As the world becomes more connected and technology continues to advance, hybrid working – where employees work in the office and at home, or at another location, is becoming an increasingly popular way of conducting business. Housing associations are no exception to this trend, as they face unique challenges such as managing multiple locations, coordinating with contractors, and providing support to residents.
In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of hybrid working for housing organisations, the considerations to take into account when implementing hybrid working, and how you can overcome the challenges encountered.
Benefits of hybrid working for housing associations
Hybrid working can offer many benefits to housing associations and their employees, including the below:
- One of the main benefits is increased flexibility and work-life balance. By allowing employees to split their time between working in the office and remotely, housing associations can provide their employees with greater control over their schedules, which can help reduce stress and increase job satisfaction.
- This in turn, can lead to improved employee retention. By offering flexible work arrangements, housing associations can attract and retain top talent who prioritise a good work-life balance. This can reduce turnover costs and ensure that housing associations retain their most valuable employees.
- Another benefit is increased productivity. Research has shown that remote workers often work more efficiently and are less prone to distractions than those who work in an office environment. Hybrid working can therefore help housing associations to boost employee productivity and achieve better results.
- Housing associations can also benefit from reduced overhead costs by implementing hybrid working. Without the need for all employees to be present in the office at all times, housing associations can reduce expenses such as rent, utilities, and other related costs. This can free up resources for investment in other areas, such as employee training or improving services for residents.
- Hybrid working can also help to improve diversity and inclusion within housing associations. By offering flexible work arrangements, housing associations can attract individuals from diverse backgrounds or from further afield who may not be able to work traditional office hours or locations.
- Finally, hybrid working can contribute to a more sustainable future. By allowing employees to work remotely, housing associations can reduce the environmental impact associated with commuting, such as carbon emissions and traffic congestion.
Key Challenges
While hybrid work policies can be beneficial for employees and employers alike, they also require careful consideration and planning.
- One of the biggest challenges is providing secure and reliable access to company networks and data for remote workers. This requires implementing appropriate security measures, such as multifactor authentication and virtual private networks (VPNs), to ensure that only authorised users can access sensitive information.
- Another challenge is ensuring that employees have the necessary hardware and software to work effectively from home. This includes providing laptops, monitors, and other peripherals, as well as ensuring that employees have access to software and tools needed to perform their jobs.
- Housing associations must also ensure that their IT systems are scalable and can support a large number of remote users without compromising performance or security. This can involve upgrading hardware and software, implementing cloud-based solutions, and optimising network infrastructure.
- Effective communication and collaboration among hybrid workers can also pose a challenge for housing associations. They must ensure that employees have access to appropriate communication and collaboration tools, such as video conferencing software and project management platforms, to ensure that they can communicate effectively and stay on top of their work.
- Another challenge is managing and supporting remote workers' IT needs. Housing associations must ensure that employees have access to IT support resources, such as helpdesk services or online support, and that these resources are equipped to handle a wide range of technical issues that may arise.
- Finally, housing associations must ensure that they comply with all relevant data protection and privacy regulations when implementing hybrid working. This may include implementing appropriate security measures, such as encryption and access controls, and ensuring that confidential data is only accessible to authorised personnel.
How IT Outsourcing can help
Outsourcing IT to a managed service provider (MSP) can be an effective strategy for housing associations looking to implement, secure and manage hybrid working. MSPs offer a range of services that can help housing associations to leverage the benefits of hybrid working while minimising the associated risks and challenges.
These include:
- Providing secure and reliable access - An MSP can provide housing associations with secure and reliable access to company networks and data no matter where employees are working from. This can include implementing multifactor authentication and virtual private networks (VPNs) to ensure that only authorised users can access sensitive information.
- Managing hardware and software - MSPs can help housing associations manage the hardware and software needs of their remote workers, ensuring that they have the necessary tools to work effectively from home. This can include providing laptops, monitors, and other peripherals, as well as ensuring that employees have access to software and tools needed to perform their jobs.
- Scalability and performance - MSPs can help housing associations ensure that their IT systems are scalable and can support a large number of remote users without compromising performance or security. This can involve upgrading hardware and software, implementing cloud-based solutions, and optimising network infrastructure.
- Communication and collaboration - MSPs can help housing associations to implement effective communication and collaboration tools that support hybrid working. This can include video conferencing software, project management platforms, and other collaboration tools that enable remote workers to communicate and collaborate effectively.
- IT support and maintenance - MSPs can provide housing associations with IT support resources, such as helpdesk services or online support, ensuring that employees have access to timely and effective technical support.
- Compliance and security - MSPs can help housing associations comply with all relevant data protection and privacy regulations when implementing hybrid working. This may include implementing appropriate security measures, such as encryption and access controls, and ensuring that confidential data is only accessible to authorised personnel.
By outsourcing IT to an MSP, housing associations can leverage the expertise and resources of a dedicated IT partner, allowing them to focus on their core mission of providing high-quality services to their residents. With the right MSP partner, housing associations can implement, secure and manage hybrid working in a way that supports productivity, flexibility, and employee satisfaction, while also maintaining security and compliance.
Interested to learn how we can support your organisation? Get in touch today.
At Advanced, we understand that every industry faces unique challenges and requires tailored IT services to meet specific needs. With extensive cross-sector experience, Advanced are able to support, design, implement and manage your IT environment and empower your organisation. Learn more about our IT Services for Housing Associations.
