CEO Corner: The Anywhere Workspace

For years, we have watched the workspace evolve from offices with locking doors to cubicles to open-concept co-working spaces and coffee shops; now, more of us than ever have moved to the home office. In response to this continued change, I believe the “Anywhere Workspace” will be the new norm in the days ahead.

Mobile technology has been integral in supporting the proliferation of the Anywhere Workspace, allowing us to connect our mobile phones, tablets and laptops to the internet from just about anywhere. When I go on road trips, I usually have my wife drive at certain times so I can join Zoom meetings, answer emails and work on various projects. I’m sure many of you have found ways to adapt work to your surroundings, enabling the Anywhere Workspace to effectively become part of our culture.

How will the Anywhere Workspace change?

Increasingly, I see people locating random spaces in restaurants, cafés, car dealerships, shopping areas and airports, as well as on back decks, at a friend’s house or outdoors to work. Though most of these spaces exist for other purposes, our shift to remote work has allowed individuals to think creatively about where and when they find quiet, productive work time.

As personal preferences and plans have changed, businesses have been forced to adapt. I think we can all agree that we are not going back to having 90 percent of our workforce in offices five days a week. Leadership and their employees will need to reconcile what environment — and accompanying technology — is the best for human productivity and mental health. We are created as social creatures and need human interaction to thrive, but in what form? Only time will tell as we collectively work to figure out the “right” answer.

What technology is needed?

Technology in the last 10 years has given us the tools to enjoy an Anywhere Workspace. Consistent internet, strong cellular coverage, cloud applications, Bluetooth earbuds and battery packs are just a few of the tools we have at our fingertips. With online meetings, we get the benefit of seeing people and live interaction, which is important to us as humans, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Best of breed end-user computing (EUC) solutions like VMware Workspace ONE and Horizon allow us to have all of our work applications on any device, in any location, even if it’s our own personal smartphone or laptop. With two-factor authentication (2FA), secure browsing, virtual desktop, virtual applications, zero trust security and single sign-on, workers have critical data at their fingertips with simplicity. This has been a game-changer for companies and their employees as we adapt to worldwide events and changing personal work preferences.

The Anywhere Workspace demands modern management and security solutions, and corporate IT departments will need to modernize to keep up with the remote workforce. The workspace of the future will push the boundaries of what we consider to be an office space, but with the proper technology, people will have the flexibility to be innovative and even fashionable with their Anywhere Workspace.

If you are considering modernizing and securing your Anywhere Workspace, Tech Orchard can help. Let our team of experts assist you with the planning and technology to make it happen. Reach out to us at sales@techorchard.com or schedule a call with us to get started.