Meeting the Technology Needs of a Hybrid Workforce

Apr 25, 2022

The post-pandemic work environment looks much different than it did three years ago.

With the expansion of remote work and the wide adoption of collaboration tools like Slack and Zoom, most employees are no longer constrained to a physical office space. Free from commuting, the future of work provides a new employee experience, focused on work-life balance and a flexible work environment.

While the hybrid work model provides the most flexibility for employees, meeting their different needs can be a huge challenge for IT leaders.

Delivering high-quality IT service for remote employees

The implementation of a hybrid model means the days of finding an IT support person in their office or calling them to do an in-person walk-up may be over. Working remotely can make it more challenging to track someone down, and since many IT support staff are also working remotely, being onsite does not ensure instant support.

There’s also the need to provide the same level of service to workers across different time zones, locations, and operating hours – whether they’re working from home (WFH) or at a physical office. With a fully distributed workforce, adapting to the new hybrid model becomes paramount.

Whether owning or working for a small to mid-sized enterprise, you don’t always have the resources to institute a digital, 24/7/365 support model featuring all of the latest remote support tools. Even if you can do it initially, you will find that your ability to scale up with the growth of the enterprise is limited.

Why does it matter?

Delivering anything less than “concierge-level” support for remote team members is no longer an option. If remote workers can’t get what they need, then the organization isn’t going to move forward. A study from May 2021 stated that 39% percent of workers would consider quitting if their employer didn’t offer remote work.

To offer remote work – you’ve got to be able to support it.

While this seems like a daunting dilemma for IT leaders, there is a reliable way to deliver support to every employee – no matter when they need it or where they are located.

So what’s the solution?

Partnering with an IT managed services firm, like Virteva, helps provide a 24/7 service desk that meets the level of support your organization requires. Leveraging the scale and scope of an IT partner enables you to provide “always-on” support across any platform without having to hire any additional staff or invests in costly support tools.

With a partner, you get the benefit of their scale and expertise to deliver a consistent, personalized experience for every person. You also get the best enterprise-grade technology from the deployment of software from ServiceNow, Microsoft, Calabrio, Cisco, and others. Also, because your partner can seamlessly integrate with your team, the end-users always have the same high-end experience – no matter who helps them.

Keeping the enterprise secure

The hybrid model enables every person to work from wherever they want. However, this also exacerbates the challenge of ensuring cybersecurity and reducing the potential for breaches. That’s not to mention the threats of ransomware and the need to remain current with proven methodologies and best practices to protect the acuity and integrity of your enterprise.

Ensuring secure access and authentication for all employees doesn’t differ whether they’re working in their office or working from an Airbnb in Australia – the vulnerabilities are still the same. There are also the challenges and risks associated with onboarding a new employee or terminating an existing one. The people in your enterprise are often the ones that can inadvertently (or intentionally) open the doors that lead to a cyber attack.

Defending your enterprise against cyber threats requires more time and expertise than ever.

By relying on a partner like Virteva, you can rest assured that the best tools, processes, and security experts are keeping your enterprise safe and secure. They also help reduce the vulnerabilities that workers can bring by implementing their proven processes and superior support staff to help workers get on-boarded, off-boarded, or simply connect their VPN to a distant location.

Enterprises are embracing a hybrid work model and it’s becoming the de facto way to operate, as well as ensure employee engagement, productivity and retention.

Meeting their needs is a task that requires a proven partner with the expertise, scale, digital tools, and white-glove service that keeps everyone productive and focused on meeting business goals.

Learn more about Virteva’s concierge-level, 24/7 IT services.

 

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