Why the hybrid working model needs a new tech stack | Automation South Africa

by | Sep 13, 2021 | Automation, Business Process Automation, Hyper Automation, IT Automation, Marketing Automation, Robotic Process Automation, RPA

Hybrid working needs a new tech stack

The pandemic has transformed remote working into the new normal. But many people are not quite ready to give up their offices.
 
A recent study conducted by Salesforce, 64% of employees would prefer to spend some time at the office. PwC has found that only 13% of business owners are willing to give up the office. This figure further reaffirms the appeal of a hybrid working model.

The future is hybrid

According to McKinsey & Company, 9 out of 10 organisations will combine remote and office working models. While this is impressive, it does not share the inner workings this model needs to succeed.

For the hybrid model to work, employees need more than a computer and internet available. As the world makes the move to hybrid, business owners need to rethink the technology used. This will require long term IT changes that will need an upfront investment.

While many were able to make the move to remote working last year, the current tech stack in not where it should be. Consider the needs of the average South African business. Now, imagine them digitised.

New IT infrastructure for a new way of working

In 2020, organisations advanced to adapt to the requirements of social distancing. Most businesses turned to distanced, remote work and allowed their team to work from home. This temporary change has since evolved into a more permanent one.

So far, one of the prime beneficiaries of the move to remote and hybrid work has been cloud computing as it provides the tech stack upgrade required to do so. According to 2020 Radware, 76% of the businesses surveyed adopted cloud offerings faster than initially planned. The 2021 State of IT research verifies this, stating that 35% have both already migrated to the cloud due to the pandemic.

As companies shift from a temporary remote work model to a permanent hybrid work model, we believe that this trend will continue. Organizations that had investments in hardware and offices in 2019 will in all likelihood permanently shift investments toward software and hybrid work tech stacks.

Using a work OS like monday.com South Africa

To facilitate a hybrid working model, businesses need to invest in a system that caters to the needs of both office-bound as well as remote workers. monday.com South Africa is a cloud-based software platform that can be customised to meet the needs of any business. When implemented, teams will have the ability to plan projects, execute them and track the process. It also acts as a collaborative space where team members share ideas quickly and effectively.

It’s about more than what can be done internally

At the core of any business is its customers. This means regardless of where the team is located, you need to be able to offer next level customer service that builds strong relationships. in the age of hybrid, customer queries need to be dealt with quickly and effectively. With so many businesses operating in the digital space, time cannot be wasted, because if you can’t address their needs, they will find someone who can.

Security remains a priority

Hybrid work is at an increased risk for cyber-attacks. Businesses who might also have thought they could survive a year of remote work with sub-par security tools will discover hybrid work instructions the same sorts of risks.

Cybercrime spiked throughout the pandemic: the United States (U.S.) Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Centre has revealed that they have been receiving between 3,000 and 4,000 cybersecurity complaints each day. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was only around 1,000 per day.

Security budgets will continue to grow as hybrid work grows. As such, clever executives will proactively invest in protection. Network security will be of critical importance.

The bottom line

The world has gone hybrid and businesses need to rethink their tech stack to truly reap the benefits of this new way of working. One of the key things to remember is that hybrid working offers a great deal of exposure in the online world which means that up to date systems and security systems are more important than ever.

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