Redefining the modern workspace through a bold new model of hybrid working
From a technical and people-management perspective, running a business these days is, undoubtedly, tougher than ever.
But in our view, many of the challenges, like cyber security and compliance, governance, collaboration and internal communications, aren’t new. Rather, they’ve been magnified by the consequences of remote working and distributed workforces.
So, for now and the foreseeable future, the way we work has undergone significant change. In fact, it may never be the same again. Cue the hybrid workplace. Here, we explore what it is, what it means for the future of work and what you should consider.
What is the hybrid workplace?
One of the many consequences of coronavirus is its influence on our everyday language. Just one year ago, who would have dreamt that ‘lockdown’, ‘new normal’ and ‘self-isolation’ would become common turn of phrase?
In less than the time it takes for Earth to orbit the sun, life as we knew it turned on its head. Few reading this will be unbruised, either personally or professionally.
And indeed, the language of work has changed too. Spend a mere five minutes on LinkedIn, an IT forum or a business journal and the odds are that you’ll come across the terms ‘hybrid workplace’ and ‘hybrid office’. But what do they mean and why are they getting so much attention?
Rewind the clock a year and work was – for most of us, intrinsically connected to something physical. A bricks-and-mortar structure. A place where we came together to communicate and collaborate. Where relationships were made, strategies were forged and ideas born.
We busied away across a myriad of micro and macro communities, with all the highs, lows and dramas of working life playing out inside them. Our days were structured by the routine of our commutes, creating punctuation marks and a healthy separation between our work and home lives.
Now the lines between work and home and our professional and personal identities are blurred. Our laptops sit in spaces we’ve claimed in bedrooms and kitchen tables, jostling for room beside everyday items.
Throughout the day, work competes with other activities. Between work calls, we home-school children and check on elderly parents. And typically, we don’t mark time in the same way. As we juggle the demands on us, working patterns often extend beyond the nine to five.
So, for employers, the ability to enable their people to be productive from anywhere has never been more vital. Work has become fluid, with activity occurring in digital, instead of physical, spaces.
If we could sum up the hybrid workplace or office in one sentence, we would say it’s the next generation of the modern workplace: a seamless blend of physical and remote working, focusing on productivity and employee well-being.
Getting the mix right, without compromising security and user experience, is the tricky part. Plus, all the attendant considerations – managing the return to the workplace (if at all), employee welfare – both at home and in the office and what the next ‘new normal’ is.
We dive into these challenges during this on-demand webinar.
Click here to watch Technology and Management Strategies for the Hybrid Office
What are the core factors to consider for the new future of work?
So, what’s the big picture of an efficient and joined-up contemporary workspace? How can you ensure your employees feel connected? How do you keep the culture of your company alive?
We believe these thirteen core components are essential for modern hybrid working:
What does a flexible work landscape look like?
How can technology help the next new normal – the hybrid working model – work?
Watch our now on-demand webinar – Technology and management strategies for the hybrid office.
We’ll equip you with the strategies and technical know-how to build your hybrid workplace.
Download our eBook here for more insights on the evolution of the modern workspace.
