Hybrid working: The office in 2022 and beyond
Mark Ridley, former CTO of the FT, tells Computing that the way we use offices has likely changed forever, and that remote and hybrid working can benefit sustainability
The Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted almost every element of our lives, and we're unlikely to go back to full-time office-based work.
That's the opinion of Mark Ridley, founder of CTO advistory practise Ridley Industries and former CTO of the FT and former CIO of Reed.co.uk.
He explained that the big change we'll see in 2022 is around work culture and patterns.
"Whether we work in a hybrid way or fully remotely, we'll see a change in the way we train and learn, and the ways in which we engage with our employers and customers.
"There's a rush in some sectors to get back to the office, but we've broken that habit now and there won't be a full retun."
Ridley added that this can be seen in a positive light, given that the office is not conducive to certain types of work.
"The office is bad at some things and good at others. It's good for collaboration, but it's a net negative for productive work. It's better for some people to be at home and saving that commuting time."
He continued: "Hybrid working is here to stay which will transform how we use offices. Over the next two years you'll companies which haven't quite caught up with this trend going fully or part remote, though some industries like manufacturing and hospitality will of course be different.
Remote working will be seen as a perk of the job, and it will change the way we engage with our employers, it will change the tech we provide and the security we deploy."
Ridley said that this change will be simpler for those organisations who have already been through some form of digital transformation, and who are more cloud-enabled as a result.
"Companies who've been through digital transformation, are heavily invested in cloud, can basically flick a switch to move the employee base to fully remote."
He added that many questions around hybrid and remote working remain.
"Organisations need to realise when people are struggling, they need to think more about things like mindfulness, and support for onboarding. Then you have internships and apprenticeships, how do they work? We'll also find an increasing need for companies to be focused on their climate and sustainability impact, which will link with hybrid working. Organisations will need to think of their environmental footprint, their energy consumption and equipment that can be repaired rather than replaced.
"With the right strategy, remote and hybrid working can be a positive for sustainability."
Earlier Ridley warned IT leaders to be wary of the 'church of data'.
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