You may be reading this at your desk in your organization's office location. Or you may be sitting at a coffee shop. Maybe you're working from home today.
A work-from-anywhere (WFA) or hybrid work model isn't anything new. But there are challenges associated with the transition out of the office. New technologies and software are coming forward to support remote workforces.
The Emergence of Remote Work
Before March 2020, the option to work remotely was a privilege—something to entice the cream of the crop in the job market.
Two years after the workplace shifted to remote, employees don't want to return to the office. Remote work increases productivity, improves employee satisfaction, and lowers business costs.
The future of the office is remote work. Organizations are shifting to accommodate work-from-home (WFH), work-from-anywhere (WFA), and hybrid workforces permanently. But according to the 2022 Future of Work Study, 72% of businesses lack a hybrid work strategy.
The Future of WFA Tech
Remote work isn't going anywhere and technology is shifting to accommodating WFA and hybrid models. There are a few key services arising to support remote workers and offices.
Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS)
Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) is a managed service where computing power comes from a central provider. Instead of shelling out thousands of dollars upfront, the HaaS model allows organizations to access enterprise-level technology that they might not afford outright.
HaaS may vary from organization to organization, but in general, the benefit of HaaS is that hardware becomes an operational expense instead of a capital expense.
Gone are the days of needing to shell out large amounts of capital upfront to upgrade equipment. With HaaS, the large expense is spread across a recurring fee. In addition, it's no longer something you need to worry about. Hardware is updated as it needs to be. Any changes are needed, they wouldn't be a capital expenditure either; the strategy would change to accommodate these changes.
HaaS also allows for easy scalability. Adding additional users is now as easy as updating your HaaS agreement to accommodate those users or devices.
ZTNA
Security is a main concern when organizations move to a WFA model. Even if an organization has a WFA or hybrid model in place always, security is at the front of mind.
It is true that organizations will have to work harder to create a security posture that works for a WFA or hybrid model. The bright side is that the security posture that works best for remote work is also the one that works best in general.
In remote work, it is important to move away from simple perimeter-based security to transaction-based security. This method is generally referred to as zero trust. In short, zero trust treats every interaction as suspicious. Users and devices need to be verified before accessing data. Once they're verified, they do not have unlimited access within the network. Instead, reverification occurs as they move between resources.
The zero trust posture works so well for remote work because employees are connecting on a variety of devices and networks. Zero trust already treats every interaction as suspicious, so even if company resources are accessed from a less-than-secure network, there are security parameters in place.
MSP
Working with a managed IT services provider can greatly increase the success of a remote or hybrid workforce. Why? Most MSPs already have the infrastructure in place to support a remote workforce.
There are a variety of ways that an MSP can support a remote workforce, but a few ways include
- Redundancy for IT support. MSPs are available to provide support at all times. No matter what time of day—or night—your employees are working, there will be someone there to help them.
- Enhanced security. An MSP can provide enhanced security for your remote workforce. For example, setting up a zero trust security posture is simpler when working with an MSP.
- Remote Monitoring and Management. Remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools allow MSPs to see and support every endpoint—desktops, laptops, access points, printers, etc.—thus minimizing the importance of physical location.
- Voice over Internet Protocol. Voice of Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems are a great way for managing remote and hybrid workforces. Instead of an actual phone line, VoIP systems convert a caller’s voice into a digital signal and transmit it over internet connections.
- Cloud collaboration tools. Multiple cloud collaboration tools keep your team connected even from afar. Microsoft 365 is a popular option, giving your team a centralized platform to store and share files, collaborate on web-based documents, and share calendars.
- Backups. Like a physical office, it is important to ensure that offsite employee data is properly stored and protected. An MSP can improve your backup solutions to find the right solution for your workforce.
- Strategic Initiatives. Working with an MSP can help you determine what tools your business needs and how to use them. Then, as they continue to learn your business, they identify pain points for your employees and assist you in revenue-driving initiatives to make remote work even more efficient.
- Scalable resources. Working with an MSP allows for easy scalability if you're already remote. Bringing on a new employee as your business grows isn’t a large capital expenditure, but rather a predictable monthly cost.
How Anteris Can Help
We don't shy away from innovation. We are actively changing as the industry does. From security to cloud computing, we are technology experts.
We're confident in the value we offer our Clients. At Anteris, we provide consistent valuable, predictable service, valuable innovations, and IT knowledge to help you leverage technology into greater productivity and revenue.
Let us make your technology freeing, not frustrating.
