COVID-19 has changed how offices look and operate. In spring 2020, an avalanche of employees suddenly found themselves working from home. As offices slowly continue to reopen, employers are rethinking their physical spaces and reassessing how to meet their employees’ needs. Some employees want the work-life balance possible with remote work. Others miss being onsite, and the face-to-face time that offers. A hybrid work environment can offer the best of both. Here are three considerations for each work environment and three ways Canon can help a business thrive in whichever setup they choose.
The success of remote work has made companies rethink their day-to-day operations. Employees have proven to be just as productive, especially when they have the tools and technology to do their jobs. Employers and employees seem to be in sync with their feelings about the setup: 74 per cent of employers plan to continue offering the option to work remotely, even once it’s safe to return to the office1; 70 per cent of workers want flexible remote work to continue.2
IT teams have growing concerns about the security of information printed on home devices. No wonder – three in four employees print work files on devices they initially bought and set up themselves.[3]
Smart devices – such as multifunction printers – that facilitate efficient document capture and automated digital workflows keep employees connected even when they’re working apart.
Core ITS provides companies – small businesses to multinational organizations – with a virtual IT department. It focuses on three areas: service and network security; backup and disaster recovery; and end-user support. Core ITS offers round-the-clock network monitoring, allowing users to focus solely on their business operations. With cybersecurity top of mind, Core ITS security services detect malware, file-less attacks, suspicious activity and other potential network threats to keep systems safe, even when workers are all under different roofs.
Scan, capture, sort and index documents as fully searchable files with IRISPowerscan. Users can import from any format (e.g., scanners, multifunction devices, watched folders, emails, cloud); the software verifies data, and then exports it to a chosen document format to any destination (e.g., applications, folders, cloud). IRISPowerscan is impeccably accurate at indexing key data, thanks to its award-winning OCR engine. Employees may work remotely, but with this ability to easily retrieve and share documents, they will be in the same space virtually.
In its standard tabletop formation, the imageRUNNER ADVANCE 527iF equips work-from-home employees with the same tools they would use at the office. The black-and-white multifunction printer produces up to 55 pages per minute, and scans and converts documents to searchable digital files in a variety of file formats. Due to its MEAP (Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform) compatibility, the device has the ability to integrate with many Canon and third-party software solutions, including uniFLOW Online and Canon PRINT Business. For IT departments, it’s easy and intuitive to manage fleets from afar, including managing settings and implementing security policies.
This powerful software solution can help you reduce manual errors and save time.
Keep reading to learn more about the considerations for onsite and hybrid work environments and how Canon can help your business succeed in any setting.
1. Wilson, Jim. “3 in 4 employers to keep offering remote work.” Canadian HR Reporter, Key Media, 6 June 2021, hrreporter.com/focus-areas/culture-and-engagement/3-in-4-employers-to-keep-offering-remote-work/357209
2. “The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work—Are We Ready?” Microsoft, 22 March 2021, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work