Over the years, we have seen evolution in technology and the way we work. From the invention of electricity came the industrial revolution. From the invention of the Internet came the digital revolution. And now, from the global pandemic comes the hybrid revolution.
A recent study from Gartner suggests that sticking with an office-centric business model could risk your business losing 39% of the workforce, and with a virtual office-centric design, fatigue levels will continue to rise.
However, with a hybrid work environment, you can reduce fatigue, increase the intent for employees to stay and boost performance. But with this transition to a hybrid work model, you need the technology to back it. The pandemic has showcased the existing and new technologies available to enable such a business model, one which you must align to your company’s future.
That is why for part two of the ‘Future of Work’ series, we will be exploring options available to support future working environments, as well as embracing best practices for all your employees, wherever they are.
Recap of part one in the ‘Future of Work’ series:
In part one of our ‘Future of Work’ series, we discussed how the leaders and employees within a business must adopt a new mindset for the way we work heading forward into the future. We particularly focused on the need for developing skills, understandings and expanding knowledge that will ultimately help your business to thrive, starting from within at the business core – the people.
How to build a hybrid workforce
To implement a successful hybrid work environment, you need to have all technological components covered, starting with cloud computing, the delivery of computer system recourses, with on-demand availability without direct active management by the user. This mainly involves data storage ad computing power; however, it does extend beyond this.
There are multiple cloud computing services that have developed over the years, but the main four are:
- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
- Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)
- Infrastructure-as-as-Service (IaaS)
- Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)
Here is a quick rundown of each one.
What is SaaS?
Software-as-a-Service are centrally hosted (most of the time) software that is accessible through the internet by a browser, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and GoToMeeting.
What is PaaS?
Platform-as-a-service is when a provider hosts and delivers hardware and software to users over the internet, allowing users to develop, manage and run applications online. This acts as a foundation for your applications. Examples of this are Google App Engine, Heroku, and Microsoft Azure.
What is IaaS?
Infrastructure-as-a-Service is a complete infrastructure accessible through the internet containing networks, servers, operating systems etc., with full user control over the backend. Some examples of this are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Compute Engine (GCE).
Desktop-as-a-Service is a desktop environment that is provided and accessible through the internet, with all required resources, applications and data ran through the environment, as well as stored and saving data for each session in the cloud. You may have heard it referred to as a ‘hosted desktop’, ‘cloud desktop’, or a ‘virtual desktop’.
The three different clouds are public, private, and virtual private cloud. Now, we could go into lengthy detail about the benefits of each cloud environment, but the best advice we can give is to directly speak to a cloud provider.
Here at Citadel Technology, we offer various cloud solutions that focus on enabling people to just work – providing the tools and resources needed to work from anywhere, anytime, any device.
You can discover more about our cloud solutions here:
Other than cloud computing, you need to evaluate the software packages available within your business. Are they suitable to support your employees from any location? Do they offer extensive security measures and protocols that protect your business data? You need to evaluate the current technology available within your company and identify weaknesses, as well as areas to improve.
Deploying the right practices
Technology, like cloud computing solutions, expands further than the product itself. It involves adopting the best practices within your business which are supported by said technologies.
Solutions will vary from business to business, depending on the need of the employee and clientele base. Not every business will fit into the box of a private cloud, or DaaS solution, and adopting such solutions could in-turn have a detrimental effect on the company.
Hence, implementing best practices for designing and deploying the right systems are crucial.
Here are 6 best practices for implementing the right technology solutions for your business.
Define your requirements
Not only on a company-wide level, but on an individual employee level as well, you need to establish the specifics of who needs what to work efficiently and effectively. E.g. the minimum download and upload speeds, accessibility to software and applications, ability to manage users from various locations etc.
Find the right technology partner for your business
There are a lot of technology providers and solutions in the market. The best thing that a business can do is conduct research. The key to find a successful technology partner/provider is to find the one that understands your business, what you are trying to accomplish and one that aligns with your vision.
The process for implementing innovative technology can take time, hence you need to build rapport and trust with your chosen partner.
Optimise performance
There is nothing worse for employees than struggling to work and lack the same experience wherever they work. It is vital to deploy solutions that offer sustainability and reliability across the business. Look for technological solutions that enhance network uptime, provides coverage across the whole business, and distributes traffic evenly across the network.
Invest in cloud-based solutions
Cloud-based solutions, as mentioned briefly above, can provide businesses with a reliable service no matter where you work, allowing for business leaders to focus more on in-house processes rather than the I.T. needs. Many third-party cloud providers will offer the flexibility to scale your solution depending on the number of users within the business and the amount of storage required.
Manage employee expectation and change
The introduction of new technologies can be difficult to adopt and not all employees will adjust at the same pace. You need to keep in mind that people will have a difference in opinion on the use of the technology, whilst focusing on education, training, and supporting your employees through this transition. With the right technology partner, the support is available to offer guidance for your employees and as well as easing the digital transformation.
The key is to have patience and listen to employee feedback during this period. As we said in part one of this series, an inclusive environment which focuses on open conversations with your employees will help your business to thrive.
Regularly evaluate the process
Every business should set aside time for evaluation into the regular maintenance of the business. The technology that you choose is just as important as all the other processes within a business. It is key to evaluate the success of the technology, the reliability and availability, as well the support and costs involved. Does the solution address the problem at hand and optimise your business or is it becoming a hinderance and being used for an unintended purpose?
To get the full picture, evaluate your employee happiness and usability levels, as well as receiving their feedback on the matter.
Our parent company Synergy Technology recently provided their views on digital transformation and advice on how to re-think your business model for the future.
What are your next steps?
So now you have the steps to empower your employees and align business goals, along with the knowledge to search for the right technology solution for you. The next step is to focus on your customers.
Let us help you do that Contact us.