The COVID-19 pandemic put the world of work upside down and has proven to have a long-lasting impact on the future of work. In the face of strong economic headwinds, ongoing geopolitical disruptions, and a tight labor market, it feels more important than ever to be prepared and tackle upcoming digital workplace challenges head-on. Here is an overview of what to expect in the coming year.
1. A renewed focus on sustainability
As business leaders are under pressure from regulators, customers, partners, and employees to do more for environmental sustainability, more companies point to sustainability as a key focus for the year ahead. How companies will prioritize environmental issues will depend on their industry and company size, most initiatives will be centered around improving the carbon footprint.
And what if we told you that having your old IT equipment recycled or re-used might be a first, and easy step, into the right direction? According to research of 8billiontrees, your business can save around 61kg of emissions monthly by recycling as often as possible. Besides, as your old IT equipment contains much-needed rare elements as aluminum, silver, and gold, it is worth cash. Teaming up with a certified partner, like mobco, for the deposition of your old, unused IT hardware, helps you reduce your carbon footprint and increases your overall IT budget – a double win!
2. Tackle employee data privacy
Employers hold a lot of personal information on their employees, from their salary and benefits packages, personal bank account details to their date of birth and address. The need for privacy and data protection is at the forefront of many people’s minds, it is important to develop a culture of respect for private life, data protection, security, and confidentiality.
In 2023, employers will need to be transparent on how they collect, use, store, and secure employee data. With our skill set and expertise in the field of workplace security, we can help you contain and protect data, wherever it is stored and however it is being shared. By implementing systems, such as Microsoft Defender, we ensure employee privacy anytime, anywhere, on any device.
3. A greater use of Microsoft 365
With organizations increasing their focus on technology ROI, businesses using Microsoft 365 will want to exploit the tool to its full extent. Most business users are familiar with email, cloud-based file storage, Microsoft Office, and Windows 10. However, Microsoft 365 has more in store for the modern workplace. The security aspect of Microsoft 365 is what offers your organization most value.
In today’s work from anywhere world, company data is at risk anywhere, anytime, you might want to protect your infrastructure and sensitive corporate data in a way that is non-intrusive. That is where Microsoft Enterprise Mobility & Security (EM+S) comes to play. We combine our expertise as a Microsoft Solutions Partner with our deep understanding of enterprise mobility to ensure you get maximum productivity and efficiency from your Microsoft suite, without compromising security or compliance.
4. Prioritization on workplace wellbeing
The pandemic was a driver for many businesses to increasing the focus on work-life balance and the mental health of their employees. As efforts to prioritize employees’ well-being have been proven to improve company culture and overall productivity, businesses will continue to center their efforts around it in the coming year. Initiatives to enhance employee well-being might focus on providing additional employee benefits, greater flexibility, and an overall positive workplace experience.
When looking to invest in your employee experience, our in-house developed Workplace portal may just be what you are looking for. With mobco Workplace, employees can now request, order, manage and repair their favorite workplace tools by themselves. To enable employees to work anytime, anywhere, and on any device, our Workplace experts are here to help them get a hang of all workplace-related questions 24/7.
5. An increased focus on flexibility
Remote work is no longer a pandemic-driven necessity. However, as we enter 2023, many businesses will continue to experiment with different forms of hybrid working. According to Gartner, organizations are increasingly exploring possibilities such as more control over and stability in the work schedule and paid leave.
But employees also express interest in other types of flexibility, such as what they work on. As 85% of people claim to be more productive, efficient, and creative when given a choice in workplace technology, enabling choice in workplace tools might be the way forward. With Workplace, your employees gain access to a customized web store where they can order their favorite workplace devices. When wanting to onboard an upgraded model, they can pay the on-top amount themselves through our wide range of flexible payment methods.
6. Cutting costs to remain competitive
Considering the ongoing economic crisis, both employees and employers are looking to reduce their expenses. For employees, this might be working from home to save on transportation and fuel costs. For employers, however, cutting costs without compromising on employee satisfaction might be trickier.
With Workplace, we empower your employees to buy or lease their favorite device at a fixed cost per month. The device of choice is delivered pre-configured for work at their preferred location so that they can get started immediately. That’s efficiency at its finest!
7. Ongoing hiring & retention challenges
While the peak of the great resignation is well behind us, employees continue to leave their jobs at a higher-than-usual rate. And as the gap between the number of people looking for a job and the number of open roles remains wide, attracting and retaining talent is still high on the agenda of many businesses.
When looking to attract, motivate and retain top talent, salary and benefits are fundamental. However, as inflation rises, increasing salaries might be tricky. And that is where increased flexible benefits come to play. With mobco Workplace we can help your business with offering a more attractive and flexible compensation package. Through our state-of-the-art platform, your employees can choose their own benefits and this at a predictable monthly cost.
8. Transformation of HR using tech & data
As people analytics, or insights derived from data related to workforce talent, may help employers uncover important information about organization-wide performance and employees’ individual needs, transforming HR departments so that they can leverage data analytics is high on the agenda of most businesses. When it comes to technology, businesses are currently on the lookout for tools to improve HR operations and the overall employee experience.
Workplace not only offers employees the possibility of managing their favorite workplace tools throughout the entire device lifecycle, it can also provide HR with a real-time and accurate overview of all assets being used in the workplace, allowing them to better respond to cost evolutions and changing needs when it comes to remuneration and flexible benefits.