KMT Download I The future of work is hybrid

Hi All,

Welcome back and thanks for reading our August edition of the KMT Download.

As the year rolls on and Victorian lockdowns meet new records, we are seeing digitalisation continue to be at the forefront of businesses’ priorities.  Businesses who are embracing the unprecedented opportunity to lead this, will for sure achieve digital success.

The future of work will require all technology leaders to rethink how work is done, reimagine the new modern workplace and manage new risks.  We often talk IT Roadmaps, but what does this actually look like with the new hybrid workplace, what are IT leaders around the world prioritising and what should you focus on?

We believe that you can lead your business into the new hybrid modern workplace by shifting IT provisions and operating models and considering the following four themes:

Work is being ‘done differently’

Many prevailing views on the workplace have been shaped by the traditional office environment.  Our current offices were designed to foster communication and collaboration with breakout areas, meeting rooms and lounge areas.  We must now rethink how their business will manage communication, training, and knowledge exchange with modern workplace tools in mind as an integral component of how work is done.

Flexible work is here to stay with over 70% of workers wanting flexible remote working to continue.  Extreme flexibility and hybrid work will define the post-pandemic workplace.  It is imperative business leaders accommodate what employees want – the best of both worlds.

Office spaces are changing

The modern workplace has seen us shift to a workspace.  A workspace can mean the home, hotdesking, out and about, an office, or any other location that can be set up as a space to work.

This means that leaders must begin to consider how to create collaborative spaces, hot desk environments, the space should be interactive and engaging and a space others want to utilise.  Coming into work should be a valuable experience making the commute worthwhile.

For businesses to successfully digitally transform, they need to take into consideration the technology requirements of the home workspace and the office, defining specific technology requirements for all teams supporting their identity, productivity and most importantly their sense of belonging.

Psychological needs must be at the forefront of your solutions

High productivity is masking an exhausted workforce with over 54% of teams feeling overworked.  The digital intensity of an employee’s day has increased substantially with the average number of meetings and chats increasing since 2020.

In a virtual workplace, getting the right balance with contact can be complex with too much or too little leaving people disengaged.  The barrage of communications is unstructured and mostly unplanned and workers are feeling the pressure to keep up.

It is the challenge for leaders to bring our teams together whether working remotely or in the office or a mix of the two, make our meetings and connections meaningful, choose the right channel and connect the meetings to goals.  Tools such as Voip Phone Systems or Teams Calling enabling unique ways of connecting enabling different approaches.

Managing Risk

When teams are working from anywhere, issues such as data security, internet reliability, employee monitoring come to the fore.   Clear policies around security and confidentiality become even more important.

Risks need to be evaluated across each employee’s workspace characteristics and needs.  Policies with security, confidentiality, credibility and liability need to be established and enforced.  Contingency and backup plans to prepare for a potential outage are important strategies.

The way forward

To reimagine your operating model and successfully shift to a hybrid workplace, you will need to consider the following”

1. Plan to empower your people for extreme flexibility
2. invest in space and technology to bridge the physical and digital worlds
3. Combat digital exhaustion from the top
4. Prioritise rebuilding a social culture
5. Rethink employee experience to compete for the best and most diverse talent.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your Account Manager or me for a strategy session.

Much love,
Bradley Kaine
Managing Director – KMT