![Yesh Surjoodeen, MD of HP Southern Africa. [Photo: Lesley Moyo]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mF6Xmcuj_8oPcTZ669IGFYdHl3jodoOSbVUjIFKopkx45pcxsj0xO3_natoZFnKLZMwjwfemqx9eE6A3u8ZsOM7Qm9nyjXUXP-a1)
Improving the employee experience – rather than simply deploying more technology – should be at the centre of companies' future-of-work strategies, according to HP South Africa.
Speaking at HP's Future of Work Experience event in Johannesburg last week, Yesh Surjoodeen, MD of HP Southern Africa, said companies are still struggling to adapt to hybrid and flexible working models despite years of investment in workplace technologies.
He said HP's latest global research, conducted across developed and developing markets, found that employee satisfaction with current work environments remains low, highlighting a gap between technology investments and workers' day-to-day experience.
"The future of work isn't about where people work," said Surjoodeen. "It's about improving the relationship employees have with their work environment."
According to Surjoodeen, businesses have traditionally focused on devices and IT infrastructure, but the next phase of workplace transformation requires companies to consider how technology improves employee productivity and well-being.
"Beyond having great technology, you have to ask what it is doing for the employee."
AI that anticipates needs
He said AI will play an increasingly important role in making workplace technology more context-aware and proactive.
Rather than simply reacting to user requests, AI-powered devices will increasingly anticipate employee needs – such as preparing documents before meetings, configuring meeting rooms automatically or adapting to different workspaces.
He said this extends beyond laptops to collaboration tools, peripherals and workplace management platforms that help IT teams understand how employees experience technology, rather than only monitoring device health.
HP's Workforce Experience Platform, for example, aims to give IT departments greater visibility into employee experience, allowing them to identify productivity issues before they affect users.
"It's no longer enough to know whether a device is working," he said. "The question is whether it's working efficiently for the person using it."
Security remains a priority
While AI presents significant productivity opportunities, Surjoodeen warned that it also introduces new security risks, as cyber criminals increasingly adopt AI-powered attacks.
He said companies should adopt a layered security approach that protects devices at hardware, firmware and software levels.
He cited one example from HP's own security approach, which uses micro virtual machines to isolate suspicious activity and contain threats before they compromise devices.
He noted that endpoint security should extend beyond notebooks to printers and other connected devices, which can also provide entry points into corporate networks.
"We can't only rely on network security," he said. "Every device connected to the organisation needs to be protected."
Surjoodeen cautioned companies against deploying AI without clear governance frameworks.
He said successful AI adoption depends on establishing policies, employee training and clear rules around how AI should be used.
Using document processing as an example, he said AI can help companies automatically identify and redact sensitive personal information before documents are stored or shared, supporting compliance with privacy regulations such as SA's Protection of Personal Information Act.
"The relationship between humans and AI should be a partnership," he said. "People still need to remain in control."
AI won't replace hardware
Despite rapid advances in generative AI, Surjoodeen dismissed suggestions that AI could make PCs obsolete.
Instead, he believes AI will increase demand for more powerful endpoint devices capable of running AI workloads locally, reducing latency, improving security and lowering cloud processing costs.
He said local AI processing will become increasingly important as businesses seek faster response times and greater control over sensitive data.
Addressing concerns that AI could replace jobs, Surjoodeen acknowledged the challenges facing SA's labour market but argued that AI should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat.
He encouraged workers to develop AI skills and adapt to changing technologies, saying those who embrace AI will be better positioned to compete in an increasingly global digital economy.
"Technology has always changed the way we work," he said. "The opportunity belongs to those who choose to adapt rather than watch the change happen."
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