Essentials of a hybrid work toolkit
SHIFTING into a hybrid model of work is no longer a matter of if or when, but of how.
While many have adjusted to working from home and appreciating its perks for employees and organizations, the physical office has hardly lost its significance. Experts, in fact, have agreed that offices are set to become hubs of collaboration. Blending on-site and remote modes is expected to shape the future of work, but how the perks of both modes can be optimized within organizations is yet to be seen. Among other factors, the devices and tools employees will use should help them work meaningfully and productively, whether they are in the office or anywhere.
The preference for hybrid gets confirmed a year after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused lockdowns and restrictions across the globe. In multinational technology company Lenovo’s “Future of Work and Digital Transformation” study last year, 83% of over 8,500 employees and IT decision-makers (ITDMs) globally said they want a hybrid work model post-COVID 19. Likewise, 83% of businesses surveyed expect to work remotely at least half the time.
Closer to home, a 2022 survey by a local Software-as-a-Service company Sprout Solutions revealed that 91% of employees said they wanted a hybrid or remote workplace. Moreover, 80% of human resources administrators and managers preferred hybrid or remote as well, although 64.6% said they need help in understanding how to make such setup work.
Making the hybrid setup work is a big objective to tackle. Gibu Mathew, Asia Pacific vice-president and general manager at software company Zoho Corp., hinted at the qualities that hybrid work, and the devices used therein, should have.
“Effective hybrid workplaces integrate people, processes, data, insights, and infrastructure while focusing on connectedness, collaboration, and personal productivity to achieve common goals and business outcomes,” Mr. Mathew was quoted as saying in a BusinessWorld report last year.
Collaboration has been widely recognized as essential for remote and hybrid workplaces. Various tools have abounded recently to help employees effectively meet and work together even if they are not in the office. Actually, these tools have been accessible at one’s fingertips.
“One piece of tech that’s being used more is the smartphone, with the majority using their phone for work purposes. It’s being used most frequently as a way to communicate within their teams, likely due to the increase in collaboration tool usage,” Lenovo’s study highlighted.
This, nonetheless, does not disregard the significant, yet renewed, role of the office.
“With 90% of workers surveyed still wanting the option to go into the office to connect with colleagues and 56% saying they are more productive at home, it’s clear that the role of the office will be changing,” Lenovo noted. “The office is no longer the place where work gets done; it’s evolving into a place where one can connect and collaborate while leaving deep work for focused time at home.”
Yet, for effective collaboration to happen, connectivity must be ensured. Lenovo’s study found that the chief challenge employees encounter is slow or unstable Internet connections at home. 50% of employees in mediumsized businesses and 42% of small or very small businesses were found to have reported delays or challenges in getting any kind of IT support when needed.
Security, of course, should not be overlooked in an effective hybrid workplace. Lenovo’s study ranked data security as the top most time-consuming challenge among IT departments.
“With businesses and their employees both optimistic about a future in hybrid work and remote collaboration, today’s IT departments are faced with the rising resource costs of data security and compliance,” Gianfranco Lanci, president and chief operating officer of Lenovo, was quoted as saying in a statement. “More than ever, businesses need reliable technology partners to fully manage their hardware, software and services to maximize value and boost security.”
Given such requirements, what kinds of devices then should organizations provide their employees with? Computer hardware company ASUS suggests an employee’s toolkit should have digital tools that allow them “to work effortlessly from anywhere.”
“Go for a mobile-friendly set-up that allows them to perform their jobs efficiently, while on the go. Among the must-haves are light, durable laptops, stable access to internet, comprehensive communications and collaboration software, and robust cybersecurity solutions,” an article in ASUS’ website read.
Its devices that support hybrid work include ASUS Zenbook 13 OLED, an ultrathin laptop that features edgeto-edge ergonomic keyboard design, precision-engineered ErgoLift hinge, and 18-hour battery life; and ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED, the first 13.3” Windows OLED detachable laptop, with four different usage modes.
Both models are integrated with ASUS’ AI noisecanceling technology, fitting for convenient video conferencing.
Also, Lenovo hinted on devices that ensure secure and constant connectivity. “Businesses may want to consider always-connected PCs with integrated LTE or 5G as a way to offer employees freedom from reliance on the home Wi-Fi network alone and to provide higher security,” it suggested.
The company’s ThinkPad and ThinkVision product lines are targeted at tackling the unique experience of merging home and the workspace. The ThinkPad laptops, in particular, is known for delivering “deliver heavyweight performance in a lightweight chassis,” as well as a durable build, rapid battery charge, and integrated security features.
Lenovo also has Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) subscription models, which “can keep hardware up to date, scale technology needs over time, and even free up time and resources for more strategic projects.” —