THE FUTURE OF WORK IS NOW
Life through a video screen used to belong to the same category as flying cars and jetpacks: cool things that belonged to a distant future. While most of us are still waiting for new ways to take to the sky, the pandemic has made living and working on screens a necessity.
Remote work is no longer the future of work; it’s the now of work. And it’s not quite as we imagined. Connecting and collaborating with coworkers can be a challenge. Data security is an ongoing concern, too. We’ve all had our share of setbacks and lessons learned—and, thankfully, we have found new opportunities, new ways to work together, and we’ve seen the upside of remote work, too. Regardless of what the future holds, it’s clear that hybrid and remote workers are here to stay. It’s up to business leaders to keep their employees engaged, productive, and safe, no matter where they’re working.
THE NOW OF WORK
Remember the bright beautiful world of tomorrow from cartoons and movies? People could do everything on one big video screen: Run a business, work, shop, go to school, even hang out with their friends. All from the comfort of home! We envied and worked towards that future—but then we were suddenly forced into actually living life on a screen, and it wasn’t quite all we had imagined. For every benefit of remote work and distance learning, there have been drawbacks. It’s been a learning process for workers and leaders alike. Now that we’re past the initial shock and scramble of adjusting to a post-pandemic landscape, it’s time to evaluate what’s working and plan to thrive, not just survive. Whatever comes next, it’s clear that hybrid workforces and virtual contact centers will play a major role in the future of business. The challenge is to strike a balance between business survival and scalable growth, privacy and accountability, security and collaboration, structure and flexibility. Fortunately, as the definition of work continues to evolve, communications services and technology are advancing. Businesses that can combine the right tech with the right processes and skillsets will be well-equipped to lead the pack.
1.Flexibility & Growth
2.Collaboration & Connection
3.Security and Complience
Flexibility & Growth
What will be the next disruption that affects your business? From trade wars to weather events, there’s always something ready to throw a wrench in your quarterly strategy. The goal, then, is not just planning for a few specific contingencies. It’s to foster resilience that will keep your business moving no matter what happens next.
Creating a Hybrid Workforce
Ensure your remote employees are as connected and supported as in-office staff. Employees should be able to switch from in-office to remote seamlessly as circumstances demand.
Scaling Hybrid and Remote Solutions
Business infrastructure should be equipped to handle remote work at scale, including secure connectivity and device options for employees.
Winning the Virtual Customer Experience Battleground
Every business is now an online business. Customers who might usually have preferred face-to-face interactions will be interacting with your brand online, so it’s crucial that they have a positive, seamless, exceptional experience.
Empowering Employees to Provide Virtual Customer Experience
Businesses need to develop robust remote contact center abilities, in order to ensure that remote workers can provide the same amazing experience they could in an office setting.
Collaboration & Connection
Collaboration and communication are the lifeblood of modern business—it’s all about breaking down silos and working together across departments. This new style of working together was a tall order before the pandemic hit, and it’s more challenging with a remote workforce. What’s more, workers are more engaged when they feel connected to each other and to the organization. Those who feel they’re toiling away in isolation are less likely to stay focused, productive and happy. Businesses need to provide the tools that remote and hybrid workers need to communicate and collaborate. Beyond the technology, though, businesses need to implement the training and culture-building to make sure these tools are properly used. Maintaining a connected, efficient and engaged hybrid workforce requires ongoing support from management.
Security & Compliance
Regulated industries like healthcare, government and financial services have additional challenges when it comes to remote work. They must not only keep remote workers engaged, but also comply with security and privacy guidelines, all without stifling innovation or throttling productivity. One key element of ensuring security and compliance in a hybrid workforce is streamlining communications. If your employees use multiple different platforms for videoconferencing, several collaboration solutions, and a host of chat apps, they’re creating more points of vulnerability. An integrated solution with built-in security features can help maintain compliance and facilitate collaboration.
It’s Possible to Thrive in Tumultuous Times
The main attraction of the big bright beautiful world of tomorrow is that it’s always just ahead of us; tomorrow will always contain the promise of a different future. As we live in the present reality of remote and hybrid work, we can continue to plan and shape what comes next.
Offering a superior remote work experience will help businesses retain their talent, saving the cost of training new employees and converting turnover into stability. What’s more, these businesses will be better positioned to attract new talent, with employee experience as a differentiator. The flexibility and autonomy of remote work, combined with a culture of collaboration and connection, will be an unbeatable combo for whatever tomorrow holds.
At Introtel, we make it our business to power meaningful connections—we can help keep your business and employees thriving with reliable, scalable, and secure communications.