Throughout the last couple of years, as organizations worldwide have adjusted to life in a pandemic, there’s been a simmering debate about the future of workplace modernization. IT leaders are wondering – which approach will work best? Will it be about giving people the best possible technology for working remotely, which has been the norm in 2020 and ’21? Or, alternatively, should the objective be to invest in a safe return to the office, getting people back to the ways they were working pre-pandemic?
Increasingly, the answer is becoming clear: The best answer here is not one or the other. It’s both. Microsoft recently shared some interesting survey data that illustrates the need for flexible work arrangements. The company found that over 70% of employees today want remote work options to continue, even after the pandemic; at the same time, they discovered that 65% crave more in-person time with their teammates. The best way to accommodate both is to offer hybrid work arrangements that let people flex between at-home and in-office settings.
“Over the past year, no area has undergone more rapid transformation than the way we work,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Employee expectations are changing, and we will need to define productivity much more broadly – inclusive of collaboration, learning, and well-being – to drive career advancement for every worker, including frontline and knowledge workers, as well as for new graduates and those who are in the workforce today. All this needs to be done with flexibility in when, where, and how people work.”
One goal that Nadella mentions – inclusivity – is one that might not be so easy to achieve. Microsoft also found in their recent surveys that 42% of employees say they lack the essential office supplies they need to be productive at home, and 10% say they don’t have an adequate internet connection. And despite this, 46% say their employers do not do enough to help them with the expense of working remotely. For hybrid work to be successful, this gap needs to close, and everyone needs to have the tools required to work from anywhere.
Fortunately, we at Zones are doing our part to make that happen. That’s the idea behind our Remote Worker Solution – this package of IT tools is designed to ensure productivity for your teams, whether they’re in the office or remote. This solution includes Asset Management for keeping track of your devices; it includes Shipping & Logistics for getting new ones when you need them. There’s Endpoint Security Management for securing your users; there’s Technical Support for assisting them during times of crisis. Everything your hybrid work teams need, RWS has it covered.
This is a key pillar of what we do at Zones, and it always has been. One of our core beliefs is that Workplace Modernization is a primary goal for any business – and as work has evolved over the last couple of years, we’ve worked hard to evolve with it. We understand now that a hybrid approach to doing work is a must, and we will do everything in our power to help your organization adopt one. If you’d like to dig a little deeper, all you’ve got to do is connect with us.