Do you remember back in 2019 when you commuted to your office, sat down at your desk or cubicle and started your workday? That was a long time ago. No one had any idea that we were in for the epic disruption that was to come. Or that one year could seem like a lifetime.
When shutdowns began, we assumed we’d quarantine for 30 days, flatten the curve, and go back to normal. Well here we are. It’s December. We’re still working from home. And the curve is nowhere near flat.
But the show must go on.
Many companies embraced this new normal. They used existing workflows or implemented new workflows to make remote work possible. They explored productivity software options and built technology solutions to keep companies connected regardless of location.
Remote work has its benefits. Companies embracing the remote landscape have greater access to talent, are seeing increased productivity, lower overhead, and an improved employee experience.
Rumor has it, we’ll never return to cube land. Even the most legacy of industries are learning how to make remote work, work. And while we’re all still learning to navigate this new landscape. With the right technology partners, leaders can make the dream of work from anywhere a reality. Here are five key ideas.
Today, companies are trying to reduce their real estate footprint. The funds once earmarked for office space can be reinvested in your technology stack. Technology workflows keep teams connected even when they’re not physically connected. You can even use technology to manage the office space you decide to keep.
A good technology stack facilitates productivity no matter where your employees are located. It enhances your teams rather than holding them back. Data shows the c-suite their employees are engaged no matter where they choose to work.
Build workflows into a platform like ServiceNow to accommodate employees and teams no matter what role they play. ServiceNow has a strategic partnership with Microsoft making it easy for organizations to integrate Microsoft Office for productivity, Microsoft Azure for security and Microsoft Intune so employees can work on the go from whatever device they choose.
Give your employees the right tools to work together as a team even when they’re not physically together. Today’s technology tools go beyond email to include multiple methods of communication like chat and face to face communication, and collaboration tools where projects live, and teams can check their progress regularly.
When you start your technology stack with a platform like ServiceNow, you’ll work with a ServiceNow implementation partner. The right partner will have capabilities that stretch beyond ServiceNow and help you obtain and implement the right technology to keep you working efficiently no matter where you are.
Service partners who have experience integrating the two platforms will be equipped to help you find the best solutions for your needs.
Technology companies are leading the way to full time remote work. While the rest of the world follow suit, not everyone will want to work remotely all the time. Some people prefer to go to the office every day. Others may want to go to the office once a week, while teams may meet in person to collaborate even more occasionally.
Companies are reducing their real estate footprint, but they’re not eliminating it entirely. Existing office space can be reworked to accommodate a hybrid workforce - allowing remote teams to connect and collaborate in person from time to time.
An environment that works well for one employee may not work at all for another. Some folks love working from home. Others can’t wait to see their colleagues at the water cooler again. As it becomes safe for organizations to return to a physical office, more and more leaders are looking to the hybrid option.
Technology can help facilitate this office of the future. Platforms like ServiceNow have applications that facilitate workplace design, help employees make conference room and workspace reservations, manage events, and even request new office furniture. On the back end, the module helps leaders analyze and optimize your new environment.
Front-line managers typically do their jobs away from a desk environment. Yet, they’re still responsible for delivering timely corporate communications to front-Iine employees. In the past, they knew where to go and who to talk to if they needed to connect with the back office.
But even before the pandemic, front-line managers faced significant challenges in communicating with the back office. They often don’t have time to sit down and read emails and need to communicate changes in benefits and HR policy to their teams in different ways.
While COVID drove the back office to the safety of their homes, it became more difficult for front line workers to reach them. Not only were many front-line workers reliant only on email or face to face, the pandemic eliminated the physical office where frontline managers could find back office personnel when they had an urgent question.
Technology companies are rapidly deploying workflows and creating partnerships that will facilitate the connection between frontline workers and the back office. Make sure your company incorporates these workflows into your technology stack.
The birth of the virtual office does not have to mean the end of happy hour. Even people who love remote work miss the casual relationships they build with their co-workers while working in a physical office environment. Because people work together best when they’re friends.
There are a number digital solutions to the water cooler dilemma. IT leaders can add social networking applications designed specifically for the workplace to their technology stack – and keep the social element of work alive.
Beyond that, leaders can host virtual lunches, and get creative with happy hours using face to face technology initially designed for meetings.
Even though many of the ideas that came to fruition during the past year were percolating in IT circles for a while, the pandemic forced businesses everywhere to think differently about how they work. Technology investments have become critical for companies who wanted to stay in the game.
The pandemic proved that productive remote work is possible. As companies rethink their workplaces, it’s up to technology leaders to find the solutions that keep the virtual office an easy, and efficient place to work.
Enterprises that invest in technology platforms like ServiceNow can build a technology stack that facilitates collaboration and communication among employees no matter where they are. Front-line workers can still have direct access to the back office, even when the back office is working from their home offices. And as it becomes safer to return to work, employees and teams who wish to do so, can reserve space at a completely redesigned office space.
At Crossfuze, we’ve been working with companies throughout the world to implement digital workflows that make remote work work. Whether it’s an enterprise-wide platform, or adding to your technology stack, our array of services can help you make the most of your remote workforce. If you’d like to learn more about remote workflows tailored to your industry, reach out at Letstalk@crossfuze.com.