There’s nothing quite like a global pandemic to shake up the status quo, and in 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 single-handedly transformed white collar working in a matter of months. Nearly four years later and attitudes towards working from home have changed drastically in the UK.
Despite an ongoing push from many businesses to get workers back in the office, more than half of employees prefer a hybrid working model (Hays, 2023) while only 23% of people shared a preference for full-time office working.
Whether you’re for or against it, flexible working is here to stay and employers that buck the trend risk falling behind in a competitive recruitment market. 69% of people have said the ability to work remotely is important when looking for a new role and 6% of people reported they had left a job role last year due to a lack of flexible working (CIPD, 2023).
So, if you’re a business owner with concerns about the long-term sustainability of hybrid working, what’s your next step?
We’ve been helping businesses find solutions to problems, big and small, through IT for over 20 years. In our eyes, there are very few problems that IT can’t solve, which is why we’re convinced that the right technology and software can improve hybrid working in your workplace.
When we ask our clients about the challenges of hybrid working, issues around communication and teamwork are the most common complaints. While these concerns are valid, they can be easily improved by making smart upgrades to your organisation’s IT.
If you aren’t already using the cloud, it has the potential to completely revolutionise hybrid working for your staff team. Cloud computing involves storing and delivering files, services and applications through a centralised online space that can be accessed remotely.
The cloud is flexible and scalable, so you can expand your online space to accommodate a growing team as well as add or remove features and storage space in line with your company needs.
Here are some cloud features that can enhance collaboration within your team:
Choosing communication channels that align with your team’s needs can increase the reach and effectiveness of your internal communications, from one-on-one discussions to firm-wide announcements.
Here are a few ways that IT communications can keep your hybrid team in regular contact and feeling more connected:
Cyber security might not have much to do with communication or collaboration, but it’s a vital consideration for any employer thinking about how to improve hybrid working in an organisation.
If not managed properly, people working from home can pose a significant security risk to your files and systems. Making sure you have high-level cyber security systems in place is business-critical, as is establishing business continuity and disaster recovery plans for damage limitation when things do go wrong.
While the benefits of hybrid working for employees – from improved wellbeing to a better work-life balance – have been widely publicised, the benefits for employers are far less talked about but that doesn’t mean they are any less important!
With the right processes and systems in place, hybrid working has a range of advantages for employers. It can attract new talent, support staff retention, strengthen your inclusion and diversity credentials, and also reduce the operational costs of a 9-to-5 office space.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about how investing in your IT could improve hybrid working in your business. Our friendly team of IT experts are here to listen to your concerns and share tailor-made solutions.
Talk through your IT needs with one of our friendly technicians – no commitment, no cost!
Complete our contact form and one of our experts will be in touch, or call our team on 01332 374444.
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