Disruption is the hallmark of 2020. Although many leaders are used to some level of constant change, COVID-19 impacted the world in ways no one could have predicted. In turn, organizations have had to pivot and strategize, adapt and change in new ways.

As organizations continue to respond to the crisis and explore new ways to operate and drive growth, the Gartner top strategic trends highlight areas of opportunity and ways for organizations to differentiate themselves from competitors.

Organizations that are prepared to pivot and adapt will weather all types of disruptions. As always, these strategic technology trends do not operate independently of each other, but rather they build on and reinforce each other. Together they enable organizational plasticity that will help guide organizations in the next five years.

This year’s trends fall along three themes: People centricity, location independence and resilient delivery.

• People centricity: Despite the pandemic changing how many people work and interact with organizations, people are still at the center of all business — and they need digitalized processes to function in today’s environment.

• Location independence: COVID-19 has shifted where employees, customers, suppliers and organizational ecosystems physically exist. Location independence requires a technology shift to support this new version of business.

• Resilient delivery: Whether a pandemic or a recession, volatility exists in the world.

Organizations that are prepared to pivot and adapt will weather all types of disruptions. As always, these strategic technology trends do not operate independently of each other, but rather they build on and reinforce each other. Together they enable organizational plasticity that will help guide organizations in the next five years.