Remote work has been rising in popularity for years now, however, it reached critical mass during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations were basically forced to look at different work alternatives for their employees.
As the pandemic wanes, companies across Canada and the world are returning to the office, but with a twist. The hybrid work model is taking hold with employees splitting time between working remotely, and spending time in the office.
This new way of work provides many benefits, from happier employees, to increased creativity and improved productivity. However, to make the hybrid work model effective, you need the technological infrastructure to ensure that your onsite and remote workers can effectively collaborate and communicate.
While COVID accelerated the transition for some companies, many have not updated their IT infrastructure to support the hybrid work model. Have you?
The Truth is in The Numbers
A global survey by Xerox earlier this year found that an estimated 82% of the workforce will have returned to the office in 12 to 18 months. The survey also found that most businesses suffered from the rapid transition to remote work caused by the pandemic, with 72% saying they we not prepared technologically.
The survey found the top challenges were:
• Remote IT Support (35%)
• Inadequate Workflow Solutions (27%)
• Lack of tools for Collaboration and Communications (22%)
• Lack of cloud-based options/solutions (10%)
Consider These Upgrades
Here are some of the technologies to consider to support a hybrid work model.
• Collaboration Tools – Your employees need access to communication technologies to enhance collaboration. Conferencing software like Zoom, or Microsoft Teams can keep your team connected.
• Improved Infrastructure – It’s key to invest in the infrastructure to support a hybrid solution including security, cloud storage and bandwidth.
• Hardware – Working from home on personal equipment is not only a security risk, it means you have no control of the tools or tech your employees use. Invest in hardware for your remote team that connects seamlessly to the processes and data your team in the office is using.
Are you ready to learn more? Give us a call and let us help you design the perfect technology strategy to meet the needs of your hybrid workforce!
