Modern work environment has seen waves of upgrades in technology, and it is still an ongoing process, as tech tools, equipment and software change overtime.
Following the recent COVID-19 global pandemic, many organisations and companies had to slowly but surely adapt to new situations. As offices became a no-go area, businesses started providing hardware for staff to set up their workspace at their homes, thus homeworking took over.
Once the pandemic subsided, many returned to work, but some organisations started offering hybrid options, or switching between office and working from home.
In case of hybrid, systems will be accessed and utilised not only within work premises, but also via cloud, enabling employees to access from the comfort of their homes, or from anywhere else really.
So, if Information Technology (IT) sustenance was always paramount, one can imagine the renovations and modifications incurred by such companies to accommodate a hybrid workspace.
Read on to see why it is important that a hybrid workplace must have a robust IT support to function accurately.
Working Hybrid
A well-oiled contemporary company offering hybrid workplace options is showing that it puts its workers at the centre. It is the ultimate expression of care added with a strong element of trust between the two parties. However, for a company to function as it should especially in a hybrid workplace, it must hold a vigorous IT support.
On the other hand, personnel appreciate the offered flexibility, and can plan their working week shifting between office and home, while also multi-tasking and catering for their children, pets or other necessities.
A hybrid workspace is a combination of on-premises and cloud-based applications and services. As one can presume, this offers various challenges especially for businesses to manage and monitor both systems and staff working from home.
In this new work scenario then, how will organisations adopting hybrid work ensure a great employee and finally client experience? What about their asset security, collaboration and productivity as employees take more active control of their work-life balance?
The answer: a digital workplace accurately supported by IT.
How Hybrid Work Revolves Around Tech
As we will see, technology is not only essential for a hybrid workplace to function, but it serves also as support while it holds multiple facets of purpose.
1. Employee Experience
Switching to hybrid then, companies will not only have to provide the obvious hardware to their staff like laptops and headsets, but also make sure that the holistic experience is positive for both parties involved.
This is essential for the employees which will thrive in their work productivity with the proper tools and flexibility. Furthermore, it is a progressive experience which will lure new potential staff to enrol within this structure and also attract new clients.
2. Cybersecurity
This has always been top on any business agenda, however when going hybrid a company`s security must be focused on even more.
An organisation knows that with its people working from their homes, there is a larger chance of implications, as the distribution of staff isn`t longer in a perimeter-based world.
Furthermore, the flexibility of hybrid will enable any employee to yes work from home, but also from say cafes, so risks like open Wi-Fi or leaving the laptops unlocked and exposed need to be addressed.
Thus, organisations must make sure that their people have the equipment they need to run the technology they use smoothly, both at the office and away from it.
Apart from the hardware and software involved though, simply establishing ground rules from the get-go can help secure the work environment irrespective of where and when employees are working. These can vary from simply locking your laptop when left unattended to using passwords and blurring your background when using the camera, amongst others.
Remote support can also be sought for by employees provided by their company`s IT section, who also monitor and assist the company to manage its hybrid workspace. In some organisations this is also available 24/7 depending on the nature of the work.
3. Communication & Collaboration
Pre-pandemic, communication was far way easier and came natural as everyone was at the office, while for an employee to collaborate with another was as simple as approaching their desk and have a coffee over it.
The era of hybrid complicated things, and altered the way staff communicates. Employees now need to connect and collaborate virtually using the tech tools provided.
However, when done right, hybrid experiences can be immersive, be it for hiring, peer-to-peer, training, customer demonstrations, video conferencing or just work and productivity.
4. Productivity and Work Ethics in a Hybrid Workspace
Now, let`s be honest, with hybrid work comes flexibility, and with employees working in the safety of their home environment, lethargy could be a worrying factor.
When staff are not within the physical space at the office where everyone is working in tandem towards the same vision, it`s easy to lose sight of the ultimate goal project and even the organisation itself.
This might have a negative effect on the individual`s morale and productivity, ultimately also affecting the company.
By using advanced analytics technology an organisation can have better insight into the behaviour of people and how they interact. Employees can feel heard and acknowledged by being able to voice out their concerns, which will result in improved factors like efficiency and wellbeing. This can be reached by the company utilising intuitive tools like open-ended surveys, regular virtual one-to-ones and other mechanisms.
Wrapping up with the Benefits of Hybrid Workspace
We went through various aspects of hybrid workspace, but it`s good to memorise the following summarised salient points:
- Cost savings – with cloud-based services you only pay for what you use
- Improved security – sensitive physical data can be kept at the company`s premises, while it can still be accessed via cloud
- Flexible – employees can access and work from anywhere
Working hybrid is the future, and it`s here to stay, so let`s make it work for us.
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