The world of work has changed forever, and there are certain aspects of these changes that are now accepted to be the new normal. This article will discuss the tech that is now a necessity for this new normal of remote and hybrid work. Originally a temporary measure, remote work is something that has stuck around and is likely to continue to define modern employment, and businesses will need to accept this or be left behind as workers seek this flexibility.
Remote and hybrid work is growing
There are numerous benefits of working from anywhere for knowledge workers. Those who can work effectively from home are now being encouraged to do so. Offering workers flexibility with a much-improved work/life balance can then be translated to increased productivity and job satisfaction. Additionally, there is also a need for some people to be in the office to build their careers and skills, such as new staters, and, as such, the need for hybrid workers who are in the office and also able to seamlessly work remotely is in demand. Whether inside or from outside the office, employees all need to be provided with the same access to technology and opportunities for growth and development.
The remote or hybrid worker has also gained a great deal of power in this process as increased numbers of workers have become more selective in who they work for, where they work from and why they work. Employers need to be savvy to this, and in order to keep the best of the talent, they will need to provide for some basics.
There is now a global pool of talent that can be accessed, and the best of the best can work for your local business as long as they have access to the right technology.
The tech that these workers need
For remote work to be effective, there is a lot of different techs that is required. Some of the essential pieces of technology include:
- Smartphones for overall top computing and communication. These hand-held smartphones must have the right apps, the ability to conduct video calls, and instant messaging to provide real-time communication with the rest of the team, wherever they are.
- Multifunction printers are another required piece of equipment for your home office. Getting these printers will be beneficial for you as it suggests multiple services with one device, which gives you many advantages you. First of all, you can do network printing, scanning, faxing, emailing, copying and many more services as it integrates the functionality of a printer, copier, scanner, fax into one machine. Furthermore, it requires less space as you will have just one piece of equipment instead of multiple types of equipment. So, getting multifunctional printers will be a great choice for your home working environment.
- A Laptop/PC with a good-sized screen for meetings and joint work is an absolute necessity. Many generally don’t think of some of these simple tech or hardware requirements and many a business have simply gone out and bought the latest laptops for their remote workers. Don’t! Instead, ensure that you have done a full needs analysis and only buy the specific tech for the job at hand and be prepared to purchase different machines and hardware for employees that have different needs and available space. The team meetings and virtual meetings have become an essential part of modern work, and a predominant part of the tech required is to meet this need. There are a number of applications and software that can be used for this. Ensure that you know the latest Microsoft Teams tips, as this can save both time and money in terms of implementing a remote or hybrid working strategy.
- Connectivity is a given, but for remote workers, it means that the business needs to consider who is responsible for this connectivity, who pays for it, and how you ensure it is provided for. The tech, hardware, and software will be pointless without the ability to connect and access the internet.
- Professional remote support may not be actual tech, but the tech without support will prove to be a risky scenario. For this reason, IT support is regarded as part and parcel of the overall IT infrastructure and will be the most critical piece of the remote and hybrid worker setup.
- Secure storage. For any remote and hybrid work arrangement, cloud computing will need to provide a means to store and then securely access the same information and company data that workers would have access to in the office. Access to data will be the basis of remote and hybrid work, and without a professional Cloud computing solution, there can be no remote work.
If the new or the next normal of modern work is to take hold and result in business opportunity and growth, then the hybrid and remote workers out there will need to be provided with the most suitable technology for the tasks that they are expected to do. It may sound like a simple logical process, and yet it is only when the remote or hybrid work relationship starts to flounder based on the failing technology or incorrect connectivity and security.