What are the top tech trends happening in Silicon Valley and what’s the impact on career development and hiring? Perspectives this year include how the modern workplace will evolve and a look at the technologies that are shaping our world.
- Great Resignation – The Great Resignation has people rethinking and leaving their jobs for more happiness, flexibility, time, and/or money. We see implications in more search work and candidates thoroughly evaluating roles and declining offers that are not a perfect fit. Employers need to enhance their employer brand, run an efficient search process, and quickly extend offers to win over the best candidates.
- Covid reopening and remote – Silicon Valley tech companies have delayed office openings, with many companies becoming partially or fully remote. These changes require companies to reevaluate organizational roles, work, or activities that need face-to-face interaction and train managers to lead remote workers and foster a positive culture.
- Cloud and edge computing – Companies with accelerated cloud computing were ahead during the pandemic as they managed remote work needs and fast-tracked digital transformation to provide new services. The rise of IoT devices producing more data has brought edge computing to the forefront. With cloud computing more centralized and edge decentralized, both are critical for business transformation. Business and IT leaders need to think through architecture, capabilities, efficiency, and information security in driving business improvement.
- Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning – Companies are simplifying work with AI, and ML is getting easier for business users to implement through no-code technologies. Both technologies will be transformative for businesses and drive increasing value. Leaders need to understand which parts of their business can improve through AI/ML. Digital transformation will require all employees to embrace new approaches and companies should actively seek out and encourage employees with a learning mindset to drive innovation and transformation.
- Data analytics – Organizations today have access to massive amounts of data that enable companies to drive better business results and improve the customer experience. Data analytics is a critical capability for organizations in 2022. Companies need to address data fluency gaps by upskilling current employees or bringing in new capabilities.
- Cybersecurity – Due to pervasive ransomware and cyber-attacks, information security is more important than ever. IoT devices, edge computing, remote workers, and centralized cloud infrastructure are vulnerable. Companies need transparency and a framework for understanding and managing security risk. Organizations need to stay ahead of the risk areas, from boards adding CISOs to employees building security into product to ongoing employee training.
- Metaverse – A blurring of the virtual, augmented, and physical worlds that is attracting billions of real-world dollars. Companies should consider how they might participate in the metaverse — whether to sell goods and services, train employees, or innovate. Executives need to understand and reach their audiences where they work, play, connect, shop, and socialize in a way that they want to consume information.
- Everything tech – Nearly every sector has technology accelerating change: HealthTech, FinTech, PaymentsTech, EdTech, InsureTech, Future Mobility. With healthcare as an example, the pandemic accelerated the industry’s digital transformation; online doctor visits and in-home monitoring existed, stepped up to becoming a norm, and are just the beginning of a paradigm shift in how healthcare is delivered. Whatever sector, executives will need to look at innovating or get left behind.
- Diversity and inclusion – We all know at this point, that studies show that diverse and inclusive organizations produce better ideas and outcomes. And tech companies have made great strides in improving hiring and people processes for creating a more inclusive environment. These efforts will continue until the measures show the results. Develop or look for leaders who encapsulate the beliefs of DEI. They bring better outcomes and help enable more inclusive, equitable, and positive cultures.
Meet the Author
Kathryn Ullrich
Kathryn is a Managing Partner in DHR’s tech-focused Silicon Valley office, and a member of the Technology, Professional Services, Private Equity and Diversity Practices.