IT departments struggle to keep up with a rapidly changing hybrid workforce

Hybrid working is here to stay, but are businesses ready?

When Covid upended the rhythms and rituals of working life, businesses everywhere were forced to accelerate their digital transformation efforts. For many, this involved rushing through IT initiatives just to stay afloat. Now, organisations are taking a deep breath and starting to plan for a new type of working environment.

Hybrid working – a model that offers employees flexibility on where and when they work – is set to be the working model of the future. It’s already a hit with a majority of employees, who recognise the benefits of blending office and home working.

More frustrating than flexible

Apogee surveyed over 2,000 UK employees. Almost half (45%) of them reported being left frustrated by malfunctioning laptops and hardware while working from home during the pandemic. Poor internet connection was another common frustration. Worryingly, almost a fifth (19%) of office workers said that they didn’t know who to ask about IT issues when working at home.

This presents an urgent challenge to organisations: if employees are struggling with faulty tech and unsure of who to consult, how can they be expected to work productively?

Hybrid arrangements are highly desirable, but over a third (35%) of respondents reported finding the transition from work to home to hybrid difficult due to technological problems. When asked how their company’s IT solutions could improve, 25% of employees wanted a more responsive IT team, while 24% expressed a wish for better facilities and more advanced hardware.

Clearly, there is much work to be done when it comes to supporting the flexible workspaces of the future.

Preparing for the future workforce

Our research found that 87% of employees aged 16-24 would make changes to their company’s IT - far above the 55+ age group, of whom only 46% expressed a desire for change. This is an important bellwether of the changing expectations of the workforce.

The next generation of talent will not tolerate patchy internet connections, crashing laptops and disjointed digital systems. They will expect to switch seamlessly between home and office work environments. Businesses must make the necessary changes today to accommodate the demands of tomorrow’s workforce, otherwise they will be outpaced by more forward-thinking competitors.

Sustainable workplace solutions are also key to attracting and retaining a new generation of employees: almost a fifth of workers aged 16-24 demand more eco-friendly tech disposal practices.

So, how can businesses best prepare for the hybrid future of working? Growing numbers of companies are choosing to outsource their workplace services supplier, securing an end-to-end touchpoint solution for the whole spectrum of workforce needs.

To meet the demands of tomorrow, businesses should achieve peace of mind today by partnering with a streamlined Managed Workplace Services provider. Contact Apogee today to discover our practical, sustainable, and flexible workplace solutions.