Page 7 - EngineerIT October 2021

ICT COMMENT

The unexpected future - is learning how to thrive within the new
Today, every business on the planet

workplace ideology. There’s no best
practice, yet. But there will be. And people
hybrid working will vote with their feet. Companies that
don’t invest into a future that allows for
employees to work in ways that best suit
their needs will lose those employees.
By Colin Thornton, chief commercial officer at Turrito Networks Top talent will move on over to companies
that don’t expect them to sit in traffic.
So, this is the perfect time for
Hybrid working is never going to work. Work from home is never organisations to rise to the top, to be the
going to stick. Oh, really? ones who set the standards and reap the
rewards as a result. n

t was the year that finally changed global business gear - 2020. The year when About the author
companies were forced into digital workspaces and employees were figuring out how
Ito optimise their productivity from home. It was a time when most companies adopted Colin Thornton -
remote working because they had to. It was only for now, wasn’t it? Everybody would soon From nerd to CFO
be back in the office, right. Right?
Wrong. Forrester’s recently revealed that only 30% of companies are likely to return Colin started Dial a Nerd in his father’s
to the full office model once the pandemic has eased. That’s 70% of organisations garage in Johannesburg during 1998.
recognising the value of the work-from-anywhere employee – people empowered by For the first few years, most of the
technology to deliver on productivity without needing an office, or a manager looming over business involved setting up internet
their shoulder. The same research found that companies that adopt a more flexible, hybrid and email for home users for the first
model to work will very likely see measurable business benefits that include employee time. As the need for IT in homes and
engagement, retention and recruitment. businesses escalated, Dial a Nerd grew,
This is a view shared by McKinsey who tell it like it is – leaders need to get real about and by 2004 there were also branches
hybrid. It’s not a fad, a trend, a buzzword or a flash in the pan. It’s the next evolution of the in Cape Town, Durban and new
workplace, one that lets the business realise the true value of its technology investment. It divisions specialising in other aspects
turned out that paying attention to all that hype about digital transformation was the right of IT like software development. In
thing to do. Cloud, digital, data, connectivity and collaboration solutions really were the 2015 Dial a Nerd was acquired by
next big thing. Turrito Networks who provided niche
The problem is that, a year later, many companies still view remote working as a short internet services for larger businesses.
to medium term solution that will go away. But the pandemic waves aren’t stopping and the Together they became end-to-end IT
situation isn’t changing, so why are companies still waiting for things to go back to normal and telecommunication providers and
when they won’t? each business focused on different
The truth is that it’s time to make long term operational changes that allow for market segments. After the acquisition,
employees to work from any location with solutions that are optimised to meet their Colin acted as Turrito managing
needs. Cybersecurity must be analysed from multiple angles that now include the director and in 2020 became the chief
remote or hybrid worker, and angles that look for the unexpected vulnerabilities financial officer for both businesses.
that crop up when employees log on from remote locations. Data security must be
examined for any gaps in POPIA compliance to ensure that information is as secured
and restricted as it would be within office walls. And there need to be serious questions
asked about what the business should pay for when it comes to connectivity and IT
equipment at home.
These are fundamental shifts in thinking that can transform how the business
operates, and it can save significant sums of money. If fewer people are in the office, the
business can downsize and invest in a space that’s not as expensive yet still lets people
connect and have essential face to face meetings. This is an immediate cost saving.
The same can be said for international travel and conferences. With most people online,
these can be done virtually and there’s the added value for companies that invest into
sustainability reporting too – with fewer people flying, the climate benefits are extensive
and measurable.
In addition to the technology and the more obvious areas of the business that can be
managed in the move to hybrid, it’s also important to implement amended HR policies that
reflect the challenges and complexities that sit within this new environment. IT policies
should follow suit – they need an overhaul that can adapt to the differences between the
different models of working, from an office, from home, or hybrid.

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