ISG Studies Work Needs of Workers in the Age of AI

STAMFORD, CT -- Information Services Group, a technology research and advisory firm, has launched a study evaluating providers of workplace services and solutions to meet the evolving needs of employees in the age of AI.

The study results will be published in a series of comprehensive ISG Provider Lens reports geared to enterprise buyers. “Six Future of Work – Services” reports covering separate geographic markets and one “Future of Work – Solutions” report covering the global market are scheduled to be released in October.

The reports will evaluate providers of services, including workplace strategy and enablement, collaboration and next-generation experience, managed end-user technology, continuous productivity, smart and sustainable workplaces and AI-augmented workplaces, as well as solutions addressing digital employee experience and the AI-enabled digital workplace.

Enterprise buyers will be able to use information from the reports to evaluate their current vendor relationships, potential new engagements and available offerings, while ISG advisors use the information to recommend providers to the firm’s buy-side clients.

“Experience parity” is becoming a significant differentiator in the market, ISG notes. More employers want workplaces that deliver seamless experiences to employees regardless of their location or customer interaction.

Employees, in turn, are seeking the freedom to select the technology they use in their workspaces, and are expecting ubiquitous access to devices, applications, data, workflow, documents and processes.

“Collaboration and communication in the workplace are equally critical, involving internal and external tools such as AR, VR and XR. However, enterprises face challenges when integrating pre-pandemic infrastructure with post-pandemic capabilities. Overcoming them requires the expertise and support of third-party providers,” said Iain Fisher, director, ISG Provider Lens Research.

Fisher says GenAI is opening new avenues for increased employee productivity and efficiency. “Whether we are talking about devices, applications or associated networks, the performance of workplace technology has a profound impact on employee experience. GenAI is becoming a critical driver of that experience.”

ISG has distributed surveys to more than 110 providers of future workplace services globally. Working in collaboration with ISG’s global advisors, the research team will produce six quadrants representing the future workplace services the typical enterprise buys based on ISG’s experience working with its clients.

The six quadrants are:

• Workplace Strategy and Enablement Services, evaluating providers offering guidance, compliance and strategies suited to human, digital and physical workplaces, while considering modern business models and approaches to talent management. These services include integration of remote and physical workspaces, physical asset strategy and assessments, and workplace-driven sustainability strategies.
• Collaboration and Next-Gen Experience Services, assessing providers offering end-to-end customer and employee experience enhancements, through managed services for workplace technology ecosystems. Providers enable business leaders, line-of-business representatives and CxOs to enhance collaboration, align workplace transformation with human needs and attain measurable business results.
• Managed End-User Technology Services, studying service providers managing technology for enterprise IT departments to support end users. These services include end-user enablement through devices, applications, cloud workplaces and endpoint security.
• Continuous Productivity Services (Including Next-Gen Service Desk), evaluating providers supporting the productivity needs of next-generation, human and hybrid workplaces. Services include sentiment analysis, automated Digital Employee Experience (DEX) triage, AI-powered health monitoring and emerging technologies, including AR and VR.
• Smart and Sustainable Workplace Services, assessing providers supporting smarter, IoT-enabled workplaces while helping clients to achieve sustainability goals. Providers build working environments with smart meeting and facility management solutions, creating adaptive, efficient, inclusive and responsible workspaces integrating experience parity, unified communications and smart collaboration.
• AI-Augmented Workforce Services, studying providers of advanced agentic solutions that utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) as autonomous digital agents. These agents enable proactive decision-making, contextual learning and seamless enterprise interaction, while managing workflows, optimizing processes and providing personalized support.

In addition, ISG has distributed surveys to more than 40 providers of Future of Work solutions globally.

This report will include two quadrants:

• Digital Employee Experience (DEX) Solutions, evaluating vendors of solutions that measure, analyze, benchmark and manage the end-user experience with workplace technologies, including endpoint devices, applications, operating systems and networks.
• AI-Enabled Digital Workplace, assessing vendors of AI-enabled solutions for the digital workplace and modern end-user technology. These solutions enhance automation, intelligence and proactive management across modern end-user computing (EUC) technologies, while optimizing user experience, security and operational efficiency.

Geographically focused reports from the “Future of Work – Services” study will cover the global workplace services market and examine products and services available in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, Brazil and Australia. ISG analysts Bruce Guptill (Global, U.S., Australia), Kevin Turner (U.K.), Roman Pelzel (Germany, Switzerland) and Cristiane Tarricone (Brazil) will serve as authors of the services reports. Bruce Guptill will author the Future of Work – Solutions report.

ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth.

For more information, go to https://isg-one.com/research/isg-provider-lens.