
Using a hybrid workforce in business has delivered great results in recent years. This is because a hybrid working office promotes a healthy work-life balance for employees while still being highly productive.
A hybrid working framework provides your employees with flexibility that traditional work-from-office settings can’t match. It allows them to make the most out of their daily schedules, leading to increased efficiency and job satisfaction.
Like many other businesses, you may have already fully adopted the hybrid model for your company. But for all its potential benefits, hybrid workplace management also comes with its own set of technical challenges.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at 4 tools that are essential for your hybrid workforce to tackle these challenges and make daily operations easier.
1. Collaboration Tools
When the concept of working from home started gaining popularity after the pandemic, one of the biggest challenges that companies faced was communication issues.
Since your hybrid workforce might be spread across different locations, having a clear and consistent way of communicating your daily tasks is key. This has been made much easier by the introduction of messaging applications like Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom.
Along with these messaging tools, you can also use project management tools like Asana, ClickUp, Trello, and Wrike, to assist you in creating a system that streamlines your daily tasks.
These platforms allow for instant messaging, video calls, file sharing, and task management. It’s well worth at least trialling one of these tools to see how it can help you reduce communication issues with your employees.
2. IT Asset Management and Monitoring Tools
While there are many tools to assist you with your routine work, they have limited lifecycles and might not always be secure. For instance, outdated software becomes vulnerable to security threats and may expose your business’s sensitive information to data breaches.
To proactively identify these issues and deal with them effectively, we recommend using IT asset management and monitoring tools. Some of these software include:
- ManageEngine AssetExplorer – Automatically detects your IT assets and creates a report on their usage, purchase history, and license compliance.
- Lansweeper – Provides detailed insights into your hardware and software inventory by tapping into your local area network (LAN).
- SolarWinds – Enables remote monitoring of devices to keep them secure at all times.
Implementing these tools in your hybrid working framework is an easy and effective way to prevent any unauthorised software usage and constantly keep an eye on your company assets.
3. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Tools
In a hybrid workforce, it’s more difficult to make sure that only your employees have access to the company’s network and systems. IAM tools can be a great help here, as they monitor who has access to your specific systems and data, even in remote working situations.
Key features of IAM tools involve user activity monitoring, multi-factor authentication (MFA), role-based access control, and single sign-on. Some of the most popular IAM tools you should consider for your hybrid working office are Okta, SailPoint, Ping Identity, and CyberArk.
These tools allow only authorised individuals access to specific parts of your working framework. As a result, you can improve your business security and wave goodbye to regulatory compliance concerns related to data protection.
4. Cloud Backup and Data Management Tools
The data of your business needs to be processed through secure channels, regardless of where your staff are located. Since your hybrid workforce will be accessing your company’s data through different devices, there’s a significant risk of data loss due to accidental deletion or cyber attacks.
Cloud backup and data management tools provide you with a quick solution to these issues by enabling automated backups and secure storage, and many are also capable of recovering any lost data.
A few examples of these cloud services are Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Acronis, and Backblaze.
You’ll find that hybrid workplace management is easier when you’re using these tools to collaborate and share files daily. Cloud backup significantly reduces the risk of data loss and helps you run your daily operations smoothly.
Contact Redpalm to Get the Necessary Tools for Your Hybrid Workforce
The hybrid working model is here to stay, and if you want to successfully implement it in your business, certain tools are well worth investing in. These tools enhance your security and make daily tasks more accessible and convenient for your employees.
If you need additional security measures for your hybrid team, Redpalm is your trusted IT partner, equipping your business with the right tools to streamline your hybrid workplace practices.
Redpalm is a managed service provider (MSP) and a trusted cyber security partner. We provide advanced IT infrastructure to swiftly identify and neutralise any security risks, regardless of where in the world your team is located.
Our wide range of services includes IT audits and health checks, technology procurement, vulnerability assessments, and endpoint management. To learn more about our services, click here or contact us to schedule an appointment today.