Hybrid work is here to stay. After two years of Covid-19 pandemic upheaval, many workers and employees have discovered that hybrid work suits them. Research [1] suggests that between 50% and a whopping 96% of employees prefer hybrid work, equally divided between office work and remote work. An IWG study [2] showed that 72% of office workers preferred hybrid working to a 10% pay rise.
Work environment and business owners have to adapt their strategies and office policies accordingly.
It’s not just the employees who benefit, though. The benefits of hybrid work can be a particular bonus for small businesses that can’t always offer the perks larger companies do. With the right preparation, a business can improve its productivity while still giving employees the choice of hybrid work. When employees feel taken into account, their productivity and quality of work greatly improve.
Make your business an excellent workspace with the help of proper IT!
Define Your Remote Work Policy
Before you embark on making your business a hybrid work environment, define a clear office policy regarding remote work taking into account the different needs of different people.
- Some workers, especially millennials, appreciate freedom and a better life-work balance. Remote work improves their quality of life and gives them greater independence and control over their lives.
- However, not all employees like remote work. During the lockdowns, some employees realized they dislike working from home and prefer the face-to-face communication they encounter at work. A lot of people find direct interaction with people invigorating and energizing and desperately miss it when working from home. Also, parents of small kids may find it hard to work from home given the constant interruptions and endless snack requests.
- Finally, many prefer a balanced approach, sharing their work time between the office and home.
Talk to your employees and establish the type of work approach they prefer. Once you know your employees’ preferences, develop an office policy regarding remote work. Don’t neglect to take into account the nature of your work. Some lines of business may require the presence of certain workers or even all personnel at specific times during the week. You may also consider offering employees who prefer remote work the opportunity to work from home one or more days a week.
Whatever the ideal solution for your company, it is productive to implement a clear policy that all employees can follow. It doesn’t matter if it’s Wednesdays or Fridays that are set aside for remote work. What matters is that you have a simple policy in place and communicate it clearly to your employees.
Do Not Discriminate Against Remote Workers
Remote work is a novel habit and businesses and managers have to adjust to it. It is easy to discriminate against remote workers because you won’t be seeing them at work. That, however, doesn’t mean they are not working or that they’re any less productive than those who show up at the office.
Include all your workers in your workflow. Disgruntled remote workers will feel discriminated against if they feel that decisions are taken behind their back or that work processes do not include them. Your work productivity will take a hit and you risk increased employee turnover.
Decide on Remote Meetings
Your in-office and remote teams will need to work together. That means organizing virtual meetings.
Choose a platform and organize daily or weekly meetings where all employees can participate. If you have several departments, you can set up different meetings for the relevant employees.
Train your employees in the use of the selected platform and let them know about the meeting dates well in advance. Try to keep meetings short: Zoom fatigue is real!
Consider Your Team’s Equipment for Remote Work
You may have all the necessary equipment at your premises but you should also consider what your remote workers may need.
Laptops, desktops, routers, printers, and monitors should be assigned to any remote workers who need them to work from home. To help you with this, Bytes Managed IT has introduced Hardware as a Service. You can hire the equipment from us instead of wasting your budget on equipment that requires frequent upgrades. This way, you will always have the latest technology you need at a low cost—and a guarantee for all your tools!
Raise Your Security
The most significant upgrade you must make is in IT security. Your remote workers will log in from their homes. You must ensure that all connections are secure and all data protected.
As IT professionals, we make sure the security in your office and the communication between your workers is impenetrable. That means we install security features such as anti-virus software, multi factor authentication, and firewalls. We also make sure your remote workers use VPNs (virtual private networks) to share data in a safe way.
Cloud-Based Storage and Interactions
For all your teams to work effortlessly and smoothly you need a cloud-based platform that covers your needs.
Your cloud platform will allow you to share documents between remote and on-site teams, thus allowing different members to work on the same documents from different locations. You will also want all your data to be stored securely and be accessible remotely from all qualified employees. This will streamline your processes and minimize bottlenecks.
Embrace the Hybrid Workplace with IT
You don’t need to fear the hybrid workplace! With the help of IT, you can manage your on-site and remote employees, improve your productivity, and minimize costs.
Hardware and software tools have improved connectivity and communication. With a trusted IT partner like Bytes Managed IT, you can outperform your competitors and reward your employees with flexible workflows.
Schedule an appointment with Bytes Managed IT online or call us now at 308-635-2983 (Nebraska) or 307-271-6475 (Wyoming) and let’s work together to boost your company’s efficiency and strength.
