After the unprecedented year that was 2020, we’re reflecting on lessons learned and how businesses have adjusted to remote working. Becoming more equipped for evolving technology and the increasing demand for remote working was once a slow shift, but last year forced an acceleration that put IT budgets to the test.
What did we learn from remote working in 2020?
Some businesses already offered remote working pre-pandemic, but it was a minority. When the stay-at-home orders were put in place last year, it was the start of a new way of working for many. Here in the UK, 46.6% of people in employment did some work from home in April 2020 (ONS).
With that in mind, here are 5 things we learned from remote working last year:
Remote working can be just as productive
As more employees become used to working from home, businesses are coming to realise that they can be just as productive. Research also shows that 76% of employees prefer to avoid their office completely when they need to concentrate on a project (HubSpot).
Remote working will still be an option post-pandemic
For many businesses, remote working has proved that they can still produce great outputs whilst their employees work from home. Attitudes are shifting and it’s likely some offices will never be the same again, with 15-28% of workers saying they will work from home in some capacity after the pandemic (Remote Work Association, COVID-19 Impact on Corporate WFH Research Report).
There are still improvements to be made
Due to the speed at which many businesses had to adjust to remote working, there are still improvements to be made in terms of access to company resources, devices, internet stability and overall communication. If businesses were to continue offering remote working as an option after the pandemic, they would need to ensure their employees have the right setup and ergonomics.
Meetings don’t all have to be face-to-face
Video calls are extremely effective for meetings and often more productive for businesses as it saves time. Only 4% of meetings were full video meetings before the pandemic, but now that number has increased to 60% (Dr. Joe Allen at the University of Utah, 2020).
Remote working can improve work-life balance
Remote working can offer several benefits to employees, one of them being an improved work-life balance. Taking away the time and cost it takes to commute, many people will have more time for themselves and save money.
How employers can improve remote working going forward
One of the main challenges with remote working is ensuring your team have the right device for their role and access to the resources they need. A Device as a Service DaaS solution is perfect for businesses who need several devices at different locations with full support and management.
Here at Hardsoft, our DaaS service is called Devices for Teams and allows you to pay monthly for your hardware. With a range of devices to choose from, you can have a flexible solution that is tailored to the needs of your business, wherever your team happen to be working. Designed for the office, working from home, or both, Devices for Teams puts businesses at a competitive advantage and offers a whole host of benefits.
Benefits of Devices for Teams
Increase productivity
If your employees have the latest tech, they are likely to be more productive due to faster loading times and more intuitive user interfaces.
Flexible solution
With Devices for Teams, you only pay for what you use, meaning you can scale up and down depending on the needs of your business.
Full support
With a full 360-degree wrapper for each device, we provide warranty, support, installation and configuration, as well as loan devices if needed.
Good for cash flow
This solution is good for cash flow as you only have to pay small monthly payments, rather than large upfront costs. It is also tax-friendly as it is classed as an operating lease.
Avoid obsolescence
You won’t need to worry about depreciating assets and your employees using out-of-date, slow devices to complete their work.
Leasing Business Laptops
As well as offering a DaaS model, we also offer flexi-leasing for business laptops and computers. This is ideal for smaller remote workforces and includes delivery, maintenance and upgrades, so you don’t need to worry about outdated or obsolete devices. If you would like to find out more about how Hardsoft can support remote working, or if you need help with devices for a transition from remote working to an office environment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. An expert member of the team will be able to answer any questions you may have.