, from internal management processes, to external and internal communication, to managing the portfolio for customers.

With 52% of financial companies making substantial investments in AI, tedious and time-consuming tasks will be automated and solved by machines, allowing human resources to be focused on creative and complex activities. 30% of financial companies are on the path to adopting Robotic Process Automation on an enterprise level.

Communications is a further frontier for process optimisation: today, 15 hours per day are spent on duplicated or wrongly routed communications. Improved coordination of mission critical communication with colleagues and customers will therefore become essential.

Even as the value of clearer communication grows, we are also seeing a shift from a face-to-face communication to digital channels. In order to keep up with the fast-paced environment, it is vital that no information is lost at the human-human interface – and this is why the best possible sound is increasingly recognised as being essential for virtual conversations.

Audio solutions designed to address this issue provide smarter and more intuitive interactions that speed the flow of work – for example, a headset which turns on automatically when its detects being placed on the user’s head and switches off when placed on a desktop.

The secure workplace

The forward march of digitisation presents new challenges –  of particular note is the increasing danger of cyber-attacks. The financial services sector has seen a 130% year on year increase in fraud incidents. For this reason, it is important for banks and financial institutions to protect themselves at every level against the proliferation of security risks.

Vulnerabilities such as protecting and backing up of customer data are immediately apparent, but less obvious issues such as securing telephone calls are just as serious.

It’s easy to imagine how costly it might be for a company should attackers succeed in intercepting telephone conversations, gaining access to confidential information. To combat this, there has been increased investment in firms upgrading their digital tools, opting for a secure pairing process between headsets and connected devices to mitigate such risks.

The productive workplace

As the concept of the cosmopolitan workplace, comprising of a desktop computer on a desk sat beside a telephone, in an office fades into the past and becomes antiquated, a new model has emerged that is defined by flexibility and mobility. Staying secure is essential, but security solutions do not need to inhibit flexibility.

They can be used to liberate businesses to seize opportunities. In much the same way modern open-plan offices are designed to encourage multifunctional use and encourage innovative working practices. 70% of financial companies list productivity practices and tools as a top priority, however only 22% say they are hitting the mark. In this rapidly evolving environment, it is important for companies to give their employees a chance to work comfortably and productively.

The flexible workplace

As the workplace becomes increasingly limitless and the workforce more mobile, doing one’s job no longer equates to sitting in an office for eight hours each day. Digitisation allows us to work at home, in the office or even on the go. This has shifted expectations: the independence of an increasingly demanding digital workforce generation requires a new approach to collaboration and connectivity.

Companies are reacting accordingly, using this digital transformation as an opportunity to cut costs by reducing the physical workspaces, in some cases by as much as 50%. It is expected that by 2025 only half of employees will work in an office.

Unified Communications systems are making it easier to work on the go, from home or drop-in desks. But employees still need to perform, as part of teams or on their own. Even though employees are no longer physically present in the office, they still need to be just as accessible to customers and colleagues. Collaboration must be seamless. Meanwhile, the quality of conversation in virtual conferences must be as good as being in the same room. That’s why it’s increasingly vital to bring greater quality and simplicity to this form of communication.

Harnessing the benefits of digitisation

The workplaces in the financial sector will continue to evolve, bringing opportunities that can only be realised and challenges that can only be mastered with investments in the right tools equipment. Enabling a smart, secure and flexible workplace will increase the productivity of your employees to ensure that your organisation gains every advantage of digitisation.