Even though organizations are starting to explore and implement new plans for going back to work after the pandemic eases, most of them have accepted that we will not be returning to the pre-COVID state. The next stage for most organizations will be a blending of in-office and remote work—a workplace continuum in which some employees work completely remotely, some are nearly always in the office, and some use a hybrid approach. That continuum may be a win-win compromise that has staying power, one in which workers get flexibility and businesses get more in-office activity.
It’s an idea that’s already gaining acceptance. A recent Mercer study found that 83% of firms are considering implementing hybrid or flexible work. As early as May, during the height of the pandemic, a survey conducted for Stanford University found that 55% of workers wanted to go back to the office a few days per week.
Effective Support for the Workplace Continuum Demands a Capable Digital Workspace
The new workplace continuum won’t work without the right digital platform. Some of the digital workspaces currently in use are low-function options that are unable to meet present and future demands. Replacement digital platforms will optimize work and productivity no matter where the work is done.
Workers need access to the same information, apps, and services regardless of their physical location or connection type. They need to be able to seamlessly pick up where they left off after changing their work location. The files and data they require must be there, ready for them to use, without any need to reload information. They should never have to re-create work they have already done.
At the same time, digital workspaces must support the automation and simplification of security interactions for employees. Anything that requires effort by the user is a roadblock to productivity—but such requirements are also security weaknesses, because users are not security experts and shouldn’t be placed on the first line of cyber-defense.
Next-generation digital workspaces will match the virtual nature of the remote employee with a virtualization-based design approach that imposes no location constraints and easily accommodates a modern workforce that includes contractors, third parties, temporary staff, and gig workers. The next-generation digital workspace will provide greater worker flexibility and make it easy to treat employees of different status in the optimal manner. In addition, the digital workspace will provide each type of employee with the tools and information they need to be productive.
The impetus for these changes is to create a digital experience where technology is more an enabler of productive outcomes and less an intrusion into the process of work. This is a sea change arising not from a specific feature set but from how the product is designed. The differences are substantial.
The Citrix Digital Workspace provides the functionality and capabilities that align with the new workplace continuum and the demands that organizations have for future employee digital infrastructure. This solution has been proven in organizations of all sizes. With an industry-leading design approach, the Citrix Digital Workspace will empower organizations both now and into the future.
