New Research Finds Integrated Operating Models and Frontline Workforce Will Drive Competitive Advantage by 2030

March 24, 2026

NTT DATA Group Corporation

• Everest Group report, supported by NTT DATA, reveals the future of workplace technology.
• Enterprises will integrate workplace, network and field services into a single platform by 2030.
• Separately, Everest Group ranks NTT DATA as a Leader in Digital Workplace Services.

London and Tokyo-March 24, 2026-NTT DATA, a global leader in AI, digital business and technology services, today released "Future of Work 2030: A Playbook for Workplace Transformation (PDF : 643KB)." The analysis by Everest Group shows that enterprises are entering a decisive new phase of workplace transformation defined by integration and a focus on frontline workers.

The global survey of more than 330 large enterprises, conducted and analyzed by Everest Group, identifies convergence as a defining change for the next decade. By 2030, 81% of enterprises expect to bundle workplace, network and field services into a single operating model tied to measurable business outcomes. In addition, nearly 84% agree that investments in frontline and mobile roles will deliver greater return on investment than office workers, but only 3.6% of respondents are currently prioritizing frontline investments.

The report highlights the imperative for enterprises to adopt an AI first approach supported by a modular, plug and play architecture that delivers measurable outcomes, enriches user experience, and improves productivity. In an always connected world, organizations also need an edge ready network to ensure a seamless end to end user experience. Ultimately, services must be context aware and persona driven to deliver true experience level service to every user.

"Most enterprises are constrained by fragmented networks, partial integration, and workforce readiness for AI," said Sujay Bhattacharya, Sr. Managing Director and Head of Digital Workplace Services, NTT DATA. "Our collaboration with Everest Group lays out a clear strategy for orchestrating technology, infrastructure, and people's experiences as a unified fabric delivering an AI ready workplace experience delivering total experience. The study also overlays the industry nuances that impact Digital Workplace Services.

"NTT DATA's strong workplace consulting capabilities and overall digital workplace transformation expertise supported by integrated end-to-end delivery across IoT, data center, and network - differentiate it from peers," said Prabhneet Kaur, Practice Director, Everest Group. "Additionally, its industry-aligned solutions and Workplace Agentic AI suite have reinforced its position as a Leader in Everest Group's Digital Workplace Services PEAK Matrix^® Assessment 2025 - Global (PDF : 656KB). Enterprise clients have also praised NTT DATA for its commercial flexibility and competitiveness."

Among other findings in the Future of Work 2030 report:

• 67% of organizations expect frontline workers will use more than 10 AI assistants daily by 2030, and 68% expect productivity gains will exceed 35%.
• 85% of respondents expect a majority of real-time decisions will be made at the edge.

"The digital workplace market has entered a steady state, with enterprises moving beyond the initial AI wave toward targeted implementations anchored in sharper productivity outcomes and measurable business value," said Everest's Kaur. "At the same time, the digital workplace is increasingly bundled with adjacent IT domains and business functions, placing it at the core of broad transformation programs. The shift is also toward industry- and persona-specific solutions, tailored to enhance holistic employee experience and align closely with enterprise priorities. This rising centrality and evolving role of the workplace are driving a surge in consulting-led engagements, supported by outcome-based delivery and product-centric solutioning models."

Learn more about NTT DATA's Digital Workplace Services at nttdata.com.