The mass adoption of remote working brought on by the unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that many organizations needed to radically rethink how they operate. Most likely, successful businesses will be ‘networks’ of people and technologies, with physical location becoming less important.
As we move into the “next normal”, how can we create the best working environments to empower these new ways of working?
Pierre-Jean Chalon, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Poly foresee 6 key trends that will shape the future of work in 2021, appended as below:
HYBRID WORK IS HERE TO STAY
Work isn’t a place, it’s what you do. In 2021 we expect to see more organizations adopting the new hybrid work model and a more consistent work experience no matter where they are, whether in the office, at home, or anywhere in between. Work is no longer defined by the hours put in, but on the outcomes of the work.
ANYTHING-AS-A-SERVICE WILL DRIVE BUSINESS AGILITY
Digital transformation will be fuelled by XAAS, or Anything-As-A-Service. This is an adaptation of the digital services subscription model, as providers shift to providing value as a service. This lets businesses introduce and scale deployments as needed, providing the agility to continue to work seamlessly and without disruption.
THE RISE OF THE PROSUMER
Employees realizing that consumer-grade gear simply cannot deliver, are demanding that home workspaces be upgraded with technology that allows for seamless collaboration, whether fiber internet connectivity, noise-blocking headsets, or even audio and video conferencing solutions which allow them to join video meetings with the click of a button.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE OFFICE
Offices will become a central gathering point for employees to meet, while the majority of work will continue to be done remotely. Work spaces will become collaborative and technology-enabled to accommodate the work style of every employee, and facilitate business being done from anywhere.
VIDEO IS THE WAY FORWARD
Video is now more common than ever for meetings, and thanks to technological advances in the past few years, have enabled collaboration on a whole new level as an increasingly critical part of business-as-usual, as organizations in industries like telemedicine and education adapt to a whole new way of doing business.
CONNECTIVITY TO DRIVE BETTER COLLABORATION EXPERIENCES
Businesses will look to technologies like 5G to drive a better collaboration experience through seamless connectivity, as if in person. Digital transformation efforts will also see an increase in focus on technology that adapts more seamlessly to the end-user.
Source: Communication Arts Co., Ltd.
