As the business world settles into a “new normal” past the initial years of the global COVID-19 pandemic, companies are evaluating how to manage in-person, remote, and hybrid workforces. Depending on the specific organization’s industry and culture, the mix of these work environments will vary. However, it’s easy to anticipate that many businesses will be exploring some level of a hybrid working environment this year. Here are some key areas to focus on when doing so.
Connecting Remote Employees to Company Infrastructure
During the initial pandemic lockdowns, a vast majority of employees were sent home and asked to work remotely in very short notice. This resulted in an often-haphazard effort to allow employees to connect to an organization’s IT infrastructure from unsecured home computers and other devices to keep businesses moving. This presented productivity challenges as well as added governance and security vulnerabilities to an organization’s system. It’s clear that cybercrime and breaches are on the rise, which is likely somewhat fueled by the rapid adoption of remote work efforts.
Now, two years later, companies have a better understanding of the importance of connectivity and security issues when building a long-term hybrid workforce. As a result, some businesses have turned to building virtual desktop infrastructures within internal data centers and others have engaged with desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) solution providers to create a more secure system in the cloud.
In 2022, building a hybrid work model requires allowing technology to serve employees where and when they want to work and consolidate communications and other tools to become more efficient and productive. At the same time, security and governance of the company’s IT system must remain a priority, especially for highly regulated industries. Finding an experienced partner to bundle these capabilities can help businesses accomplish these goals more quickly and cost-effectively. Here are some components of a successful hybrid workforce model:
- Collaboration Tools. Establish virtual areas to allow collaboration within the system that also allows access to technology, applications, and data for maximizing productivity. Persistent chat as well as file sharing, video conferencing, and workflow management are some key capabilities needed.
- Simple Yet Secure Login. Configure a solution that allows a single login to the company system to improve efficiency yet requires multi-factor authentication to enhance security.
- Inventory Unique Access Needs. Ideally, each employee has access to only the applications and data they need to be productive. This means understanding both legacy and virtual desktop access requirements and then setting permissions and access appropriately.
- Integration Between Communications and Collaboration Systems. This integration is critical for a seamless experience as well as the capabilities to record calls, utilize reception applications, perform call center tasks, talk with CRM systems, and manage global presence.
- Bring-Your-Own-Device Policy and Protocol. If employees are using personal devices to connect to company systems, it’s critical to have policies to keep those devices secure so they don’t become a vulnerability to a company’s entire system.
The Advantages of Talent Mobility
One increasingly obvious advantage of a hybrid workforce is the ability to source and retain talent in a new and flexible manner. Gone are the days of recruiting professionals who not only have the experience a company requires but are also willing to relocate to specific geographical areas, which often results in a very limited pool of candidates. Today, remote employees can work anywhere and at any time, even changing locations from week to week.
As the world experiences The Great Resignation as a one of the effects of the pandemic, businesses in multiple industries are struggling with staffing issues. Many employees are reconsidering both life and career priorities. At the same time, technology is moving at such a breakneck pace that it can be difficult to train employees in specialty, high-demand areas quickly enough.
In order for companies to optimize their productivity and capture growth in their particular markets and industries, they need to be able to tap into the best and brightest talent pool. A hybrid workforce broadens the availability of talent, providing access to individuals that might be able to make a significant part-time or full-time contribution to the organization. In today’s work world that’s focused on diversity and inclusivity, talent mobility allows companies to explore professionals around the world, expanding its cultural and geographic diversity. In addition, technology may allow those who are sight- or hearing-impaired to contribute in a unique way to a hybrid team.
Improved Employee Well-Being Benefits Businesses
Another lasting effect of the pandemic has been a re-evaluation of what’s important in life. Although the idea of work-life balance was already popular before COVID, the last two years have accelerated action for many people moving forward.
Today, a remote and hybrid working environment is much more common for business, and no longer the exception. Companies recruiting for many positions have broadened their scope, allowing remote work, or at least a hybrid situation, where professionals are expected to come into the office or fly in for important meetings on an as-needed basis. Being able to offer this flexibility is a competitive advantage beyond compensation and other traditional employee benefits for those fighting for top talent.
For employees, this results in a better work-life balance, freeing them to attend to other family, personal, or community obligations without the stress of work-related schedules. Well-organized, trustworthy individuals can meet their work obligations in the hours that work best for them, arranging their daily schedules around critical meetings but performing individual work around other commitments.
Ideally, this means a happier, less stressful, and more productive life, which is not only good for employees but also for the companies that employ them.
Conclusion
Evolve IP partners with IT professionals to make the future of work better by seamlessly integrating their essential productivity tools into a single, secure solution, fine-tuned for the hybrid workforce. We’d love to learn about your company’s unique needs and share how we can help. Contact us today.
