Outlook


companies and large numbers of em- ployees have been working on a re- mote basis throughout the majority of the pandemic. And we anticipate this will continue at least until a high pro- portion of vulnerable people are vac- cinated. However, now that vaccinations are in progress, companies are starting to think about plans to allow people to return to the workplace. We believe that this will take place gradually over the course of 2021. But the new nor- mal is likely to be far more of a blend between onsite and remote working and this will create a number of new challenges for organisations.


For


many companies, the transition from a mostly onsite working environment to almost total


reliance on remote


working was quite a feat from a tech- nological and a cultural point of view. The transition into the new normal will require companies to give as much consideration to culture and employ- ee engagement as to the technology. Some employees will be keen to go back to the way things were and work exclusively in the office, whereas oth- ers may be reluctant to return to an onsite environment.


The key is to take a fresh look at how people need to work together to optimise performance. There are undoubtedly tasks that benefit from face-to-face interaction and tools that foster that type of interaction – such as whiteboards, flipcharts and interac- tive screens. These are resources that employees can’t access in their home, and not even the best virtual tools completely replicate this experience. Additionally, the value of ad-hoc hu- man exchanges at the coffee machine should not be underestimated, or when you stroll over to check something with a colleague. These are the interactions that can build strong connections be- tween


colleagues. So


As organisations continue to plan their return to work, we shouldn’t underestimate the role technology will play in ensuring workforce safety.


er. Whilst there has been an immedi- ate focus on business continuity and short-term productivity, business lead- ers must begin to think longer-term and develop strategies that allow them to ensure their organization is sustain- able and future-proof. At Ascentae we recommend the following:


•Enhance the Workplace Experience


In the future, employees will no longer just come to the office because they are told to do so. Provide environments that are welcoming, safe and highly collaborative with access to technolo- gies and tools that are unavailable to a remote worker.


•Don’t Guess, Capture Data organisations


are going to have to understand what is important to employees and what makes them really productive, so they can use the right blend of office and home working supported by the latest collaboration technology. What’s next?


The way we work has changed forev-


At the start of the pandemic many businesses deployed unified commu- nication and video conferencing solu- tions at scale. Throughout 2021, as workforces return to the office, smart businesses will deploy technology that captures real-time occupancy and usage statistics in order to influence strategically important but also highly financially important decisions.


•Ask the right questions


How can we ensure we are offering the right technology and the right flexibil- ity in order to retain and recruit the best staff? How can we change our office environment to encourage staff


21


The key is to take a fresh look at how people need to work together to optimise performance.


to return to work for the right reasons and feel safe? How can we change the amount of office space we are currently paying for in order to reduce our over- heads without upsetting or demotivat- ing staff? What types of environments will enable our staff and our customers to want to come to the workplace?


As a workplace specialist we can help.


If you prefer to do some further re- search, here are some helpful links: Ascentae GoBright


Nureva Audio - HDL


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