Admitting that the hybrid work paradox is here to stay amid the pandemic, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Friday outlined a detailed approach to how his company is going to tackle the biggest shift to a global workplace that requires a new operating model, spanning people, places, and processes.
As some countries open and others like India and Brazil face their worst pandemic days, Nadella said that every organization’s approach would need to be different to meet the unique needs of their people.
“According to our research, the vast majority of employees say they want more flexible remote work options, but at the same time also say they want more in-person collaboration, post-pandemic. This is the hybrid work paradox,” Nadella said in a blog post.
He outlined three areas for Microsoft for hybrid work.
“First, we are moving all employees off corporate networks and taking an internet-first approach. An internet-first approach reduces exposure and gives employees a consistent experience whether they are at home or in the office,” Nadella informed.
“Second, at home, we are asking all employees who continue to work remotely, either full or part time, to run a test of their home networks to ensure they are secure”.
He then emphasized device security.
“All corporate resources will be managed so that you have secure, trusted access. Whether employees are at home or in the office, we will require that every mobile device that needs to access corporate resources is managed. This includes a company-wide rollout of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint,” Nadella noted.
On people, Microsoft said it is prioritizing three things: social capital, knowledge capital, and human capital.
“The second area that will undergo transformation is places. In this new era of hybrid work, we will no longer rely solely on shared physical location or a campus to collaborate, connect, or build social capital. But that doesn’t mean physical places and spaces aren’t important. They will just need to be re-imagined,” the Microsoft CEO explained.
Every business process will be impacted by the move to hybrid, and every business function will need to transform.
“From product development and manufacturing to marketing, sales, customer service, and facilities, HR, and IT, every business process will need to be adjusted,” he added.
