The future workplace making it seamless and secure
Steve Law, Giacom CTO, explains how the channel can support their clients in adapt- ing their business model to support both remote and office-based working in a seam- less and secure way. Existing and new technologies will continue to play a key role in this transition as we undergo the next digital transformation.
After many months of changing lock- down rules where companies have had to implement remote and hybrid work- ing
policies accordingly, businesses
are starting to look to the future be- yond COVID-19 when workforces can return. But what will the future work- place look like?
Since lockdown changes, according to new research, businesses have found that their employees prefer a mixture of remote and office-based working, with over three-quarters of staff want- ing a hybrid approach long term. Prov- ing that they can work just as success- fully and productively from home, it is now the employer’s job to adapt their business model to support both remote and office-based working. An evolving landscape The pace of change businesses in all industries has had to undergo over 2020 so far has highlighted the impor- tance of being agile during challeng- ing times. COVID-19 has accelerated the need for digital transformation, as without the right technology in place, organisations will either sink or swim. The role of the channel has been to continuously support its customers through the journey
of adapting to
remote working and digitally trans- forming in order to stay ahead. By ed- ucating customers on the importance of security, as well as the available technologies and strategies that can support their transition, they will have the right support system in place to maintain business as usual – or even unlock additional productivity – during unprecedented times.
The amount of change we’re expe- riencing as a nation is far from over, which means that business can’t stand still. Organisations are trying to be ag- ile to survive, but there is always room for improvement. Quickly and easily responding to change needs to become a core competence natively for all busi- nesses to be able to adapt, as it’s clear
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that this is not a problem that’s going to go away. The likelihood of more un- certainty heading our way is high. By working with a reliable partner, compa- nies will have the right tools in place in order for them to succeed through the pandemic and into the future. Leveraging existing technologies Technology plays a key role in the smooth transition to a ‘new normal,’ keeping virtual teams engaged while enabling seamless and secure com- munication within a dispersed work- force. Digital solutions must be able to support both employees who choose to work from home, as well as those who have returned to the office. The channel’s role in enabling seam- less collaboration and communication is vital in order to combat any further disruption and keep businesses func- tioning. Integrators must rethink how they can best support their customers, while embracing new and innovative ways of working to fulfil their demands and expectations. Vendors who offer a range of products to fit diverse needs and the tools to deliver outstanding customer service won’t only help busi- nesses right now, but will help unlock long term productivity, security and collaboration.
The pandemic has significantly ac- celerated the adoption and usage of cloud solutions to support remote working. Many businesses already had these tools in place, but just weren’t using them effectively across their workforce. For example, many com- panies have Microsoft 365 deployed, which includes Microsoft Teams. These organisations have had access to such video conferencing tools but had not needed to use it effectively until COVID-19. Since March 2020 Microsoft Teams has experienced a mass surge of users, jumping by 70% to 75 million daily active users. Additionally, COVID-19 has acted as a catalyst for the interest in virtual desk-
top solution such as Microsoft Win- dows Virtual Desktop (WVD), which provides each member of the work- force with the same IT environment, regardless of the device including Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) they’re using and whether they are remote or office-based. The desktop effective- ly becomes cloud-hosted, providing a more secure electronic perimeter which replicates that of the physical office, making it easier to manage one central location.
The importance of security
When implementing a hybrid ap- proach, security becomes a com- plex issue, as the risk landscape has changed. In the office, it’s easier to manage and control security within a physical perimeter and managed environment. As soon as you have a scattered
workforce, this perimeter
disappears, and now organisations have to put in place additional digital protocols to mitigate any cyber risks. Having a good quality partner that un- derstands the importance of security, and thinks about it in a proactive way is key for end customers.
Using technologies such as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to provide se- cure access from home into remote business systems enables users to se- curely access systems that the busi- ness wants them to gain entry to, but more importantly, making sure that outsiders can’t. However, fundamentally, the biggest weakness in an organisation’s secu- rity infrastructure is the human user. Cybercriminals are always upgrading their tactics, often more quickly than businesses can train
their staff. In
order to keep up to date, businesses must take a more proactive approach and utilise cybersecurity
resources,
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