Tech Trends: Workplace Modernization Is an Imperative for States and Cities

State and local government IT leaders are entering 2026 with workplace modernization goals that go beyond replacing aging laptops and conferencing gear. The emerging priority is efficiency by design: intentionally removing friction from everyday work through better digital workflows, more unified collaboration experiences and carefully governed use of artificial intelligence (AI).

That shift is being driven by a practical reality: Hybrid work is no longer an exception in many organizations, and residents increasingly expect public services to be delivered reliably from anywhere.

“Work isn’t a place,” says Brian Campbell, vice president of digital experience at CDW Government. He says that organizations are continuing to adapt to new workforce expectations.

For state and local agencies, the opportunity is straightforward: Reduce time spent searching for information, switching between tools, rewriting routine documents and rework caused by miscommunication — and put those hours back into constituent-facing work.

WATCH: Brian Campbell reveals how the right AI tools can improve workflows.

Remove Friction From Workplace Environments

Campbell frames the next phase of workplace modernization as the stripping out of obstacles that keep employees from meeting goals.

“Removing that friction from the environment allows your employees to accomplish their KPIs and potentially overachieve,” he says.

In practice, that “friction” often shows up as duplicated effort across teams; manual steps baked into digital processes; and collaboration environments that push workers into a constant cycle of toggling between chat, email, meetings and document repositories. Instead of treating modernization as a refresh project, agencies are increasingly approaching it as a workflow redesign initiative: Simplify steps; standardize inputs and outputs; and then apply artificial intelligence tools where they can safely accelerate drafting, research and analysis.

Campbell also points to the growing value of bringing collaboration capabilities together. He describes a move toward “unified” experiences — platforms that combine calling, meetings, messaging and file sharing — to improve how people work across locations and teams.  For public-sector organizations, that kind of consolidation can be a foundation for smoother digital workflows — particularly in hybrid environments where employees need consistent access to shared information and decisions.

READ MORE: Hybrid work strengthens delivery of citizen services.

Increase Productivity With AI, but Be Wary of Risk

AI is now part of the workplace modernization conversation — whether agencies plan for it or not. Campbell says that tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and ChatGPT have become common in end-user environments, bringing new productivity potential — and new exposure.

“From a security perspective, those are some of the biggest risks,” he says.

That warning fits directly with the “efficiency by design” concept: Faster workflows are only valuable if they can be sustained safely. Governments handle sensitive data and must protect public trust, meaning workplace AI needs guardrails — including policies, access controls and clear guidance for employees on where AI use is appropriate.

CYBER.ORG Director Charlene Cooper frames 2026 as a turning point for hybrid work itself.

“In 2026, the focus will shift from adapting to hybrid work to securing it for the long term,” she says, adding that modernization efforts should embed security across remote collaboration through training, updated policies and culture change.

Cooper emphasizes that the goal is not simply compliance. “While security is often viewed as a mandate, the real transformation happens when it becomes a shared mindset embraced across the organization,” she says, pointing to cyber readiness as a way to protect sensitive data, empower staff and build public trust.

Deliver Value With Technology Already in Place

Even when agencies roll out new tools, they may not realize the expected benefits without deliberate enablement. Campbell argues that organizations can underuse the technology they already have, and that workplace AI outcomes depend heavily on user coaching and change management.

For state and local leaders, this is where efficiency by design becomes a management discipline, not a procurement exercise. AI copilots can help employees draft and summarize, but only if staff understand how to use them appropriately, verify outputs and avoid feeding sensitive information into the wrong systems, Campbell says.

Similarly, unified collaboration platforms can reduce time lost to context switching, but only if teams standardize how they share files, document decisions and manage approvals.

DIVE DEEPER: Compliance as Code transforms security and efficiency.

Tend to the Infrastructure Beyond the Screens

Workplace modernization also has an underlying “plumbing” layer — and ignoring it can undermine the user experience.

Upgrades to conference rooms, network capacity and wireless performance can become critical as work patterns change, Campbell says. He also stresses the importance of observing and measuring digital experience so IT teams can see where problems are occurring for employees across locations.

That matters for public-sector agencies supporting hybrid service delivery. If the collaboration experience is unreliable — poor audio, unstable connections, inconsistent access — then digital workflows slow down, frustration rises and employees revert to ad hoc workarounds that reduce security and consistency.

In the new year, a workplace modernization agenda for states and localities should be less about new tech and more about outcomes: fewer obstacles, safer collaboration, and real productivity gains rooted in governance and culture.