Hybrid Work, New Work, and the Future of Work

Hybrid work and new work are phrases constantly heard since the pandemic. Many companies are exploring how these concepts will shape the future of their workplaces. Understanding and implementing flexible work models is now crucial for business success and employee satisfaction.

Is hybrid work the new normal?

Many employees experienced positive outcomes from working remotely during the pandemic and wish to continue with this flexibility. Employers also found that home offices can contribute to productivity, dispelling the myth that remote work is less effective than in-office work.

This shift in thinking succeeded because infrastructure and communication channels are now reliable and familiar. Disconnection is no longer an issue when working from home instead of a traditional office.

For roles that primarily use laptops, PCs, or Macs, hybrid work is indeed becoming the new normal. It offers flexibility that benefits both employees and businesses.

What is a good definition of hybrid work?

Hybrid work refers to a flexible model where employees decide whether to work in the office or from another suitable location. This allows them to work where they are most productive, at times that suit both their personal needs and the company's interests.

However, this flexibility requires some guidelines. Defining what constitutes a "suitable location" is important, and legal requirements must be considered. Moreover, in-person interactions, team days, and casual conversations remain vital for team cohesion, creative thinking, and overall well-being.

The trend towards remote work is significant. It's possible that in the software industry, for example, permanent employment might evolve into project-based collaborations with freelancers globally, working together virtually.

What challenges does hybrid work pose for IT?

IT departments faced immediate questions about equipping employees for remote work when home office mandates began. Tools, documents, contracts, communication, and even printing. all daily office activities. suddenly needed reorganization for remote access.

A primary concern was maintaining the security of IT systems. Allowing access to corporate networks from varied personal devices or using unapproved cloud services for collaboration raises significant data protection and security risks.

IT departments must ensure security without hindering employee productivity. It is also crucial to maintain an overview of all systems and components in use.

The more advanced a company's cloud strategy, the easier it is for employees to access a consistent work environment, regardless of their location. Key components include cloud authentication, identity management, SaaS applications, virtual desktops, VPNs, or even better, a zero-trust model.

Equipping employees with appropriate devices is also vital to prevent remote work from becoming a continuous series of workarounds.

Why printing needs special attention in hybrid work

Some documents require physical printouts due to mandatory processes or legal requirements. Additionally, many people prefer to read longer texts on paper, as studies show better comprehension, especially under time pressure (Stavanger Statement, "On the Future of Reading").

Restricting printing to the office significantly slows down processes. Therefore, printing must be simple and quick for all employees, whether in the office or working remotely.

This consistency requires a process that works everywhere, preventing employees from attempting complex workarounds to print at home. An integrated printing solution ensures that the process always remains the same, regardless of location.

How ezeep helps companies with hybrid work

ezeep makes printing simple for all hybrid work scenarios, supporting employees who choose when, where, and with which devices to work. Whether printing at home using personal or company-provided printers, with home PCs or company laptops, or even sending print jobs to the office while on the go, ezeep simplifies the process.

This ease benefits both IT departments and employees. Admins deploy the software, gather printer information, create printers, and deliver print jobs efficiently. Employees continue to print as they always have, without hassle.

Users can easily select desired printers via a web portal, making them instantly available across all devices, including Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android. The web portal also allows printing documents without installing any additional components.

Administrators use the same portal to control printers and printing with precision. Functions range from assigning mandatory printers to requiring authentication for document release, all configurable with a few clicks. Integrating a print option into a custom web application is also quick and straightforward.

ezeep is built on ThinPrint technology, trusted by Fortune 500 organizations and used in production environments handling millions of pages daily.

What about security in a hybrid work model?

Security encompasses many aspects, from the solution's architecture to corporate integrity. While cloud providers theoretically have access to customer data, technical restrictions and policies prevent direct employee access. All employees receive regular training, and audits ensure that security measures are implemented and followed correctly.

Ensuring resilience with a cloud solution is less complex and costly. Cloud providers, like Microsoft Azure in our case, offer many managed services that are highly available, secure, and flexible.

We monitor our services continuously, with a dedicated team ensuring everything is up-to-date and at the latest security level.

For software development, we adhere to security standards like RFC-6749 (OAuth 2.0) and use TLS 1.2 encrypted communication. The software installed by customers communicates only via outgoing ports, removing the need for complex firewall and router configurations on the customer side.

Independent penetration tests are conducted to identify and quickly resolve vulnerabilities.

We also support customers in their security architectures, enabling printing even within zero-trust networks without the need for exceptions. We are a member of the Cloud Security Alliance and publish our security measures in accordance with the Cloud Controls Matrix and the CSA Code of Conduct for GDPR Compliance.

Key takeaway on hybrid work and new work

Regardless of legal requirements, now is the time to integrate pandemic lessons into work culture sustainably. We can embrace positive changes and find ways to prevent work-life balance issues, reduced loyalty, and isolation.

The freedom to balance work and personal life will become a critical factor for attracting talent. ezeep supports diverse work models, allowing organizations to adapt and thrive.

Make printing the boring part of your day. Try ezeep free today and discover how simple cloud printing can be.