As summertime arrives, hybrid working is a great perk that many employers provide, whether it be from home while keeping an eye on the kids during summer break, or from another country entirely. Hybrid working offers many professionals an opportunity to work in different settings, which may stimulate new ideas, motivate employees, and refresh perspectives. Additionally, it gives workers the option to work more flexible hours at various locations throughout the day, enabling them to establish a routine that works for them and increase productivity. Over the summer holidays, parents and caregivers can better manage work with other commitments, improving work-life balance. For jobs that involve travel, such as giving presentations or hosting meetings with potential clients worldwide, the ability to hybrid work effectively is also key.
For all hybrid workers, security should be the number one priority. Protecting data and controlling access to corporate systems and applications are crucial for successful and effective hybrid work. In this blog, read our top hybrid working tips to learn how you can work securely and efficiently.
1. Modern Workplace Solutions
With hybrid working comes a greater risk of hardware damage, ranging from dropping items to spillages and more. When you use a Modern Workplace solution, such as Azure Virtual Desktop [AVD], you no longer have to rely entirely on your physical device to save data. A virtual platform, on the other hand, functions as a centralised workspace that stores all of your documents, data, and apps in the cloud. A virtual platform extends your company’s security measures to protect you from anywhere in the world while enabling you to access your data from numerous devices. This is done by automatically saving and updating the data in real time, enabling a whole team of employees to work collaboratively, even if they’re thousands of miles away from one another.
AVD offers a new and modern method of working which embraces the current trend of remote working, which can be a huge benefit to internal employees.
2. Make security a priotity
As AVD is secure within the Azure cloud and completely self-contained, there is no need to move or expand your security boundaries. The data is completely backed up, therefore any hardware failures or damages will have no impact on it. This means you can use hybrid working with added peace of mind as the data stays on the virtual desktop rather than the device you’re using. As a result, even if you lose your phone or laptop, the data isn’t stored on that hardware, which means that no one else can access the virtual workspace unless you provide your AVD log in. As a result, the danger of data breaches is greatly reduced.
At ANS, we’re certified to Microsoft’s high level of security, so you can rest assured that your AVD solution has the most up to date protection built in.
3. Use devices appropriate for your environment
Check that the hybrid work device you’re using is appropriate for your location. This not only makes working more pleasant for you, but it also reduces the likelihood of hardware failure. Working on a mobile or iPad device, for example, may be ideal when working from a beach or coastal setting because you can easily pack it away or shade the screen for a better viewing experience. On the other hand, working from a smartphone or iPad on a shaky train or while writing a long paper may be challenging if you can’t hold the device still or have access to a real keyboard. In this instance, a laptop may be preferable to ensure that you can focus on the data and easily perform reading or writing tasks.
Switching between devices based on the work at hand can also be helpful for productivity. Annotating on an iPad with its pen can be a quick and easy means of jotting down your thoughts when assessing findings or revising a paper.
Ultimately, no matter what device you use, your notes, photos, and data inputs can be accessed by everyone else working on your AVD, enabling greater flexibility with real-time results.
4. Understand the value of remote working
While some organisations may be decreasing their remote or hybrid working incentives, the ability to hybrid work securely is integral for businesses that travel to events or attend meetings with their stakeholders. Having access to AVD ensures that you’re not burdened by hardware issues, such as a dead battery or a malfunctioning laptop, because you can simply log in from another device to use AVD.
Overall, hybrid working can be safely and efficiently enjoyed this summer with a virtual desktop like AVD. With ANS, AVD comes pre-configured for small to medium sized businesses, helping to ensure a hassle-free deployment. Tailored to suit your business needs, we help to get everything set up to the best practice, with full governance and security built in.
Check out more on our SMB Solutions page.
