The nature of work has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. Organizations embraced cloud computing and collaboration technologies, and the pandemic spurred widespread adoption of remote and hybrid work styles.

These shifts represent more than a change in workplace culture.

Although many large enterprises and government agencies are requiring employees to return to the office, remote work remains a fixture of the modern workplace. For many small to midsize organizations, remote work provides access to a larger talent pool and the ability to extend operations over a wider geography.

In a recent study by the Ponemon Institute, 54 percent of respondents said the volume of cyberattacks has increased over the past 12 months, with almost half of those reporting a significant increase. Security experts say the surge is due in large part to the transition to a remote workforce.

After a couple of years of supporting remote workforces, most organizations felt quite prepared for the transition to a hybrid work model in which employees split their time between onsite and office work. However, many are finding that disjointed communication environments are making it more difficult than they imagined.

According to a recent Techaisle survey, software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) adoption is expected to grow 145 percent among small-to-midsize businesses (SMBs). While just 10 percent of SMBs are currently using SD-WAN solutions, 25 percent are planning SD-WAN deployments.

According to a recent Gallup poll, about half of the U.S. full-time workforce say their jobs can be done remotely, at least on a part-time basis. Forty-two percent of those working remotely have a hybrid schedule, while 39 percent work from home full-time.

The virtual contact center is here to stay. The transition to remote operations has been so successful that 77 percent of customer service organizations surveyed recently by Deloitte are either adopting or accelerating their work-from-home programs — and 80 percent plan to close their physical contact centers entirely.

One of the great challenges of remote work is that at-home employees are quite likely to encounter technical problems they can’t resolve themselves. They need responsive IT support to remain productive, but only the largest organizations are likely to have the resources necessary to provide around-the-clock remote support for scattered workforces.

Comfy clothes. No traffic jams. Fewer interruptions. Flexible schedule. Stocked refrigerator. These are some of the reasons why most people say they’ve enjoyed the remote-work experience, have remained productive and would like to continue working from home, at least on a part-time basis.

Odd as it may seem now, just a few years ago business leaders debated whether employees should be allowed to use mobile phones for work. Many worried that the practice would reduce productivity, increase stress and create potential security risks.

That debate is over.