When the pandemic started, working from home became the norm. And it was fun for a while. However, with the pandemic well behind us, many are choosing to move back into the office. Employees realize they thrive more in an office environment, even if they will miss some of what they had by working at home. Enabling a hybrid workplace may be the answer.
That’s our new reality. People want to go back to the office — on their terms. What they want is to combine what they love from both worlds. A study by Deloitte found that 88% of employees no longer wish to spend every working day in an office. Instead, they prefer a hybrid workplace model.
How does that work? What does it take to make it possible? It might be easier than you think.
Effective Hybrid Workplace Tools Make Work Possible in Every Location
Because work culture is changing, management must change to keep up. It’s now possible to allow employees to work from anywhere. You just have to alter how you think about an “office.” Working from anywhere is easy when you have the following:
Flexible Cloud Communications Solutions
Employees need a solution that allows them to work efficiently no matter where they pull up a chair. Cloud communications will give employees one phone number that can be used on a desk phone, a mobile phone, or a computer, while providing integrated collaboration features like messaging, meeting, video, screen sharing, and more. Having a single solution that works at home, in the office, or on the go is key to enabling an effective hybrid workplace.
Secure / Private Internet Connections
No matter where you log in, your connection must be secure. Utilizing managed endpoint security and VPNs can go a long way toward reducing threats to remote employee connections. Consider this your starting point. Employees need consistent training to ensure they use top-level security strategies no matter where they are.
BYOD Equipment
With technology readily available, many businesses take the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) approach. If employees are accessing company infrastructure with their devices, you must have clear and concise policies to keep your data secure. Policies should include things like security protocols, restrictions on sensitive information, specifications on how much support your IT team can offer various devices, and how much, if any, of the employee’s services will be paid for by the company. Be aware that compliance from governing offices like HIPAA and SEC may be a part of this protocol.
Security
Maintaining security is challenging for any business, especially with a remote workforce. Yet cyber threats continue to grow every day. Often, the weakest link in any security plan is the employees. Phishing, whaling, and other perils are always viable. Security awareness training and a comprehensive security strategy are indispensable.
A Hybrid Workplace — Your Way
Adopting a hybrid workplace model can bring the best of both worlds to your office. It’s a balance between two ways of working, giving your employees the flexibility they need to thrive. Want to learn more? Be sure to download our comprehensive guide Setting Up IT for Remote Work.
Our experienced team is on standby to answer any questions you may have in setting up a hybrid workplace for your employees. Contact a TPx representative today to learn how we can help.