Hybrid-working: how firms can keep pace with change

Work has changed, but has your business kept pace?

By Caroline Gammon

Offices are reopening again at last.

But we're all returning to a very different environment from the one we left, with hybrid working a key change.

A CBI Economics survey found that 93% of businesses are planning for staff to split their time between work from the office and from home, motivated primarily by employee preference.

The ability to work remotely is the second most important factor in job searches post-lockdown, trailing only salary.

With companies competing fiercely for talent, flexibility could entice a wider range of candidates from further afield.

But this evolved way of working brings new challenges and priorities.

1. Your people

Your people are working in entirely new ways. Are your systems equipped to help them return to the office, stay healthy, and stay engaged

2. Your equipment

How can you keep track of what is where, and allocate resources effectively when the hardware isn't in the office? You need to know where your equipment is at all times for control, analysis, and forward planning. When or if staff get back to the office full time, it will be important to know what equipment has been returned with them.

3. Your financial and business planning

How has your business model changed after COVID-19? Your systems should help you model the company that will take you into the future, with management software that can help you to look at your financial data in ways that will show you the way forward. But can they?

4. Your digital capabilities

Can your people access your systems from anywhere, anytime they need it? Look to take advantage of cloud hosting software that powers flexibility for business users and IT teams alike.

5. Your integration

Is it hard to tell what's going on across your business? Integrating your data can help you work smarter and knockdown information silos. When your solutions talk to one another, you can increase efficiency and get a complete picture of how businesses perform.

6. Your outsourcing strategy

How much better would you perform if you could focus purely on your core competencies? There’s value in automating payroll so you can invest energy in what makes your business unique, and comfort in knowing that it is all going to be correct, every time, without you having to touch it.

Are you ready to solve all six challenges? Contact IRIS to ensure you successfully tackle each and everyone, and with confidence.