What comes next?

Many businesses have taken the decision not to return to full time office working. Technology has played a vital role in remote working and will continue to in the hybrid workplace, allowing employees to experience a seamless transition from home to the office, and in connecting those working remotely with those in the workplace. But are your systems and processes ready for this next stage?

Make the technology work for everyone

The switch to remote working has changed the expectations of some who have had time to reflect on what they want from their working life. Wellbeing has become more important for both organisations and individuals. The right technology could help you balance the needs of your employees and their desire for a flexible approach to where they work with meeting the needs and objectives of your business.

Technology can help you work smarter

But employees need support in getting equipped for working and collaborating effectively across different locations. Making sure they can access the tools and services they need to do their jobs without unnecessary complication is key.

Could the cloud be the answer?

Cloud services offer flexibility, allowing business operations to scale quickly and effectively to meet customer demands and can play an important role in allowing your workforce to operate as productively and efficiently as they would on-site wherever they are based.

If you’re planning for hybrid working long term, as your teams move from device to device and network to network, strengthened cyber security measures will help protect your business. Individuals should have the same level of protection wherever they are working. If you haven’t put measures in place, although your teams will be working securely in the office, with all the monitoring and safety systems you’ve invested in, they could be going home to a vulnerable network and weak passwords or security processes. Cloud services can allow you to implement the right level of protection across multiple working locations.

Training is essential

With a large proportion of cyber security breaches being down to human error or naivety, consider whether users working on their own networks and devices have the right knowledge and training to protect valuable data and company information.

So are you ready for a hybrid workplace?

Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Do I know all the devices being used to access company data? Are they up to date? Are they compliant?
• Do I know the total cost of ownership over 3 years of my existing hardware and whether these costs could be reduced by a cloud move? Would a move to a cloud platform offer more flexibility?
• Do I know where my business data is held and who has access to it?
• Do I know what security requirements are in place and what is needed to protect my business?
• How can I help my teams solve problems, innovate and be creative in a collaborative way when they aren’t in the same room?
• How will meetings take place in a hybrid working environment? Will they be effective, with each attendee having an equally positive experience and opportunity to contribute?

If you need help answering these questions, our Consultancy & Transformation services are designed to provide expert advice and solutions that ensure as your business evolves, your technology moves with you.

Our specialist Cyber Security services identify, manage and minimise threats, avoiding the potential damage now and in the future.

So, if you need advice on what comes next, talk to us.