Abstract

The pandemic has brought about a change in the way that businesses operate. While companies may have once been limited to getting work done in the workplace, there has been a shift in the opposite direction with many companies retaining remote employees or keeping certain remote workplace policies in place even now. What is the difference between remote and hybrid options, and how do you determine which is best for your company?

Remote Operations

When we discuss remote work, we are talking about operations happening basically as usual, only without the need to commute to the office. This might mean that your employees work from home or another place where they can securely connect to the Internet, and all tools they might need or data required to perform can be accessed without coming to the office.

Hybrid Operations

Hybrid operations, on the other hand, function largely the same as they might in a remote capacity, just with a little in-house work thrown into the mix. Employees with hybrid work arrangements might spend a certain amount of time working in the office with the rest of their time spent working remotely. A good example of this is coming to the office to handle things like payroll or specific types of meetings that require face-to-face interaction.

What’s Best for Your Business?

Naturally, the same approach to operations will not necessarily work for two different businesses. Ask yourself what percentage of your current in-house operations can be fulfilled remotely. If you don’t have a good answer to what can’t be done remotely, then perhaps your company can benefit from making the jump to remote operations. If the COVID pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that more work can be performed remotely than we ever previously thought possible, so don’t discredit the option entirely.

If you have certain functions which need to be performed in-house, on the other hand, then perhaps a hybrid arrangement with desk sharing is a more amenable option. A good general rule to follow is that if it can be done remotely, it can most certainly be done in-house. 

We Can Help

If you’re unsure of how to implement the technology required for either full remote operations or hybrid operations, rest assured that you don’t have to go about it alone. NetMGM has trained technology professionals at the ready who can help you make the best decision for your business’ needs. To learn more about what we can do for your company, reach out to us at 888-748-2525.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

What Kind of Workplace is Yours?

Rafiq Masri

With over 25 years of experience in Information Technology, Rafiq is one of the most accomplished, versatile and certified engineer in the field. He has spent the past 2 ½ decades administering and supporting a wide range of clients and has helped position Network Management, Inc. as a leader in the IT Managed Services space.

Rafiq has built a reputation for designing, building and supporting top notch IT infrastructures to match the business objectives and goals of his clients.

Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation, and reliability, Rafiq has a very loyal client base with some customer relationships dating back 20+ years.

Rafiq holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and has completed graduate programs in Software Engineering and Business at Harvard and George Mason University. Rafiq is a former founder and CEO of Automation, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as a valued speaker on entrepreneurship and technology at industry events such as ExpoTech and others.