When the pandemic forced a shift to remote work for organizations of all kinds — from business to healthcare to education and more — employers, IT teams, and employees did an impressive job making it happen.
In Lenovo’s “Future of Work and Digital Transformation” study, more than half the respondents said they feel more productive working from home. And 94% of employers reported productivity has been the same or higher since employees began working from home at the start of the pandemic.
Collaboration, too, not only held its own but forged ahead — with a huge spike in videoconferencing and new solutions to improve the quality of remote meeting experiences.
Of the three essential components of hybrid work — productivity, collaboration, and security — security has been the most challenging.
With 74% of organizations planning a permanent shift to more remote work post-pandemic, the concern is growing and the need for a swift and strategic response is growing with it.
A number of factors are converging to challenge IT organizations. They are now responsible for securing nearly four times more remote devices than they were in 20194 and guiding the 49% of employees who are first-time remote workers.
These remote devices are not limited to business knowledge workers. Healthcare clinicians and administrators, education faculty and staff, and government officials use them too.
The situation is compounded by nearly 80% of employees using their own smartphones for work-related tasks like voice and video calls, email, and work chat.
To mitigate this, nearly 8 in 10 organizations say they will cover the cost of most devices and accessories for working from home. But less than half of surveyed employees have taken them up on it.1 Better communication is needed.
Another threat to data security is reliance on home networks. Some organizations are providing always-connected PCs with integrated LTE or 5G to eliminate this risk. Remote employees who download unsafe apps also increase the potential for data breaches. A secure virtual platform where employees work together and save assets in a shared environment helps IT effectively manage security risks.
As the perimeter expands and endpoints multiply, the overarching challenge is finding the right balance.
IT needs to give users the simple, timely access they need while protecting the organization — people, devices, and data — and keeping it ready to weather the next disruption without a break in continuity.
Today’s security technology delivers solutions
As hybrid work takes hold and evolves, most organizations are still feeling their way. The best technology providers go beyond selling components to work with you as a trusted advisor and true partner. Seek out technology leaders who collaborate with other leaders to deliver end-to-end solutions — compatible hardware, integrated software, and services that make your life easier — with one point of contact.
Now is the time to invest in technology that powers the hybrid workplace and empowers the hybrid workforce — securely. Together with our partners Microsoft, Intel®, Absolute®, and SentinelOne®, Lenovo delivers solutions to keep your organization protected no matter where work is.
