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In the age of digital, cloud computing is facilitating transformation. As a result of the cloud there are now virtually limitless possibilities for organisations to embrace digital with minimised risk; a rise in opportunity which is inevitably linked to a massive rise in demands for tech jobs and, as a result, the tech talent gap. But can the digital shift be attributed entirely to cloud computing, or is there more to it?

Cloud storage has been around since the 1960s, but over the last decade it has started to take hold on every element of our lives. The use of software accessible via the Web instead of on a desktop opens up a wealth of opportunities. Of course, cloud computing was initially developed as an opportunity for businesses to grow, but today our children are cloud natives and even non-techy people are users of cloud computing be it for school resources, online workouts, banking or home tech. On a corporate side, the global move towards cloud computing has provided the foundations of some of the most innovative and transformational tech advances, including artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT).

Another significant contribution of cloud computing is the rise in hybrid and remote working. Whilst home working may not seem to be as influential as AI at first glance, its implications are huge; tech talent is no longer limited to taking work in a particular area, state or even country; borders are all but eliminated as global teams work together to provide 24/7 service from their home office.

So why is cloud computing such a big deal? Aside from the fact that it is almost single handedly responsible for enabling organiaations to keep going while adhering to covid restrictions, cloud computing opens the door of digital opportunity for organisations with much less risk than before.

Allowing organisations to make a digital shift

As recently as a decade ago, in order for businesses to develop on a digital level, they would need to buy or develop appropriate infrastructures to support complex applications. Once in place, the development and maintenance of digital capabilities would have required a workforce of skilled tech staff, without whom digital elements would quickly fall behind the fast-paced development of the industry. Today, those wishing to invest in digital need only to find the right cloud service provider who will operate and maintain services on their own, purpose-built servers. This has made the leap to digital instantly cheaper, easier to maintain and lower risk than it has ever been.

Throw in the fact that cloud computing makes operations sustainable, scalable, cost efficient and accessible, it is no wonder that going digital has become the best option for most ambitious organisations. Thanks to cloud computing, digital transformation has gone from being a bold risk to something that most forward moving organisations cannot afford not to do.

The true driving force of digital

The rise of the cloud and its impact on the digital transformation demonstrates a virtual cycle: the simplicity of cloud computing makes it more accessible, which means that more people experience the benefits, which makes it in higher demand… whilst cloud computing is a key enabler for digital transformation, it is not the driving force.

The real drivers of digital transformation are all about experience and convenience.  Today’s consumers demand omnichannel interactions with businesses of all sizes. They expect to interact seamlessly across platforms and devices and access the information that they need, when they need it, at the push of a button. All of this must be done, of course, whilst maintaining the client’s privacy and storing their data securely.

Another driving force behind digital is employee productivity.  Pre cloud computing, the systems utilised by employees both on and off site were clunky at best, and often failed to meet the business’s changing demands. The days where one failed server halted productivity for hours or even days are a distant memory with cloud computing. By utilising software based on off site servers, organisations of all sizes benefit from greater agility while improving the employees’ uptime and, hence, performance, without the costs of implementing the infrastructure directly. What’s more, cloud computing gives you maximum agility, allowing you to add to or amend your services without down time.

The rise of cyber security

Cloud computing has been the root of huge changes over the past decade and a half, and those changes are set to continue through 2023 and beyond. But cloud computing is not without risk and as demand for cloud-based services grows, so will cyber security risks. Although cloud computing simplifies some areas of digitisation, the need for enhanced cyber security is paramount and, amid increasingly complex legislation regarding data collection and storage, organisations must remain ahead of the changes in order to remain compliant, or risk hefty fines, not to mention damage to reputation.

To combat risks of cyber-attacks and non-compliance, cyber security and risk management must be built into the digital model, regardless of the size of the organisation or complexity of their digital transformation. This could be one reason why information security analysis is predicted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to be one of the fastest growing jobs in the future. 

Technology moves rapidly and if an organisation doesn’t move with it, it will get left behind. Cloud services promise to make businesses work better, not harder, making tech talent around the globe more accessible and organisations more effective. With that in mind, it is no wonder that global cloud services are predicted to reach $482 billion by 2023.

Whether you are a leader in an organisation or you are looking for a job in tech, this evolution presents you with a choice: ride the digital wave or get left out at sea.  For tech talent the time has never been better to scope out the opportunities and embrace them.

Tags: Digital Transformation

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Originally posted on January 5, 2023 @ 7:49 pm