The Future of Work is Hybrid – What does that mean?

“What will the workspace look like after the pandemic?”

This was a frequently asked question in 2021. After months of upheaval and large-scale modifications to adapt, the haze is finally clearing almost two years after the first lockdown. The new workspace is here, and it’s looking great.

One thing is certain: flexible employment is likely to stay around. The talent environment has shifted fundamentally as people seek employment in multiple states and nations. Remote employment generated new career options, providing families with much-needed flexibility, enhanced productivity, and eliminated long commutes.

There’s no doubt that the hybrid work model comes with numerous benefits for organisations and employees, it’s important to understand the success of this model is dependent on the ability to manage resources. In this blog, we’ve listed the three main pillars that hybrid work is built upon. To successfully create a hybrid workspace, it’s imperative to integrate these three pillars into your plan.

1. Communication and Collaboration

When the pandemic pushed many employees to relocate, it also compelled them to experiment with new modes of communication. Platforms like Microsoft Teams demonstrated to organizations that workers could remain connected as well as productive even while they are not in the office. Organizations are expected to continue to evaluate options such as these in more detail, further incorporating them to allow more robust processes and a more versatile workforce in the future.

A focus on both the employee experience and the targeted business advantages is critical to the success of these solutions. For instance, open floor layouts were implemented to foster creativity by allowing staff to communicate throughout the day. Rather than that, the staff suffers from  burn out due to all the diversions.

While collaboration software may give workers the tools necessary to interact, firms must assess how these technologies are incorporated to ensure they benefit employees rather than hinder them. Businesses may decide that it is better to interact through low-tech means (in person and over the phone) for some jobs while designating others to further high-tech or remote-first methods.

The most effective virtualization solutions address productivity issues and facilitate natural communication by linking the real and virtual worlds. More displays and flexible settings will enable dynamic configurations and promote more natural dialogue among on-site and virtual personnel. At the same time, in-room collaboration technology will make it simple for users on each side of the screen to participate in real-time. Additionally, businesses need to reimagine their on-site meeting spaces to suit virtual workers and new remote work habits.

2. Employee Well-Being and Productivity

During the pandemic’s early months, several firms claimed higher productivity due to workers who began working from home. One possible explanation for this is that workers were more pleased at home than at work and more productive.

Digital well-being is critical for a mixed work paradigm to succeed. Business leaders want measures to prevent staff from succumbing to digital tiredness and to assist them in establishing appropriate boundaries across work and personal life. This will undoubtedly be not easy since it contradicts how many firms have operated for years. Still, leaders must establish a healthy precedent by investigating methods to lower workloads, promote breaks when necessary, and promote synchronous and asynchronous communication.

Employers must also reconsider their strategy for networking when establishing teams in this mixed work environment. Attracting, maintaining, and developing talent requires more time and effort when working remotely. Teams must adopt a more constructive attitude to developing talent, pushing managers to emphasize social capital development at work and fostering a supportive environment.

3. Security and (Zero) Trust

Lastly, completely remote as well as hybrid work arrangements need updated cybersecurity plans to protect remote workers, safeguard digital assets and handle emerging cyber threats.

Zero-trust frameworks are becoming more popular in remote work because they combine greater security and flexibility. Historically, firms created a security barrier around their on-site activities, with workers mainly accessing corporate data from inside that perimeter. It was thought that all accesses and activities inside that perimeter were secure.

The trend to remote work expanded activities outside that perimeter, demonstrating that businesses need a more adaptable security policy capable of keeping pace with a flexible workforce. Rather than assuming that all operations inside a network are secure, a zero-trust architecture functions on the premise that all transactions, including those within the network, must be validated. Trusting nothing but verifying everything increases corporate cybersecurity while enabling more dynamic network perimeters.

Hackers typically prey on vulnerable third-party providers to access bigger businesses that are harder to penetrate directly. Additionally, companies are turning to zero-trust infrastructures to safeguard their supply and value chains. Rather than assuming that every transaction is safe, zero-trust frameworks check all transactions, transitioning businesses from a passive to an active cybersecurity approach.

Hackers are constantly on the watch for weak passwords. By using other authentication methods or by including more stages in the verification process, the danger of intrusion is reduced. Additionally, password-less verification, single sign-on for all apps, and self-service sign-up processes are all promising security enhancements. Single sign-on with self-service flows assists businesses in enforcing appropriate security standards while workers use the many apps and endpoints required for remote work.

Conclusion

An emphasis on more collaborative, transparent operations — for workers, employers, and consumers — is crucial to the future of work. The next stage of growth will need company leaders to engage their people more deeply to fully integrate new technologies and build a more sustainable working style in the future. To achieve that, the right tools and setup are crucial. At Accops, we offer ideal solutions with ample benefits. Our team of experts can help your company seamlessly transition into a hybrid workspace. Contact us to know more!