Until a few years ago, personal computing in business meant only one thing: row upon row of desktop PCs running Microsoft Windows, standard productivity software and the odd specialist or bespoke application.

Every three to five years, IT managers would begin a desktop refresh and replace machines en masse, possibly upgrading to a newer version of Windows. Firms needed people ­ or third-party service providers ­ with the skills to ensure desktops and the software running on them were adequately managed, supported and secured throughout their lifecycle.

For many organisations the picture today looks the same: the standard Windows desktop still dominates and Microsoft-related skills form the core of PC management, security, training and support requirements ­ whether in-house or outsourced.

The environment ­ while not without its skills challenges, particularly given Microsoft’s tendency to issue regular patches and updates that cause unforeseen challenges ­ has allowed IT departments to follow a set roadmap and plan ahead, as well as giving service providers a standard framework to follow.

But in recent years, the falling price and rising specification of consumer technology has meant many users have access to more powerful kit at home than in the office. Such domestic technologies include fast broadband, wireless internet connections and high-specification PCs, laptops and mobile devices.

But anomalies between the work and domestic environment can lead to user frustration, with employees forced to contend with less functional, locked-down equipment at work, with unrealistic upgrade expectations. At the same time, a new generation of staff has started entering the workplace and the use of technologies such as web applications, social networking and Wi-Fi are second nature. These people expect to be able to use Web 2.0 technologies without restriction, which is adding complexity to issues such as management, support and security.

George Jeffrey, IT director of retail jewellery group Signet, says there are two strongly conflicting forces in play. “One is coming from the security and compliance aspect ­ the need for tight control. You want to know what everyone has on their desktop; you want to make sure there is nothing illegal, and that all confidential and share-price-sensitive information is properly secured,” he says. “That leads to a tendency among IT departments to want to lock down everything.

“But on the other side, organisations are being forced to face the fact that they need to give employees more open access to the internet and the ability to use their own devices.”
Jeffrey says that like most companies, Signet faces a similar dilemma. “Being a typical retailer we sweat our assets, and when I joined the firm several years ago it was full of ancient PCs,” he says. “Since then, we have implemented Citrix and got rid of most of the PCs in the office.

Now we use mainly Wyse terminals, which are a lot cheaper to buy and replace. And in terms of our support contract, there are far fewer things that can go wrong.”
While such characteristics suggest the firm’s environment is fairly straightforward, Jeffrey says the conflicting requirement for more mobility and open access is posing additional challenges.

“For example, we have also introduced virtual private network (VPN) access to allow people to access systems remotely, and at first the business was reluctant to allow people to work outside the office. But it has become essential if you want to attract and retain the right people,” he says.

Jeffrey says the new generation entering the workforce expect to be able to do everything their own way and probably do not want to be tied to an office. “Like everyone else, I have read a lot of feedback suggesting that 20 to 40 per cent of organisational bandwidth is being taken up by social networking sites,” he says. “But as a chief information officer (CIO) in the financial services industry was saying to me the other day, that is not a bad thing because in many cases it is how people ensure their contacts and knowledge are kept up to date.”

In terms of the implications on skills for the future of IT departments, Jeffrey says certain issues remain unclear. Many firms use third parties to manage and support their personal computing environment and in many cases service providers and suppliers will need to provide the answers.
“I think what the environment will require in the longer term is more sophisticated security software and processes that will enable people in my position to feel comfortable that things are reasonably secure and compliant,” he says.

“At the same time, software and processes will need to give a level of freedom to people to develop new products or make useful contacts for the firm by exploiting facilities on the web. It is a very interesting area, but I do not think anyone has the answers.”

The conflict between lockdown and freedom is exercising the grey matter of many technology leaders. According to a recent survey by senior IT leaders’ forum CIO Connect, 64 per cent of CIOs believe they have to adopt new technology strategies and working practices to be attractive to the iPod generation.

“Today’s web technologies are allowing many people to work more quickly and smartly,” said one CIO respondent. “The challenge for IT companies is to allow such ways of working to flourish without putting sensitive information at risk or flouting compliance duties.”

So where will firms find the process, management and technical skills to strike a balance between conflicting needs for both user freedom and adequate security?
“Many of our members are going to be looking to their technology partners and outsourcers to have that set of skills,” says CIO Connect chief executive Nick Kirkland. “CIOs and their teams will be putting together the business requirements that link all these issues and will look for the answers to come back from these specialists.”

In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is also an understanding by management that being able to work on company systems, irrespective of location, could bring considerable benefits in terms of productivity and job satisfaction. For SMEs, the limiting factor seems to be less about security and compliance and more about a lack of necessary skills.

More than four-fifths of small firms use laptops with mobile connectivity, both inside and outside the office, according to a recent survey by BT Business. But 62 per cent of SME managers say they are not exploiting existing technology to the full, and a third are dissatisfied with the IT skills of their workers.

The report says many SMEs are operating their IT systems on a low-tech, low-skill basis. It suggests that while flexible working is fast becoming a key management philosophy, the lack of appropriate IT skills and inadequate training are undermining effective implementation for SMEs.

But analyst Jon Collins of Freeform Dynamics says that the future skills issues for most organisations will probably concentrate on changing processes, rather than technical expertise.