We are living in truly unprecedented times; one that has brought about many challenges. At the same time, it has also brought on opportunities and accelerated progress in many other areas that, ultimately, I believe will help us be stronger and more connected going forward.

In 2009, Dell Technologies established its Connected Workplace program to give employees the flexibility to choose the work style that best balances their professional and personal commitments. Over that time, it has become a core component of our culture, which puts us in a unique position to lead the conversations about creating a mobile, collaborative and flexible work environment. 

As many more organisations reopen for business and return to work, our experience has been invaluable as we help customers and partners work through their own digital implementations to enable a remote workforce.

Here are four key areas to consider that can help make remote workforce implementation a success:

1. Technology

The foundation on which a successful business is built is its people. And for a workforce of the future operating in a data-driven era – no matter where they are – technology will be a major factor in who they choose to work for. Organisations need to provide the technology employees need to be able to work flexibly; most have powerful tools, data and applications on their personal devices, and expect the same kind of experience from their work environment.

• Start by developing a strategy that puts employees first. Identify unique personas within the organisation and use this information to build profiles that have associated resource requirements for the right set of applications, data and devices each employee needs to be productive. 
• Assess the current technology footprint to see if it is helping or hindering employee work. In the modern workplace, work is not a place, but an activity; and should be outcomes-based rather than anchored to a specific place and time. Make sure the technology provided to employees meets their needs, allowing them to create, innovate and collaborate, regardless of where they are. 
• Simplify IT consumption. Deliver quicker, more efficient services using automation and self-service to provide a faster way for employees to consume IT. For example, modernise how hardware is delivered to employees – maybe through self-service or even factory direct delivery with the apps and settings pre-installed.

2. Security

One of the biggest hurdles organisations face is how to enable worker productivity from anywhere without compromising security. Businesses are likely to already have security policies in place, but will need to evolve those to accommodate new technology and working approaches. When the relationship between security and IT is done right, the benefits are powerful.

• Incorporate security as an integrated part of the business strategy. Security should not be an afterthought or tagged on. Instead, the approach should be one that is resilient, intelligent and automated, with security built in. Security needs to be connected to the people, processes and technologies behind the organisation. For example, the defined worker personas should inform security policies and enable end-user productivity with the right access, technology and solutions.
• Secure the full stack – from infrastructure to applications to operations. Architect for intrinsic, end-to-end security, from IT infrastructure to security policies, so that data and IT assets are secure, protected and available. This includes password management policies, data classification rules, and using a secure VPN for remote network access. 
• Enable secure collaboration and communication tools. These should be tools that can be used – securely – anywhere, anytime on any device, providing effective capabilities for conferencing and collaboration whether in the office, at home, or on the go. 

3. Human Resources

If workforce flexibility is a target for the organisation, build a culture which embraces it to ensure employees are able to give their best, both personally and professionally. 

• Partner across the organisation when defining policies. People are the lifeblood of an organisation, so policies on workforce flexibility need to be rooted in the business and operational strategy of the organisation. Ensure the protocols, policies, processes and infrastructure exist for teams to have the tools they need to get their job done. 
• Prepare leaders and listen to employees. Leaders need to be equipped with information and coaching to support their teams and help them feel more connected. It’s important to keep listening to employees – what’s working for them (or not) and what might need to be adjusted to enable them to be more productive or supported out of the office. 

• Communicate, communicate, communicate. Have a system in place to keep employees up-to-date on information about working remotely, tutorials on a home office setup, or even tips on keeping healthy. The idea is to improve the overall team experience and camaraderie. Consider simple things like virtual coffee chats or open office hours to build relationships outside of projects and outside of the traditional office “tea time.” 

4. Facilities 

As some organisations will still have employees going to a physical office to work, they need to rethink how they invest in workspaces because what has also changed is how employees work.

• Provide flexibility and choice in the physical space design. Develop spaces that foster innovation, creativity and drive greater collaboration. No two spaces are identical, so facilities should be designed to fit the needs of the business to help ensure the success of office workers.
• Consider how the office population will connect with the virtual population. For the workers in offices, they need the right spaces to support interaction with their virtual colleagues. This may mean more and smaller conference room spaces that are equipped to easily enable the use of collaboration and communication tools. 

• Minimise emotion by rooting decisions in data. As pivoting to a remote working arrangement may be a cultural shift for some individuals or the organisation as a whole, use the power of data analytics to drive decisions. Look at trends holistically as an organisation, like when and where people are logging into their systems to do work, how frequently office spaces or services are utilised, or what evolving external forces may require temporary or permanent shifts in workplace policies. 

The future will continue to challenge the way we think about work. The multi-year journey for Dell Technologies in championing a flexible work environment has allowed us to make an effortless transition to working from home or remotely. This has enabled Dell Technologies to attract and retain the best talent, protect the health and safety of our team members and customers, while keeping the business running.

Others may find it more challenging to make the switch in such a short timeframe but regardless, it is important for organisations to look at what capabilities in place that can scale out, what transformations are already underway that may need to be accelerated, and finally – keep the focus on the business objectives so the investments made are geared towards achieving those goals.

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