The Key Technology You Need To Make Your Hybrid Workplace Successful

June 14, 2021
Office

Due to their widespread popularity, hybrid workplaces have become an expected part of the migration back to offices. An Owl Labs report showed that 92 percent of surveyed workers say they expect to work from home once per week once the pandemic is over. What’s more, big companies like Ford, Citigroup and Microsoft are looking to accommodate them by adapting their offices into hybrid workplaces. 

The Sensyst blog has previously talked about the challenges of adopting a hybrid workplace along with the necessary preparations, but there’s something else you need to consider: the technology required to make your hybrid workplace a success.

In addition to hot desking and modular furniture, your forward-thinking office concept design needs to be equipped with cutting-edge technology. Make sure your hybrid office is equipped with all the right tools with this comprehensive checklist:

 

Cloud-Based Technological Tools

Key Examples:

  • Google Drive
  • iDrive
  • Amazon Drive
  • Dropbox
  • OneDrive
  • Box
  • Nextcloud
  • pCloud

“It’s in the cloud” has come a long way since its time as a technology catchphrase. The entire work-from-home concept owes its existence to this technological advancement that allows for information to be saved and shared instantly, anytime and anywhere. 

Cloud-based solutions have become so ubiquitous that it’s hard to imagine what it was like before it was invented. Nowadays, we take it for granted that an “office” is simply a “state of mind,” and that productivity is something that is not dependent upon a place.

Every hybrid office requires the services of cloud computing, whether it be Salesforce or Adobe Creative Cloud. Take advantage of this innovation that allows us to see the silver lining.

 

Asynchronous Communication Tools

Key Examples:

  • Slack
  • Jabber
  • Spark
  • Google Hangouts

Hybrid workplaces are put at an immediate disadvantage when it comes to personal interactions. Luckily, they can overcome these hurdles using communication channels that work as fast as you can type.

Long past the heydays of ICQ and Messenger, instant messaging services have evolved into productivity-enablers equipped with practical features that include video chat, file attachment, third-party app incorporation, and more.

 

Project Management Tools

Key Examples:

  • Monday
  • Asana
  • Wrike
  • Salesforce
  • Zoho Projects
  • Clarizen
  • Trello
  • Nifty

Your team may be scattered to the winds, but it needn’t represent a decimation of your leadership. You can have a comprehensive, up-to-date assessment of everything your office is doing by using project management programs.

Arrange workflows and properly assign tasks to each team member to outline the scope of their responsibilities. Set up deadlines, input details, and organize major tasks into manageable sub-tasks. In this way, you’ll have full oversight over projects that will see real progress.

 

Video Conferencing Tools

Key Example:

  • Google Meet
  • Zoom Meetings
  • GoToMeeting
  • Microsoft Teams
  • ClickMeeting
  • BigBlueButton

If there has to be one upside to COVID-19, it would be the fact that it occurred at a time when video conferencing technology has fully matured. As the zeitgeist of our times, video conferencing has been our stand-in at family gatherings during seasonal holidays. With everyone so aware of these software brands that they have entered popular usage as a verb, one thing often gets overlooked when it comes to video conferencing: the need for a good camera and microphone.

To optimize your hybrid office, equip your office boardroom with a professional video conferencing camera; for full functionality, look for models that will automatically adjust their field of view. Additionally, invest in top-notch microphones so that no words get lost. You want your remote workers to feel like they are in the room with you during your meetings, and you’ll need high-quality audio and visual equipment to do that.

 

Cybersecurity

Key Examples:

  • Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
  • Norton 360 With LifeLock
  • McAfee Antivirus Plus
  • Nord VPN
  • Express VPN
  • Surfshark
  • Authy 
  • Google Authenticator

With the stakes so high these days, no business can allow themselves to fall victim to a cyberattack. Protect sensitive information and encrypt your assets with a virtual private network (VPN). Install antivirus software on your hardware, and guard your points of entry with two-factor authentication. Train your employees in internet security, and remain vigilant on this high-priority issue.

In conclusion, the “new normal” of the post-pandemic world clearly shows that workplaces need to evolve to meet the dynamic needs of a changing workforce. With the right technology and the right renovations, you can make your new hybrid workplace into a raging success that can maximize the full potential of your workers, whether in the office or working from home.

Are you looking to turn your office into a hybrid workplace? Do you want to upgrade your business?  Contact us and let us know how we can help!