Know your needs and create the right hybrid work setup

While it’s clear hybrid work has changed dynamics significantly, how it’s changed will differ from person to person, with Kevin Hall, senior systems engineer for Datapac, mentioning that the type of hybrid working followed depends on the individual needs of each company.

“For example, some companies may have some team members who work entirely remotely, with others in the office full-time,” he said. “Others may adopt a more fluid approach, with employees in the office some days and working from home other days.”

The key reason for this is that all hybrid working setups depend on the organisational culture and receptiveness, mainly to change and adaptation. The processes and cultural aspects of an organisation often determine the success and sustainability of these setups, said Hall.

“A culture that embraces change and flexibility and values trust and individual autonomy is more likely to thrive in a hybrid setting,” he said.

“Configuring one’s approach to future work setups based on the available enabling technology suite is the wrong way to view the challenge. Instead, change must be driven from the top down at the business level through organisational processes, and these processes must be well defined.”

It’s only when this is done that new technologies should be implemented, which help those adapting to new work setups to thrive, and companies must ensure they choose ones that integrate into their processes well. Hall highlights that while communication and collaboration are vital elements, cybersecurity must be considered at all stages.

While hybrid working creates greater flexibility and better work-life balance for employees, it brings up challenges. One is onboarding, which can feel isolating when starting a new role at home. Thankfully, modern technologies like video conferencing platforms can significantly alleviate these concerns by providing a more engaging and inclusive digital orientation.

“There needs to be a clear line of communication available to employees to resolve and troubleshoot any technological issues they may encounter,” said Hall. “Especially for new employees who need to know exactly who to contact and how they can be contacted to resolve any issues.

“If an organisation doesn’t have the capacity or resources to deliver this support in-house, they should consider outsourcing this managed help-desk function to a reputable ICT managed services provider who can closely integrate with and act as an extension of the organisation itself.”

The adoption of cloud-based technologies like Microsoft 365 saw a significant uptick in organisations across the board during the pandemic and continues to be a core part of day-to-day operations. Datapac has seen some of its clients embrace this further.

“Some clients have also invested in Teams Room setups, which leverage Microsoft Teams in combination with leading audio/visual hardware to deliver a more seamless, immersive meeting experience,” said Hall.

While the likes of Microsoft 365 can make the move to the cloud easier, there is still significant work that has to be done. For one, if you’re moving from legacy on-premise systems to a cloud-based environment, cloud migration requires thorough assessment and planning to understand your own systems fully.

Hall warns that this is an intensive, highly involved process, and if an organisation needs more knowledge or resources to complete it in-house, they should seek help from a trusted managed services provider.

Not least of all, determining the many factors that decide if cloud migration is the best-fit strategy for them.

“It needs to be a top-down decision, aligning cloud migration with the organisation’s overarching business goals,” explained Hall. “For example, a primary benefit of operating within a cloud environment is the scalability and flexibility it affords. If an organisation has strategic goals of rapid growth, then a cloud-based infrastructure could give them a competitive advantage.”

Some of the areas that organisations need to consider include the financial implications of investing in cloud migration, assessing their IT infrastructure to see whether their workloads are suited for the cloud, and completing due diligence into the cloud platform provider they’re considering.

Most of all, getting a good return on investment is important. Investing in platforms like Microsoft 365 requires a thorough understanding of the full suite of productivity, communication and collaboration tools they are paying for. If you’re only using a subscription for emails, you’re likely missing out on the capabilities it provides.

“These are all designed to allow teams to seamlessly collaborate on tasks and projects in a remote or hybrid setting and should be leveraged to their full potential,” Hall said. “Training and support should be provided to employees to help them understand the features and capabilities of the platform.

“Organisations need to be mindful of their subscription. They may find that they are using far fewer licences than they are paying for, which provides opportunities for cost reduction.”