Not Upgraded Your Employees’ Devices in Years? Here’s Why You Should

Now more than ever, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest devices and software. 

Before the mass shift to remote work, companies could probably get away with  upgrading their teams’ devices every 4 or 5 years. But with heightened security concerns around distributed work, it’s essential that every organization prioritizes their device security program, and ensures their hardware and software is up-to-date as part of it.

But IT security is only one piece of the puzzle. There are many advantages to updating your devices on a regular schedule, from enhancing employee experience to optimizing equipment spend.

How often should you upgrade your employees’ devices? 

Technology advances at an unbelievable pace. A year is a long time when it comes to devices. 

Research by technology company Intel has found that, to maximize productivity and IT efficiency, companies should update their devices every 2-4 years. Making 3 years the sweet spot.

As a result of this study, Intel has implemented a 3 year device refresh cycle. To ensure that none of its 100,000+ workforce is ever using devices that are 3+ years old.

Why should you upgrade your teams’ devices every few years?

Productivity is only one factor. Broadly, there are 4 main reasons to upgrade your company devices on a 2, 3 or 4 year cycle. 

• To enhance IT security and reduce security risk;
• To optimize spend;
• To maximize employee productivity and minimize downtime;
• To stay ahead of the curve (with competitors and talent).

Below, we run through each benefit and its business impact: 

1. IT security 

The widespread adoption of remote work has increased the frequency, range, and probability of IT security incidents. The majority (80%) of security professionals have witnessed increased security threats since the inception of the pandemic.

To protect against cyberattacks, IT systems must regularly update software and applications with patches - a piece of code that “patches up” a vulnerability. More than half (60%) of all data breaches are caused by a known, but unpatched, vulnerability.

But there comes a time when an operating system is too old to receive patches. And given the average cost of a data breach is US$4.36M globally, a US$1-2,000 device is a small investment relative to the risk.

Cybersecurity tools are also continuously advancing. If your employees' devices are out-of-date, they may not be able to access these most advanced tools, including advanced encryption standards, and biometric standards such as fingerprint scans. 

Therefore, updating your devices to the latest models with the latest security features is essential for minimizing security risk.  

2. Optimizing spend 

New devices are expensive. But when you offset the cost of a new device against the cost of running a 3+ year old device, the new device is often a much better investment. 

As devices age, the risk of them causing IT downtime - any time when a computer or IT system is unavailable - increases. And downtime is extortionate. The Ponemon Institute estimates that IT downtime costs businesses almost US$9,000/£7,270 a minute. 

Then there’s the impact on employee output. Employees lose an average of 46 minutes a day to slow tech. That’s three hours, 45 minutes a week. Or 180 hours a year (minus holidays). 

The average salary in a UK startup is around £25.50 an hour; the US, US$47.50. That is over £4,500, or US$8,550, in productivity loss, per employee, per year. 

With this in mind, a few US$1,000s or £1,000s, for a new device does not seem too bad. 

You also need to factor the cost of maintenance. As devices age, they become more prone to breaking down and malfunctioning. 

The repairs alone could cost a few £/$100. And then there’s all the hidden costs that come with organizing remote repairs (couriering a device to and from the repairs, organizing a temporary device, downtime while an employee can’t work etc.).

And as mentioned above, outdated devices pose a higher security risk. Consider the cost of a new device against the cost of the average data breach:  US$4.36M globally, and US$9.44M in the US alone.  

3. Productivity 

Employers want their teams to be as productive as possible. And employees want to be as productive as possible. But continuing to run slow, outdated devices is a lose-lose situation for both parties. Not only does it hamper productivity, but also significantly deplete employee morale, which over time can lead to churn. 

The 3-year-point is a proven benchmark. Studies have shown that employees can lose up to 1 workday a year waiting for a computer that’s 3+ years’ old to start. 

And waiting for a computer to boot is only the start. Older systems are more prone to crashing unexpectedly, which could lead to hours of work lost - especially if files are not backed up in time, or are corrupted during the crash - and a very frustrated employee. 

From an employee experience standpoint, a domino effect can happen. Over a quarter of UK workers regularly work overtime to make up for time lost throughout the day to slow tech. Working overtime can lead to health issues, burnout, low morale, and increased employee turnover. 

Productive employees are happy employees. And those whose hardware and software is fast and responsive are more satisfied, less frustrated, and more productive. 

4. Staying ahead of the curve

Technology is rapidly evolving. For businesses to stay competitive - with talent, and within their sectors - they must keep up with these advancements. This starts with the physical devices that your teams use. 

Software developers are constantly creating more sophisticated programs and applications. But if your teams’ devices are too dated, they won’t be able to access the most advanced applications. If your teams can’t access the best tools, your organization will lag behind competitors whose teams can. 

There’s also your brand. Competition for talent remains high, and you want to do everything you can to keep your best people. 

However, 1 in 10 employees say they are willing to leave their job out of frustration with slow tech. It’s not worth losing your top talent because of an old laptop. 

Upgrade your devices effortlessly with Hofy 

At Hofy, we’re passionate about equipping your talent with the means to do their best work. From day 1, till the day they leave. 

Our platform makes it effortless to send high-specification devices anywhere in the world. In just 1 click. 

And with our Device Pre-Configuration and Mobile Device Management (MDM) services, you can ensure your devices are set up securely before delivery. And remotely secure your endpoints, at all times.

So don’t let outdated devices disrupt your business. Revamp your IT equipment. Stay protected. Improve employee experience. And save money in the long term.