As the pandemic winds down, more and more organizations are phasing their workforce back to their physical offices. While it was necessary to have employees work away from the office due to health concerns, technology came to the rescue, playing a part in maintaining a company’s bottom line. This hybrid model, as it came to be known, has continued to be a part of many company’s daily work experiences due to its benefits.
Because of continued, even increased, benefits of a hybrid workforce, an increased demand for such collaboration technologies like video conferencing, unified communications, persistent chat solutions and more will only grow.
So, what type of benefits are we talking about?
-According to a Gallup State of the American Workplace report, engagement levels are even higher for remote workers by about 32% as compared to in-office workers at 28%.
-Research shows that remote workers feel a greater sense of belonging and communicate more regularly with team members online.
-An Owl Labs’ 2019 State of Remote Work report shows that remote workers were more than 13% more likely to stay in their positions for at least 5 years compared to on-premises employees. So, a hybrid workplace model may result in lower employee turnover, even during a pre-pandemic time period.
-According to a survey by Boston Consulting Group, despite the disruptions of the pandemic, 75% of employees were able to maintain or improve productivity while collaborating virtually with coworkers.
-The Upwork business marketplace estimates that over 26% of the American workforce will be working away from the office in the foreseeable future. They also estimate that 22% of Americans will work remotely by 2025.
Cloud-Based Collaboration Solutions for the Remote Workforce
Virtual collaboration solutions has continued to be in demand post-pandemic which has forced many organizations to re-examine their meeting areas, conference rooms and even online meeting spaces to accommodate both on-site employees and remote workers. This is especially true for solutions that are flexible, scalable and easy to use.
Research by the Boston Research Group involving 12,000 employees during the pandemic found that businesses that were optimized for remote operations saw increases in productivity of 40% or more.
It’s hard to fathom any bright side to the pandemic. However, the successful growth of the hybrid workplace, and the accompanying demand for collaboration technology resulting in increased return on investment for companies of any size, cannot be underestimated.
If you would like to find out more about how collaboration technology and a hybrid workplace can benefit your organization, feel free to contact Got2Connect for a free consultation. Either fill out the contact form on the Got2Connect website or call the office during business hours at (802) 773-0126.
