As organisations increasingly prioritise sustainability, there’s a growing need to rethink how technology refresh cycles are managed. New insights from 400 US and UK IT decision-makers (ITDMs) published on World Sustainability Day 2024 by Scalable Software reveal that many businesses replace hardware based solely on age. More than three-quarters (77%) of ITDMs report that their organisation has a fixed timeframe for replacements: 14% replace hardware every year, 30% every two years, 33% every three years.
However, this tech-centric approach to IT refresh cycles not only results in unnecessary upgrades and increased costs but can have a negative environmental impact. This data comes at a time when the 2024 UN Global E-Waste Monitor finds that the generation of e-waste worldwide is rising by 2.6 million tonnes annually and is predicted to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.
“There’s no reason to send perfectly functional devices to landfill based solely on their age. There are quick and easy steps organisations can take to make a sustainable difference to the planet. By using data, IT leaders can move away from a blanket replacement policy – creating tailored tech refresh cycles that are both employee-centric and reduce electronic waste,” said Mark Cresswell, Co-founder, Scalable Software. “Many organisations now have policies on sustainability. An important step towards meeting these goals is being smarter about innovation.”
Digital Employee Experience (DEX) analytics enables an employee-centric approach that aligns tech refresh cycles to the needs of the employee rather than arbitrary timeframes. By delivering granular data on corporate IT devices, including performance, application usage and employees’ digital experiences, organisations can make technology refresh cycles far smarter. For instance, DEX data can identify employees who need more powerful devices earlier, such as those transitioning to roles involving Business Intelligence or AI, while delaying upgrades for employees with less demanding digital workloads.
“While timely hardware replacement can ensure employees have access to the latest tech, it can contribute to a growing electronic waste problem when devices are replaced unnecessarily,” added Cresswell. “By applying Digital Employee Experience data, ITDMs can implement sustainable practices – ensuring technology refresh cycles are efficient and sustainable, and most importantly, are aligned with employees’ needs.”
World Sustainability Day is celebrated annually on the last Wednesday of October. This global initiative is dedicated to raising awareness about sustainability and the importance of adopting practices that protect the environment for future generations.