For businesses operating in 2021, a dramatic cultural shift is ongoing. Where workers were once content to sit in an office from nine to five every day, this is no longer the case. They expect a degree of flexibility from employers, and if you can’t offer this, you’re unlikely to attract the top talent.
For many, hybrid working is the ideal compromise. You get to have your staff in the office on a semi-regular basis and keep team cohesion at an optimum level. They get to work from home when it suits them but knowing the office is open to them when being at their desk is beneficial.
However, hybrid working is not without its downsides. In particular, maintaining security can be a challenge, and making sure everyone has access to the software and technology they need can be tricky too. That’s why we recommend that every employee has access to these three essential pieces of kit.
Video Conferencing Software
Being out of the office no longer means being uncontactable. Thanks to video conferencing solutions, it’s now possible to connect and collaborate from a home office, but to make this run smoothly, we recommend investing in high-quality software for your team.
Lots of providers have business subscriptions available, so home workers can stay connected and still be involved in any important meetings or decision-making. Supply them with a set of quality headphones for these interactions. This will drown out any background noise and keep distractions to a minimum.
Collaboration Tools
One of the difficulties of working from home is facilitating collaboration, but there are lots of tools that can help. If you don’t want to spend a lot, some are available for free, but you will have to pay for the best options. Microsoft 365 is always popular, but it’s not the only tool out there. There is Slack, Asana, Trello, and many more, all with various functions and features.
It’s also possible to create your own collaboration space online via your intranet, but if you decide to go down this route, be aware of the dangers this may pose to security. To stop cybercriminals and hackers from accessing shared documents, you might need to take steps such as installing passwordless MFA (multi-factor authentication).
The combination of biometrics and device fingerprinting means it’s practically impossible for hackers to crack, so your sensitive documents and data couldn’t be safer.
A Second Monitor
This one is a little trickier. Naturally, you can’t expect your hybrid workers to go out and buy a second monitor for their home offices, but purchasing one for each employee would be incredibly costly. Think about which members of staff are most likely to need this sort of setup and then consider ways you can help.
One option is to look at your existing inventory and see if you have any monitors that are not in use. With your workforce now hybrid, you’re unlikely to need as many screens in the office, so send some of your older hardware home with staff who’ll make use of it.
Isn’t it time you equipped your employees for hybrid working success?
Featured image: Pixabay (Peggy_Marco).
