Following Covid-19, we have become used to meeting employees’ children on a Zoom call and taking part in the virtual work quiz. But how will remote working affect your business in the future? TwistedPair have been listening to workplace thought leaders; Daniel Hampshire from LinkedIn, Winnie Okonkwo from MediaCom, Kevin Mullen from Facilitate Corporation and Jitesh Patel from Peldon Rose to discuss “The Future of the Workplace”.
What have we learned from lockdown?
To start the discussion, we considered how the workplace has evolved over the past decade. Many businesses have adopted flexible working hours, with agile and mobile working in full force. These trends have created a dynamic shift in the workplace hence a heightened need for a digital workplace strategy. The need for virtual meeting platforms, collaboration software and workplace technology has become essential for businesses in this new era of work.
Challenges of remote working are not limited to technology, the discussion around mental health and wellbeing is a huge topic for consideration as we move towards a hybrid work model. Winnie Okonkwo from MediaCom also highlights the importance of providing your workforce with the right set up. “It’s not just about your mental health well-being, we also look at an environment as well.” Offering your employees the right set up at home is key to creating a sustainable and motivated workforce.
Covid-19 has already shown us that a mobile workforce may accelerate business. Kevin Mullen from Facilitate Corporation said: “There could be a really positive thing to come out of this about how people feel they can be authentic and be themselves”. Businesses have learnt to put their employees first and that problems need to be addressed to enhance productivity and employee motivation.
Collaboration is central
Do your employees have access to a collaborative workplace? Our discussion with the panellists disclosed that many employees felt anxious and were demotivated during week eight of the pandemic. Moreover around 62% of people are ready to return to the office, said Jitesh Patel from Peldon Rose. The discussion highlights the compulsory need for collaboration, social interaction and workplace technologies to recreate the social culture and “hallway conversations”. Collaboration in your business needs to be reconsidered for the future to create a resilient and flexible workforce.
The technology trends
The global pandemic has shifted technology trends in the workplace. As businesses were forced into a compulsory work from home trial, wide adoption of collaboration tools commenced. From project management and team brainstorming software to video conferencing platforms. With many of these trends here to stay, the next phase of partial return to the office sees a need for these tools and more! Activity based working will increase in which businesses will have a number of physical work spaces designed for certain tasks and ways of working. Workplace management software and smart hotdesking tools will be essential for providing essential information to business stakeholders about the utilisation of their real estate and to provide in depth detail on how the office is being used by employees. As we move towards a hybrid workforce, affordable and reliable workplace technologies are needed to create longevity within your workplace.
How to accelerate your workplace for the future
Is your workplace ready? At TwistedPair, we are a team of technical experts that can provide your workplace with the communication tools your business needs to accelerate and stay connected. Our flexible working culture has earned the trust of many global customers and ensures that we can offer 24/7 support for your workplace. To learn more about how your business can stay connected in the future please email – sales@twistedpair.co.uk.
If you missed the panel event, watch the full workplace panel event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDpnh8Af-eg&feature=youtu.be
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