By Ronald Ravel, Director B2B at Dynabook South Africa

The war on talent continues across all sectors in line with the hybrid shift, and as a result, future skilled employees are reassessing their priorities. Previously employers could lure future workers in with the promise of a nicely designed office space, or free lunches, but now, it’s not so simple. Technology is front and centre of the employee retention debate, it’s not only a case of providing them with the equipment that makes working easier but empowering them with the hardware to work flexibly, seamlessly and collaborate with colleagues hassle-free

Technology should foster efficiency, creativity and collaboration. At its best, it should help teams generate, capture, and act upon great ideas that drive the business forward. Furthermore, in the new world of hybrid working, it should also make it easier for employees to work on the go, achieve a healthy work/life balance and collaborate flexibly. When it doesn’t, employee productivity and experience can suffer. ITDMs that understand this should increase their focus on employee experience initiatives that improve employee-facing technology.

The state of play

With hybrid working a now permanent fixture in the lives of most, many businesses have already increased their focus on optimising a work-from-anywhere approach. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do that is by empowering remote workers with better devices – followed by better software. Importantly, the technology should not be seen as a short-term bandage, as the majority of companies anticipate most of their employees being hybrid at some point in the future. Employees themselves also need to be satisfied with the tech as a way of improving their own experience and satisfaction in the workplace.

The best way to do this is with devices that are or can be tailored to various requirements and tasks. There is no one-size-fits-all tech for any employee, but things like interface diversity, expansion options and great connectivity can make all the difference. For example, a drive that enables easy data exchange even when on the move, to adapters for expanding connectivity in meeting rooms. For employees working from home, notebook stands can improve ergonomics, and wireless mice and keyboards can also increase operational comfort.

One of the potential drawbacks of working from home can be the untidiness that it can cause. This is why so many employees use docking stations for compact solutions to expand the range of connections without needing too much space. Many employees also need specially designed backpacks that are securely padded to transport equipment, and locks that protect against theft and data theft. Suitable accessories are worthwhile and support the hybrid transition – not only to increase employee satisfaction, but also to ensure the highest performance and ultimate flexibility by comparatively simple means.

Staying competitive

Not only would such things improve the employee experience overall, but they can also help businesses stay competitive. By improving efficiency and productivity with the right tools, employees can complete their tasks swiftly and effectively, as well as improving internal communications and staying organised as they manage multiple tasks at once.

A more sustainable path

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword; for many businesses today, it is a make-or-break philosophy that can attract or retain talent. IT leaders know they need to consider the impact of the number and types of devices to both power their businesses and sustain it.  Computers, laptops, tablets, phones and printers all invariably have their own environmental footprint and, following a global surge of interest and need for portable devices during the pandemic – it might be easy to think that remote working is bad for the planet. But with the opportunity to move away from a linear model and towards a circular economy in electronics, it's crucial for businesses to start thinking about improving the life-cycle environmental performance of products. For a sustainable, circular economy in the IT industry, reducing e-waste, and using schemes such as reusing, recycling and asset recovery have never been so important.

While most technology vendors are focused solely on the environmental credentials of their own products, smart businesses know that the onus on how well a product is disposed of often rests on their decision-making at the top of the buying chain. The shift to a more circular model of operating when it comes to technology devices and improving behaviours when it comes to electronic waste is already in full force. This means that ITDMs are in the perfect position to become an intrinsic part of the sustainability cycle that follows technology from its origins to end of life and choose vendors that give them good lifecycle options.

Prioritising employee-facing technology can often seem like an uphill battle against costs and the status quo. But in this new era of hybrid working, there has never been a more crucial time to think about their needs, to better serve the needs of your business.