Source: StatCounter Global Stats

Source: StatCounter Global Stats

For businesses using devices ranging from retail point-of-sale systems to laptops, Windows 10 end-of-support will create new operational challenges and opportunities. 

Here’s what field service leaders need to know about this change and which actions to take today.

What Windows 10 end-of-support means

After October 14, 2025:

• Microsoft will no longer provide free security updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10.
• Devices running Windows 10 will still function but will be more vulnerable to cybersecurity risks.
• Businesses that delay upgrading may face compliance challenges and increased exposure to vulnerabilities like CrowdStrike’s Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM) for uncertified Windows kernels.

5 impacts for field service leaders

Successful field service delivery depends on reliable, secure technology. Windows 10 end-of-support impacts businesses and end clients in these key areas:

1. Increased demand for upgrades and replacements

Businesses must either upgrade devices to Windows 11, purchase Extended Security Updates (ESU), or replace outdated hardware. This creates a surge in service opportunities, such as

• Device assessments
• OS upgrades and imaging
• System migrations and peripheral testing

Field Nation insight: The shift away from Windows 10 has contributed to a marked increase in project-based field work, particularly for large organizations managing distributed device fleets across multiple locations.

2. Security and compliance pressures

Without updates, Windows 10 systems become immediate cybersecurity liabilities. For field service, this means:

• Decommissioning non-compliant endpoints
• Performing cybersecurity risk assessments
• Offering bundled upgrade and security services

Field Nation insight: Technicians play a critical role in reducing exposure—helping businesses retire non-compliant systems and implement secure replacements at scale, especially in regulated industries.

3. Compatibility with field devices and tools

Many diagnostic tools and applications may require configuration updates or complete replacements when moving to Windows 11.

Field service leaders should prepare to handle:

• Legacy application troubleshooting
• Custom driver installations
• Migration of specialized software

Field Nation insight: The longer businesses wait to act, the more likely they are to face unplanned downtime and introducing risk into already tight project timelines.

4. Accelerated hardware lifecycle management

Field-deployed devices that don’t meet Windows 11 requirements (like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot) may need replacement, triggering:

• Installation and de-installation services
• Secure device disposal
• Logistics coordination across multiple sites

Field Nation insight: Device refresh cycles often require rapid, multi-site coordination. On-demand technicians enable businesses to stay on schedule without straining internal resources.

5. Tight timelines and service-level agreements (SLAs)

Many organizations will begin phased transitions well before the October 2025 deadline. Field service leaders will face:

• Compressed project timelines
• High-volume, short-term engagements
• Stringent SLAs

Field Nation insight: Meeting aggressive timelines requires flexible field capacity. Use on-demand labor to surge support where and when it’s needed most—without long-term overhead.

How to turn risk into opportunity

The field service industry is uniquely positioned to meet this critical moment. To stay ahead, field service organizations should:

• Market windows upgrade services today
  Proactively reach out to end clients that rely on field service work. Educate, prepare, and instill confidence. Segments like retail (multi-site POS), logistics, warehousing, and telecom infrastructure may disproportionately feel the urgency given already strained internal bandwidth in managing site visits and hardware swaps across multiple locations. 

• Bundle hardware, software, and security
  Make it easy for your clients by offering a complete package: device upgrades, OS installation, security hardening, and technician training. Create a seamless experience that removes complexity and builds trust.
• Use labor marketplaces to scale
  Leverage Field Nation to connect with skilled, on-demand field service professionals nationwide. In 2025, over 62,000 Windows device-related work orders were completed on the platform – a third of which were Windows upgrade related. With 18,000+ technicians across the US experienced in this type of work, the marketplace gives you the coverage and expertise needed to scale quickly and meet deadlines.

Stay ahead of the windows 10 deadline

By preparing now, field service leaders can turn the Windows 10 end-of-support milestone into growth. With the right field coverage and proactive planning, this event can become an opportunity to modernize, strengthen security, and streamline infrastructure across your business. 

 Whether coordinating upgrades for 30 or 3,000 sites, you can find the right talent in the right markets to scale confidently with Field Nation.

Learn how Field Nation can help you navigate the Windows 10 transition. Start with a coverage assessment or schedule a meeting and we’ll help you build a transition plan.

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Field Nation has partnered with Herman Integration Services, a leading AV services provider, to address this issue. Here’s how the collaboration will address the skilled technician shortage, aligning industry needs with flexible solutions that meet the demands of today’s digital environments.

Transforming how AV services are delivered 

Field Nation and Herman Integration Services’ partnership will transform the AV landscape, creating the nation’s largest network of on-demand AV professionals to address a wide variety of needs, from labor support to complex installations. 

This comes at a critical juncture for the industry, when demand is high, and the labor crisis in AV is particularly acute and getting worse. In NSCA’s most recent State of the Industry report, 72% of integrators reported that talent issues are among their top concerns, with installers being the most challenging role to fill.  Wael Mohammed, EVP of Strategy of Field Nation, explains the demand/talent gap facing the industry:  “AV and digital signage exhibit sustained growth trends driven by consumer experience digitalization, hybrid workforce, and automation.  This comes at a time when both categories are facing a structural labor shortage due to demographic shifts.  The gap between demand for services and skilled talent is sizeable and will continue to widen.”

Solving a critical problem for integrators: finding skilled installers

Installers are a sweet spot for Field Nation, which specializes in connecting companies and technical resources to complete work on-site. Today’s AV installations require IT skill sets, a strength of Field Nation’s marketplace. Not surprisingly, companies are already finding AV installer support on Field Nation. Through the partnership, Field Nation and Herman Integration Services have identified 1,400 technicians with an extensive work history of successful work outcomes in the AV space who are active and available to support simple AV service calls. Access to local resources who can be dispatched to a job within hours allows integrators to respond faster to customer demands, a critical differentiator in today’s competitive environment.    

Mynul Khan, Founder and CEO of Field Nation, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration: “As a long-term Field Nation customer, we’ve seen first-hand the level of service Herman Integration Services provides to clients. Herman’s expertise combined with Field Nation’s reach and scale will result in the nation’s largest and most reliable network of on-demand AV professionals, allowing service providers to respond to client demands faster at a cost-effective rate.”

Leveraging deep industry expertise to support successful outcomes

But installer coverage alone isn’t the answer. Installing and configuring AV equipment requires a distinct skill set that requires training and experience, and getting it wrong can have disastrous consequences. Over the past decade, Herman Integration Services has built a reputation for being a reliable source of labor support and has invested heavily in the skills necessary to do the job right the first time.  Now, they are leveraging that expertise to vet independent contractors on Field Nation. “As our customers’ needs evolve, we must also evolve. Our mission to provide high-quality labor support services to AV integrators nationwide has never been more important, especially as AV powers the modern consumer experience,” says Chris Bianchet, General Manager at Herman Integration Services. “Herman Integration Services’ expertise in vetting qualified talent will make it faster and easier to find AV installers you can trust to get the job done right at any site, anywhere in the U.S.”

Today, both organizations’ primary investment area includes a scalable and extensive vetting process to expand the AV skill sets accessible on-demand. These efforts already resulted in vetted technicians with both simple and complex skill sets in a dozen major markets, with nationwide availability expected later this year.  

A Strategic Investment in the Future

This partnership is not merely a response to current challenges but a strategic investment in Field Nation’s long-term strategy to address the labor crisis in field services. By offering fast access to qualified technical talent nationwide, Field Nation and Herman Integration Services are setting a new standard in the industry, ensuring that AV integrators and service providers have the support they need to meet their clients’ evolving demands.

Contact us today to learn more about Field Nation’s expansion into AV.

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Many IT field service technicians prefer independent contracting, from retirees lending their skills to side hustles to professionals choosing to contract as their full-time career. Why are they making this shift? 36% of technicians cited flexibility, and 27% cited autonomy and control as top reasons, according to the newly-released report.

Flexibility is a key reason why Tamika Fields chose to contract. “The standard workday model doesn’t always accommodate work-life balance and balance is important to me,” she says. “There were times that I had to leave the industry to go to school full-time or to be more present as a parent. With independent contracting, there is flexibility to select the type of work that helps you maintain a high-quality lifestyle without sacrifices.”

“Growth in independent contracting is taking hold in the field service industry as more technicians look for greater flexibility, autonomy, and control over their work and time,” says Field Nation Founder and CEO Mynul Khan. “At the same time, field service leaders are searching outside the box for a strategic edge to combat competitive pressures and labor shortages. It is a win-win opportunity for those willing to embrace this shift and leverage a blended workforce.”

According to the report, 67% of independent contractors choosing on-demand labor platforms have been doing on-site IT work for over a decade. Moreover, 3 out of 4 independent contractors that use platforms have formal IT-related training and education, and 3 in 5 have an IT-related certification.

“For technicians, these findings illustrate the engagement and satisfaction of working as an independent contractor,” says Khan, “and for field service leaders, they are a testament to the highly-skilled, experienced professionals ready to support new and emerging technologies and who care about working with great companies and doing great work.”

Additional key findings: 

• Independent contractors are satisfied with their work. 4 out of 5 IT field service independent contractors are satisfied, finding it easier to align their work with their top priorities, leading to increased job engagement and a willingness to continue their work. Over 70% stated their work-life balance has improved. 
• Here to stay. Contractors are committed to growth and new opportunities. 39% of IT field service contractors cited retirement as their main reason for not continuing with contracting, indicating an “all-in” attitude for many contractors.

To read the full report, visit “State of Independent Contracting in Field Services”

About State of Independent Contracting in Field Services
The report reviews current contractors’ perceptions of field service contracting, including assessing the barriers and benefits. This report also incorporates secondary research on current workforce market status, trends, and the impact of recent economic events on the workforce and independent contract work. 

The study was conducted by independent research firm Radius during Q4 2022. In total, 889 respondents out of 9,015 technicians were invited to take the survey. Eligible survey participants included independent technicians who logged into Field Nation platform within the previous six weeks and completed a work order in the last six months. This response rate puts our confidence level at 95% with a ~3.1% margin of error. 

About Radius
Radius is a full-service marketing research company and consultancy that focuses on understanding the critical points of a brand’s growth journey to help drive long-term success. Learn more at radiusinsights.com

About Field Nation
Field Nation connects businesses with a nationwide network of contract IT pros to get on-site work done. Businesses can build their flexible workforce in geographies across the U.S. and Canada and technicians can find work that fits their schedule and skill set. Our mission is to match every technician with the right job, and connect every service team to professionals who are invested in getting the job done right the first time. Learn more at fieldnation.com

About Field Intel
Field Intel covers both the market at large and specific trends within the space. As the only analysis dedicated exclusively to on-site service trends, it aims to provide thoughtful intelligence and insight leaders can use to manage for today while planning for tomorrow. Field Intel’s latest, The Definitive Guide To Field Service in 2023, covers trends and predictions across verticals, services and technology.

The post The New Work Equation appeared first on Field Nation.

With Millions of Work Orders and Billions of Data Points, Field Nation Uniquely Positioned to Arm Field Service Industry with Proprietary Intelligence

Unpredictability ahead for 2023, but by looking at past trends and insights, service companies can better plan for the future during volatile times.

There are few things more unsettling than uncertainty when making plans for your company’s future. Field Nation, the leading on-site talent platform for technology field service work, wants to help service companies get clarity on what lies ahead. 

Today, Field Nation announced the launch of Field Intel, a research-based intelligence practice focused on uncovering field service trends and powerful insights. By leveraging data from millions of work orders across the country, Field Nation arms service delivery leaders with the insight they need to assess their current situation and position themselves for growth – even in the midst of volatile market conditions.

“As the need for statistically sound data and insightful field service trends grows, Field Nation is uniquely positioned to help clients and prospects understand what is happening at a macro level, across work categories and locations, and how to think about it in the context of their work.” said Wael Mohammed, EVP Strategy at Field Nation. “We will continue to share what the market tells us about where service leaders should invest, why, and how those trends will impact short and long term priorities. Field Intel is a strategic endeavor designed to arm service delivery leaders with the insight they need to solve complex problems.”

Learning from past trends and insightful analysis can be extremely valuable in helping leaders plan for tomorrow. Present market conditions make it difficult (if not impossible) for field service leaders to predict the industry’s near-term future. One thing we know is that uncertainty will continue into 2023.

Field Nation analysis indicates rising material and labor costs are complicating new opportunities. Supply chain issues and chip shortages are putting large-scale projects on hold, with little indication of what a revised timeline will look like. And to cap it all off, fears of a potential recession are casting a dark cloud over the business world.

While it is tempting to look at these market conditions and believe the economy and field service industry is heading for a dark period, it doesn’t give service leaders the whole picture or direction on how they should prepare. 

“When it comes to large-scale economic disruption, the field service industry presents a few key, consistent patterns, with Field Nation data presenting a rich portrait of these patterns.” 

Mohammed says, “We live in volatile times with mixed economic signals. Leaders need to arm themselves with a deep understanding of this volatility to assemble the best path forward. Our Field Intel will help to do just that.” 

Field Intel covers both the market at large and specific trends within the space.  As the only analysis dedicated exclusively to on-site service trends, it aims to provide thoughtful intelligence and insight leaders can use to manage for today while planning for tomorrow. 

Field Intel’s latest insight, “Winning through volatility,” covers this volatility in detail, along with actions companies can take to manage volatility while still driving towards growth. Learn more at fieldnation.com/fieldintel 

About Field Nation
Field Nation brings companies and technicians together to complete short-term, on-site work. Companies can build their flexible workforce in geographies across the U.S. and Canada and technicians can find work that fits their schedule and skill set. Our mission is to match every technician with the right job, and connect every service team to professionals who are invested in getting the job done right the first time. Learn more at fieldnation.com

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In addition, Field Nation claimed top rankings among 60 leading field service management software providers, including a #1 ranking for Likelihood to Recommend (Enterprise) and a spot in the top ten for Ease of Setup and Quality of Support (Mid-Market) and User Satisfaction Overall.

Over the last few years, we’ve worked hard to demonstrate our value to managed service providers of all sizes. The feedback we’ve heard from these buyers this last year shows that we’ve earned a significant amount of trust:

“Field Nation allows me to find techs quickly and at a moment’s notice.” 

– Nick, Project Manager

“I’m amazed that the tool provides users several options to choose from in assigning a technician for each task.” 

– Karen, Scheduling Associate

“Field Nation enables me to find highly skilled providers to support our clients throughout the U.S. and Canada.”

– Joe, Enterprise Customer

And we’re not done. We continue to refine and look for ways to make the Field Nation platform even better for all service organizations to ensure their experience is easy, fast, and seamless. 

“We’re constantly trying to update our tool and make it more efficient and effective for our customers based on the feedback we see in these reviews,” says Mynul Khan, CEO at Field Nation. “Our goal is to always be listening to our customers so they have the best experience possible.”

Overall, Field Nation has received almost 250 reviews from buyers and providers on the G2 website and has earned an average 4.4 star rating with 92% of users rating 4 or 5 stars, a 90% customer recommendation rating, and 90% ease of use score.

G2 is the world’s largest and most trusted tech marketplace where people can discover, review, and manage the software they need to reach their potential. G2 Badges provide companies like Field Nation a way to showcase how our product performs in the field service market. This helps us continuously deliver value to technicians and service organizations across the country.

The post Field Nation Awarded G2 Leader Badges | Fall 2022 appeared first on Field Nation.

I’m dedicating this award to my Field Nation team for their tireless efforts to make big things happen. -Mynul Khan

Hello, everyone. My name is Mynul Khan, founder and CEO of Field Nation.

I’m incredibly honored to receive this award. Field Nation has been thriving for the last 12 years — breaking the barriers to work, and changing the way field service work gets done. Our platform has connected thousands of companies with tens of thousands of independent technicians — creating over $1B in opportunities all over the U.S. and Canada.

To accomplish this, we’ve completely changed the legacy paradigm of field service to be a new, more agile, and on-demand labor model. We’ve been inspired and accepted by the entire field service community. They are the reason we’ve been able to create and support a change of this magnitude.

This also would not be possible without a world-class team at Field Nation. I owe all of this success, now and in the future, to my team. So I’m dedicating this award to my Field Nation team for their tireless efforts to make big things happen. Thank you.

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On May 21, 2018, Field Nation moved into a brand new office on the 8th floor of the Baker Center in downtown Minneapolis. Our new 34,464 sq. foot space, with room to grow, represents a new era of growth for Field Nation.

Collaborative Spaces

Our new space features five conference rooms with a capacity of more than ten people, seven conference rooms which seat five to nine persons, four small conference rooms, and eight single-person “breakout” rooms. Our office is filled large couches and comfortable chairs for impromptu meetings or cozying up with a cup of coffee.

Workspaces

Despite our fun new digs, we spend most of our days working. Every Field Nation employee has an automated sit/stand desk. Rather than cubicles, our office has an open-concept and lots of light.

Play Spaces

At Field Nation, we have a strong work-hard-play-hard mentality. Our infamous ping-pong table made the journey down Marquette Avenue to our new office. We also have a cafe space where our team members often enjoy lunch, work on laptops, and chat with coworkers.

Design Details

We really dig the orange conduit which represents what we stand for as a company: connecting people to do great things. The conduit is a metaphor for the Field Nation Marketplace which serves as a platform of connection and collaboration. The conduit starts at the Field Nation logo and flows throughout the office, gathering at collaboration spaces.

Big thanks to: StudioBV, Gardner Builders, and iSpace Environments for all of their contributions to our space.

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