Perhaps the biggest change in business over the past two years has been the incredible rise in employees working remotely. While it may have been forced on many businesses because of the pandemic, many companies are willingly shifting operations to support a hybrid workforce that splits their time between home and office.
A study by Accenture showed that 83% of workers say they prefer a hybrid work model. High-growth organizations are listening. Sixty-three percent of top-performing companies have enabled productivity-anywhere workforce models.
So, as companies adopt (or consider) a hybrid workforce in 2022, they need to plan their IT network strategy to provide reliable and secure access and fuel productivity.
Optimize and Secure Networks for Hybrid Workers
Whether you completely virtualize your applications or host them locally, you are relying on the cloud more than ever. In most cases, employing a mix of software-as-a-service along with multicloud and hybrid cloud strategies helps extend resources to remote and hybrid workers and provides the same experience, whether they are in the office or working remotely.
This accessibility also creates more complex connections and significantly more threat vectors. You need to make sure that your network can handle diverse traffic efficiently and securely.
Deploy an SD-WAN Solution
Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solutions enable you to prioritize traffic and ensure the optimal use of network resources, regardless of where your employees are working. SD-WAN provides a centralized way to manage resources and security on the edge across branch locations or multiple sites, as well as those employees working remotely.
SD-WAN benefits your WAN infrastructure by providing control at the application level to optimize performance. Because SD-WAN is application-aware, it can actively manage network traffic to provide the best quality of experience for users.
For example, SD-WAN solutions can prioritize real-time applications that require low latency, such as voice calls or videoconferencing. SD-WAN can also distinguish business-critical operations (such as keeping your website or e-commerce site up and running) from low-priority traffic (such as handling backups).
Dynamic routing finds the most effective pathway for network traffic and can automatically shift routes to avoid congestion, without users seeing any disruption in service.
Other SD-WAN benefits include:
- Enhanced security. Integrated next-generation firewall, URL filtering, intrusion prevention and antivirus protection extend network security to employees working anywhere.
- Microsegmentation. SD-WAN enables you to segment your network to prevent the unauthorized access or lateral movement of sensitive data.
- Centralized control. From a single portal interface, you have command and control of your entire network, including edge devices.
- Greater visibility. You get total visibility into applications, devices, users and network resources to meet business goals.
The LOGIX SD-WAN solution delivers, with intelligent traffic prioritization to optimize performance and secure access for a remote and hybrid workforce.
Ensure the Reliability of Business Internet
If your internet connectivity speed wavers or service goes down entirely, it can frustrate employees and customers and be a productivity killer.
Because hybrid workers will put increasing demands on network resources, the need for reliable and fast business internet only increases, requiring business fiber connections that provide optimal uptime, throughput and performance.
LOGIX Fiber Networks has more than 300,000 fiber miles and serves more than 3,000 enterprise buildings and 10,000 businesses. With symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps, a state-of-the-art backbone, diverse Tier-1 internet peering points and multiple fiber rings in major Texas markets, you get the most reliable business internet available.
You also need a scalable business internet solution. To increase internet speeds or upgrade your connectivity, you want to scale quickly with minimal effort.
Adopt a Business Phone Solution for Hybrid Workers
Hybrid workers require communication tools that travel with them. Because they are splitting time between the office and remote work, they need to have the same advanced calling features to optimize productivity and serve customers.
With soft clients and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), employees can use laptops, smartphones or desktops to connect with your business phone system and the calling features that they need. This keeps hybrid workers connected and using company resources rather than their own.
Trying to prepare your IT infrastructure to meet the needs of a hybrid workforce? SD-WAN, business internet and business phone services from LOGIX Fiber Networks can improve network connectivity and facilitate efficient and secure communications. Contact LOGIX today to request a quote.