As the challenge from the pandemic continues to reshape workplace culture, companies all around the world are exploring new workplace models in a bid to find the most optimum conditions for their workforce. Gone are those days when the onsite work model was the only available way to work. Today, most organizations have shifted their offices or at least thought of transitioning to a model that ensures flexibility and remains operational regardless of external circumstances.
Even though the remote working model was widely implemented during the unforeseen lockdowns, companies still hoped for a quick return to on-site working. Though remote working has brought a dynamic transformation in the world of work, several aspects like face-to-face communication and collaboration are easier in an office setup. The need for better communication options and flexibility paved the way to what is now known as the Hybrid working model.
Agility in the age of hybrid working
Companies have been tested for their ability to adapt themselves to the new normal of their workforce working from home. As a large number of companies grappled with the challenges of digital transformation, there appeared a need for organizations to build their strategic and digital Agility.
A Harvard Business Review article describes Strategic agility as ‘the ability to improve performance — not just survive but thrive — amid disruption. The ability of companies to adopt a new strategic approach – in terms of their marketing efforts or business offerings, has helped them to successfully avoid and absorb the impact of an abrupt shift in market trends and consumer behavioural patterns. The study states that strategically agile businesses quickly looked for ways to pivot into other avenues and cater to the new needs of their customers.
Similarly, Digital agility is a mandate for any company that is transitioning to a new work mode. A company executing a remote or even a hybrid working arrangement needs to undergo an overall digital transformation to streamline workplace communication, store information, and measure the employee experience. Hence, it is important to invest in new hybrid office technologies that enhance productivity and profitability.
Hybrid office technology: Re-inventing the future of work
A study by Accenture reported that the hybrid work model is embraced by 63% of high revenue-generating companies. It also found that employees are in favour of the hybrid working arrangement 83% of the time. For this very reason, the hybrid working model is being increasingly adopted by companies that want a flexible model that can leverage the best of both remote as well checkitsreal as traditional office setup.
While many companies have pioneered the change, hybrid work models are bound to evolve with the use of advanced technologies that make workplace functionalities easier and more engaging.
Here are some of the hybrid office technologies that will make an impactful shift in the world of work:
1. AI-powered communication and collaboration technologies
When the workforce is a blend of employees working from home as well as in the office, systematic communication and collaboration become a challenging endeavour. Many organizations that went remote with the onset of the pandemic have extensively made use of popular platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Clariti and many others to fit the needs of the workforce.
But the future of technology is closely intertwined with Artificial Intelligence(AI). With the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integrated with communication and collaboration software, the workflow can be automated to enable seamless information sharing and virtual collaboration across the organization.
The use of Chatbots to send automated messages and implementing a centralized Enterprise Social Networking Platform to fuel informal conversations are some examples of using AI for communication and collaboration
2. Office space optimization technology
In the hybrid world, offices are not simply a place of work but a space for collective collaboration and interaction. The partially on-site functioning workforce will use offices merely as a space to establish human connections and facilitate interactive group discussions.
In the years to come, desk booking applications are bound to be an essential hybrid office technology. Owing to limited seating capacities in hybrid offices, employees can reserve their desks whenever they are required to come to the office. Taking into consideration the health and safety of employees, deploying a centralized desk management system can keep a check on office occupancy and collect real-time data of desks availability.
3. Network security and document management technologies
Initially, when offices were shut down and companies were forced to go remote, cybersecurity and document accessibility were major concerns for most businesses that did not have updated information security and digitalized infrastructure.
Verizon’s 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report found that in 2020, 17 per cent of breaches involved malware, 22 per cent featured phishing attacks, and 45 per cent were hacking. Data breaches pose a huge risk for organizations that possess private information or customer databases like hospitals, financial services. educational institutions and many companies of similar nature. As more companies go hybrid, strengthening data security and ensuring safe storage of information within the organizational network is the need of the hour.
Document storage and accessibility are other important aspects that need to be focused on. The implementation of a centralized cloud storage system can help in avoiding lost or inaccessible documents that impact the workflow. Employees need to be able to easily access important files while working remotely.
4. No code or low code development platforms
No code or low code development solutions help people with no coding or app development experience to build automated solutions to perform complex or redundant work processes. Using no-code platforms to build custom apps helps businesses be self-sufficient and agile in unprecedented circumstances.
For small businesses, capitalizing on high-end IT infrastructure can be an expensive affair. But finding solutions to simplify processes is an absolute necessity if organizations want to reduce cost and focus on other business matters.
6. Work management and performance appraisal system
With the advent of hybrid workplaces, gone are those days where emails detailed project allocations and tracked progress. Without a proper work management strategy, handling a team of on-site and remote employees can be a tremendous hassle for managers. With multiple projects ongoing and a distributed workforce, implementing an all-in-one project management system is highly essential.
With work management technologies, it is easier to coordinate, collaborate, evaluate errors and meet deadlines in an organized manner without confusion. Employers can also use multiple tools to create an interactive and engaging work environment encouraging employees to actively participate in contributing to the success of the team.
It is very easy to lose personal touch in a hybrid workplace that has a significant number of remote employees. Using good recognition and performance tracking tools can help employers to study the working patterns and high-performing areas of their workforce. This analysis can be useful in formulating a work culture that appeals to the employees and encourage them to perform better.
6. Human capital management technology (HCM)
Today, organizations have begun to prioritize employee experience as much as capital investments. Retaining employees and offering solutions to enhance productivity is an integral part of organizational success. Implementing cloud-based Human Resource Management Solutions helps in automating complex HR processes for talent management and employee experience analysis, payroll management, performance management, talent acquisition and many more.
In a hybrid workplace, it is not only important that employees add value to the organization, but it is also critical to provide opportunities and resources for employees to learn, develop their skills and grow in their careers. By leveraging HCM technologies, HR functions and processes can add value to the growth of the organization as a whole.
7. Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things is one of the fast-emerging concepts that is based on the idea of ‘keeping everything connected’. Business Insider Intelligence forecasts that there will be more than 64 billion IoT devices installed around the world by 2026.
The concept can be useful in a hybrid workplace that operates with a distributed workforce to make way for ‘Smart offices’. Integration of office sensors, devices, cloud computing, and analytics can open doors for hybrid work processes to flow smoothly, also saving time and producing impactful outcomes. Smart offices focus on the holistic picture, making employee lives easier with integrated solutions to cater to their daily needs and also enforce sustainability. Some examples include automating office light control sensors or making parking reservations and office desks reservations in advance via an integrated application.
Hybrid office technology: The need of the future workplace
There is no doubt the implementation of a hybrid workplace creates a parallel demand for technologies to facilitate new workflow patterns and harvest better opportunities for organizational growth. Companies must be agile in order to implement strategies that make innovative workplaces secure, inclusive and collaborative.
