// EXPERT PROFILE //
How SMEs can ensure their employees have it all
IN THE NEW NORMAL WORLD OF WORK
The move towards a hybrid workforce has already begun – and SMEs need to take advantage of it . Amir Sohrabi , Area VP of Emerging Markets , Citrix , tells us how SMEs can navigate this new environment and how technology can enable an agile and productive workforce .
“
WHILE SOME
BUSINESSES WERE PREPARED , IN MOST CASES
IT WAS A SCRAMBLE TO
GET WORKERS UP AND RUNNING
AND BUILD A SOLUTION FROM
SCRATCH .
VER THE PAST few months ,
O the entire globe has been through the largest proof-ofconcept in working from home . COVID-19 has made remote working the new norm , as organisations were forced to experiment with a way of working many had previously deemed impossible , despite advances in tech to facilitate it .
While some businesses were prepared , in most cases it was a scramble to get workers up and running and build a solution from scratch .
What was surprising for most companies , including SMEs , was that the outcome of this extreme experiment proved to be hugely positive . Small businesses saw increased levels of productivity and monetary savings . Many employees established a new work / life routine , which proved to be a more efficient use of their time . Essentially , we had an inflection point – an event that forced people to rethink the way they work and showed us that there are different ways to work .
A time to reflect , plan and act
As we start to settle in to the new normal , entrepreneurs are getting a chance to step back and review the impact remote working has had on their workforce and organisation . They are now able to ask themselves , ‘ Do we need to go back to that large , expensive office space ? Do we need to spend two hours a day in traffic anymore ?’.
Small business owners can now work out their strategy , select the right partners and ensure they are doing remote working in a way that empowers their employees to do their best work and that will be sustainable over the long term .
Hybrid working is an option that many small businesses are currently considering , as it allows for a combination of the best of both worlds – the flexibility and productivity of remote working coupled with the personal connections and cultivating of an organisation culture that office working encourages .
One of the barriers for entrepreneurs when it comes to hybrid working , though , is the IT worries that accompany your employees not being office bound . Many business owners encountered IT issues when COVID-19 forced them into remote working – such as security fears and employees not having the right technology or access to data – and these need to be addressed before SMEs can truly embrace hybrid working .
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