With the shift towards remote and hybrid work settings, IT professionals are coping with an array of new challenges, ranging from inconsistent home Wi-Fi setups to underperforming ISP quality, and the difficulties that typically arise when workers are far away from the applications they need. IT teams are adjusting to this new remote and hybrid world and taking measures to tackle these issues head-on.
Their goal?
To ensure a secure and productive end-user experience.
Because, when it comes to remote and hybrid work, a smooth and efficient IT infrastructure is the key to success.
The Top IT Challenges in Remote and Hybrid Workplaces
We conducted a recent survey of over 350 IT professionals with Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) to understand the new challenges facing IT teams and remote network users. The study found that poor home Wi-Fi setups are a significant problem, affecting the productivity of remote workers. Distance from applications and poor ISP quality were also listed as notable concerns. These challenges have driven organizations to rethink their network strategies and invest in solutions that can provide reliable connectivity for their remote workforce.
The Solutions
To tackle the issue of poor home Wi-Fi setups, 72% of organizations are deploying network hardware to their employees’ homes. This strategy not only provides reliable connectivity but also enables IT teams to monitor and manage home networks effectively.
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The report reveals that the surge in remote work has increased the demand for bandwidth. To meet this demand, 90% of organizations with hybrid workers had to upgrade their Wi-Fi networks. This investment has paid off, ensuring consistent and reliable connectivity for their remote workforce.
Other steps companies can take to improve the remote work experience:
- Unify Network Access Policies: Another critical measure taken by organizations is the unification of network access policies across on-premises networks and remote users. This step ensures that security measures and access controls are consistently applied, regardless of where the user is working from.
- Deploy Network Technologies: The types of network hardware that organizations are deploying to employees’ homes include network security devices and Wi-Fi access points. While VPNs remain the standard for remote access, newer technologies such as secure access service edge (SASE) and secure direct access to public clouds are gaining popularity.
- Invest in Monitoring and Troubleshooting Tools: VPN access issues and SaaS application performance problems continue to plague remote users. To address these problems, organizations are investing in improving their network and endpoint monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
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Delivering a Seamless Network Experience
IT teams may no longer own all the assets utilized daily by employees, but they remain responsible for these operations. Despite not being able to directly exert control over employees’ home networks, they can have visibility over these environments with network monitoring tools. Implementing network visibility software helps IT professionals overcome these new obstacles by providing the ability to maintain visibility and control amid changing work circumstances.
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The findings highlighted here underscore the importance of addressing the identified challenges to minimize IT headaches and create a secure and productive environment for remote and hybrid workers. By upgrading Wi-Fi networks, unifying network access policies, deploying network hardware, and investing in robust monitoring and troubleshooting tools, organizations can ensure a seamless network experience for their remote workforce. This not only enhances productivity but also reduces the burden on IT teams, leading to a more efficient organization.
