ServiceNow's latest Now Platform release is focused on hybrid work, scaling app development, automation and employee engagement.

The Now Platform release, code-named Rome, highlights how ServiceNow has expanded beyond its core IT service management category. Via internal development and a bevy of tuck-in acquisitions such as Swarm64, MapWize, Lightstep and Intellebot, ServiceNow has expanded more into a platform of platforms. CEO Bill McDermott on the company's most recent earnings conference call said ServiceNow is akin to a digital transformation control tower.

McDermott said:

The Now Platform, the platform of platforms, delivers workflow automation with a consumer-grade user experience that inspires our customers, enabling siloed systems across an enterprise to work together, creating more efficient, more productive ways to get work done. ServiceNow is the control tower for digital transformation for every business, in every industry, serving every persona. The power of the Now Platform makes this possible with one data model, one architecture and one platform to workflow a better world.

With the Rome release, the Now Platform is getting a host of employee experience tools and features. For instance, Employee Center is a hub for employees to find information and get help across various departments such as IT, human resources, facilities and legal. The general idea is that employees can save time on mundane tasks, become more productive and possibly avoid burnout.

According to ServiceNow, Employee Center will integrate with Microsoft Teams.

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Based on a demonstration, Employee Center connects to various systems of record whether they are ServiceNow native or not and delivers relevant content via widgets, tasks and trending topics. In many respects, Employee Center highlights how ServiceNow hopes to be connective tissue between systems. 

A look at ServiceNow's Employee Center. 

In addition, ServiceNow is adding Employee Journey Management to the Now Platform to improve work transitions including onboarding, job changes and offboarding. Non-technical employees can personalize Employee Journey Management with no code tools. "The Employee Center and Journey Management concepts are about making it easier for handle tasks that are done regularly," said David Wright, chief innovation officer at ServiceNow. 

ServiceNow's Now Platform Rome release is also a bet that the new normal for work will require a heavy dose of automation. The update includes Automation Discovery to identify opportunities to automate work across ServiceNow applications. Health Log Analytics Enhancements also aims to detect issues before they occur and automate issue resolution.

Wright said that Automation Discovery is based on tests that isolate workflows that can be improved. For instance, if there is a common request that's often rerouted it can be handled with a virtual agent. 

On the mobile development front, ServiceNow is launching Mobile App Builder so developers can build apps for iOS and Android with one interface and guided experiences. ServiceNow also launched Customer Service Playbooks: Focused Layout to allow agents to resolve issues fast and focus on key tasks and data more easily.

Rome release, which is generally available, counts Deloitte Americas, DnB bank and City of Santa Monica as reference customers and early adopters. The Rome release also will have new tools and features for ServiceNow's industry offerings for manufacturing, healthcare, telecom and financial services.