‘The hybrid work model is here to stay.’ How many times have you heard that recently? Although this message is, in some people’s minds, a little overdone at the moment, it’s true. As a result of the last two and a half years people have a new ‘worth it’ equation when it comes to the workplace.
Is the environment worth the commute? Can I get what I need to done in the office? Do I feel comfortable and productive there? Can I work in the way I like to?
With employees asking themselves these questions, leaders within business are now left with their own question – is our work environment worth the commute?
At ACS a lot of the work we do with clients is around developing workspaces that enable people to enjoy being at work but also to perform at the top of their game. A big part of this is about looking at the physical environment. How it looks and feels, but also assessing how the technology in people’s hands is enabling them to work.
Because, the truth is, the best workplaces are created when both technology and workspace design are front of mind.
A recent Microsoft Surface report said:
“Nearly 40% of technology decision makers said that improving PCs, laptops, and device management was a top employee request for supporting a better hybrid working environment.”
So, when it comes to creating inspiring and productive offices for your team, what do we believe you should be focussing on?
Firstly, let’s talk about the tech and how it can help employees feel empowered to connect with one another, no matter where they are working. The combination of solutions like Microsoft 365 used with Surface devices is something we see working seamlessly for many of our clients.
Devices like the Surface range provide HD camera experience and fantastic sound quality to ensure that people can be seen and heard clearly when on calls. Paired with software like Microsoft Teams, devices like this will enable your team to work together seamlessly, even when they aren’t physically together.
Another area of work life that has been hugely impacted by the Great Reshuffle is how we collaborate with one another. When your team is physically together, does your office have the right spaces for them to come together comfortably? Again, for businesses that utilise the Surface range, these devices pair beautifully with touchscreen technology and are easy to present with either in laptop mode or as a tablet device.
This, again, is where we see the physical environment and technology having to work together for success. It’s great having the right devices but without appropriate and comfortable spaces, it’s hard for your team to work truly
collaboratively.
Think about how your team likes and needs to work. Does your office include areas where they can work together around a screen? Are there more informal spaces for them to gather with their devices for shorter meetings?
There is no getting around it folks, the true beauty of productive workspaces is when the physical space and technology work in unison.
When you look at the workspace environment around you, how many different zones can you see? Maybe it’s one big open plan space with lots of desks and monitors. Maybe you have meeting booths or pods nearby for people to break away from the desk. Or are you surrounded by very traditional
meeting rooms?
Something we focus on heavily with our clients is task-based working. This is essentially where we look at what spaces the different teams within your business require to perform at their best and be happiest when at work.
You may have heard the phrase ‘people vote with their feet’, which, when it comes to the workplace, couldn’t be more true. Have you ever noticed members of your team desperately trying to find a corner of solace for that video call they need to jump on? Ever wondered why people break away from their desk during busy parts of the day?
Watching how the people in your business interact with the space around them is essential to any office redesign. Look at how people are using the environment and you will soon start to see what is missing.
You are probably thinking ‘yes Lee, that’s great, it’s all well and good having a beautiful space with great tech but how am I supposed to keep all our business data secure with people working here, there and everywhere?’
You’d be right to ask that. Cyber security is high on the agenda for many businesses today with hybrid working putting extra pressure on how we keep our data safe.
Again, with devices like Microsoft Surface you have software at your fingertips that allows the security of your hardware to be managed through the cloud down to the firmware level with just a few clicks. In addition to this we can provide great cyber security training through programmes like KnowB4.
Devices for hybrid working, appropriate workspaces, and security are three things that we should all be thinking about if we really want to make hybrid working work for our teams.
Reading the above, are there things you could change in your environment to truly enable your team to benefit from hybrid working?
Food for thought.
Contact ACS on 01604 704000, email info@acs365.co.uk
or visit www.acs365.co.uk for more information.
Design and Marketing Director – ACS