Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/1273532
44 | I NSIGH T • A u g u s t 2 0 2 0 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m 4 Insight on Technology August 2020 While it's no secret COVID-19 radi- cally changed the way we work, it's hard to know which of the recent changes will last. Based on research and IT experience, here are some changes you can expect to stick around for the long haul. Working from home will be the new normal We' ve see n e xc ite me nt ab out returning to the office, but many workers rea l i zed benefit s from work i ng from home: i ncrea sed productiv it y, reduced commutes and more f lexibility. Recent reports show the majority of workers want to continue working from home, and they'll likely have their chance. Comi ng out of t he pa ndemic, expect many workplaces to imple- ment f lex hours or allow employees to work from home at the manager's IT needs after COVID-19 discretion. Anticipate more of the workforce going remote, whether part- or full-time, as employers plan for resurgences of the virus, reeva l- uate the space in office bui ldings or assess who needs to be in the office versu s who cou ld probably work from home with new equipment. Businesses will upgrade devices and networks Access to technology is a major reason so many workplaces were able to go remote, but many were unprepared on a large scale. Workers on desktops converted to laptops, but those aren't always conducive to working long peri- ods of time without a dual monitor, sepa- rate keyboard and mouse. And not all businesses had enough laptops to support their full workforce going mobile. Expect businesses to evaluate their inventories and make upgrades to their existing equipment. Webcams, busi- ness-scale printers, headsets and micro- phones will become more popular equip- ment as the workforce goes remote. Many businesses wi l l a lso revisit t he i r net work i n fra st r uc t u re to streamline working from home. This may include upgrading network serv- ers and routers, enabling remote desk- top sessions and moving applications to the cloud. How your business can adapt T he most important measure you can take is surveying your employees. Listen to them about what's working or not working. Ask how you can help make their jobs easier or more efficient. Not only will your employees appreciate it, but you'll also likely see gains in produc- tivity and less troubleshooting on your end. Use survey data to tailor changes to your policies and your technology. Prepare for any equipment shortages and have a plan for disposing of surplus equipment when you return to the office. Having refurbished technology on hand can help you in a pinch, and if you're making equipment upgrades, you can offset costs with I T Asset Remarketing services. B Y C H A D H A Y E S , S A D O F F E - R E C Y C L I N G & D E S T R U C T I O N < I T P L A N N I N G > I -T E C H P A R T N E R M E S S A G E Predictions for your business Chad Hayes is the chief technology officer and director of e-recycling at Sadoff E-Recycling & Destruction. He joined Sadoff Iron and Metal in 2015, where he oversees and leads the strategic planning and implementation of IT. With his ex tensive 20 years of IT and business leadership experience and passion for data security, Hayes was the per fect choice to establish, build and lead the Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction Company, a company of Sadoff Iron and Metal. He can be reached at hayesc@sadoff.com On the Web sadoffelectronicsrecycling.com Coming out of the pandemic, expect many workplaces to implement flex hours or allow employees to work from home at the manager's discretion. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y S A D O F F E - R E C Y C L I N G & D E S T R U C T I O N