About two years into the pandemic, the new working strategies are no longer considered appropriate. The working systems have changed drastically in recent times. It goes from people working from anywhere to tools they are using for communication and collaboration. Now, organizations do not feel that hesitation while appointing remote employees. They have realized that their employees can be productive anywhere if they have the right collaboration tools.
Hybrid Work will Become the New Normal
Despite the developments in technology to aid companies during the pandemic, it has still caused disengagement in employees. The United States Labor Department reported that about 4.3 million people had quit their jobs by the start of 2021. This was coined as “Great Resignation” as employees demand changes in the conditions of employment. It led organizations to rethink their workplace environment to attract more talent.
Hybrid working is the topmost driving factor for job seekers. In fact, hybrid working is the preferred working order for most employees, along with part-time remote working. The transition from full remote working to hybrid work allows organizations to create a stable environment for employees and enable them with tools and policies to minimize disruptions. So, hybrid working is likely to stay here in 2022.
Now more companies will formalize the adoption of hybrid work, and hybrid work will most likely become permanent. This will lead to increased pressure on organizations to maintain powerful Hybrid Work Security. It is also expected to see even more pressure on the WAN while employees work in the office because of the increased collaboration tools. It will further drive the need for SD-WAN.
Hybrid Working will Require a Whole New Software Stack
Having the right software stack is the backbone of hybrid working. It is the best way to ensure a successful employee experience. It allows enterprises to operate their businesses smoothly while engaging employees simultaneously. So, companies will offer hybrid remote work policies and pay for office spaces designated for relationship-building activities. It will include employee onboarding, quarterly team sessions, meetings with employees from other cities, and celebrating milestone wins.
SASE will be the emerging security framework to make hybrid working more flexible and secure. This security plan is all about networking and security under a single approach. In 2022, the secure access service edge (SASE) will be top of mind for many organizations as almost all of the organizations reacted to the sudden changes in the workplace by expanding their VPN capabilities, even though this was not much necessary at such a scale.
A hybrid workspace requires different technology approaches and services rather than sticking to a single policy. Software Automation has a prominent role in hybrid working, and it is reported that two-thirds of organizations have invested in the use of automation since the pandemic began. In 2022, it is predicted that automation technology will be a necessity and not just wishful thinking for the future.
As hybrid work will be normalized in 2022, securing home environments will be the next focus. At home, work is mostly done on personal devices or accounts, providing the weakest link to the attackers into any enterprise’s software network as they operate outside the security team’s visibility. So, the home workplace will be the shared cybersecurity responsibility between the company and the employee.
The businesses will map out a digital transformation plan, and the leaders will invest more in data analytics so that the productivity and security of their employees can be maintained. IT departments will have a more objective view of employees’ productivity in the office or while working at home. It will help them figure out various technology investments to make a hybrid workforce engage and collaborate better.
The companies will invest more in new technology ideas to improve employees’ experience while working from home and in the office. The main focus will be on strategies that help minimize disengagement and disruption among employees. It will allow employees to get productive and collaborate better instead of figuring out the working of multiple tools.
Further, the pandemic has also introduced a new trend of videos like telemedicine, hybrid events, viewing of property virtually, and educational courses via videos. This trend will continue as many organizations adopt high-resolution video solutions to ensure a perfect user experience. There would be a demand for pro-grade technology and collaboration tools that drive better user experiences.
Hybrid working requires proper collaboration tools. So, it would be more difficult to attract talent if a company is not offering adequate means to maintain productivity and security.
Conclusion
The above article discusses 2022 hybrid work predictions based on conversations with expert business and IT leaders. Organizations should dive into mapping out practical hybrid work strategies and invest in the latest technologies to gain the best out of hybrid working. They should also consider their workspace personas and act accordingly.