An interesting article recently appeared on CIO.com with the appealing title “Employee satisfaction now more important than ever.” The article writes about expectations that employees have of the (home) workplace, the facilitation of personal brand preferences, such as Apple or Android, but also the fact that millennials are less loyal to their employer. It got us thinking … What more can be done to keep employees happy?
The office as a cool place for inspiration
Will the new office become an inspiring (and cool) place at home or near home? Escaping the heat can be a good reason to work from the office. A good air conditioning system is therefore a key workplace requirement. A high-speed internet connection is another one. A modern office doesn’t need much more, right?
Easy access, anytime, anywhere
Employees want to decide for themselves from where they work and on which device. The CIO is responsible for ensuring that remote work is done in line with corporate security policies. However, the days are over of employees having to install VPN clients, lost VPN keys, selecting the right VPN concentrator in the right data center and for employees having to fill in a constantly changing series of numbers. Satisfied employees need simple access to the network.
Super-fast digital performance
Especially the younger generation expects super-fast digital performance; there cannot be any waiting, everything just has to work, everywhere, and as quickly as possible. If not, they may leave your organization sooner. Are you ensuring digital performance at any workplace? Also at home, that has become the new office? Does legacy security infrastructure still dictate that your home worker connects through your data center firewall? Then data traffic takes a detour. Moreover, connection bandwidth will be physically limited. For super-fast application response, both obstacles will need to be removed.
Collaboration with external partners
The way we work together is changing. Tasks and responsibilities may be entrusted to external parties such as freelancers or specialized service partners. They will require access to certain data, systems or applications within your company. Corporate security policies may demand certain access restrictions, as well as (real-time) visibility and control. Do you want to allow work from their own systems, such as a laptop for example? This requires Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) capabilities. External or not, working together should be safe and easy. Can your IT infrastructure handle those demands?
Fast access to all applications
Without Cloud, the global economy would have come to a standstill during this crisis period. Public Cloud applications such as Google G Suite or Microsoft Office 365 can no longer be ignored. Cloud can be counted on to work (almost) always and everywhere. Fast Internet access is all that is needed. But does this also apply to all your other business applications? Satisfied employees want easy access to the entire digital workspace in which they work every day. Do your employees also have fast access to, for example, CRM or ERP systems ?
No more waiting at the service desk
Some expect that laptops will soon be replaced with modern smartphones that can connect to a (wireless) keyboard, HD screen, or printer. Whatever happens, the role of on-site IT support or the ‘system administrator’ is increasingly under scrutiny. The argument: once all applications and security have been moved to the Cloud, what is left to manage? IT roles will change or simply cease to exist. Companies may no longer have a need for an ‘IT service desk’, so no more waiting times for the end-user! If something is defective, hardware replacement will be shipped. Just log in and get back to work.
A new architecture: SASE (Secure Access Service Edge)
Logging in directly from home to the corporate SASE Cloud provides convenience and a much faster performance for your employees. You as IT responsible will retain full insight and control over all access and interactions with and within your company. The VPN app can be used from any type of device and after MFA, Multi Factor Authentication, ‘green’ means that there is a connection. There is no easier way to connect!
Source used (In Dutch): “Werknemerstevredenheid nu belangrijker dan ooit”
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