Print.IT Reseller - issue 83

PRINTITRESELLER.UK 45 VOX POP continued... emerging healthier than others. The print sector was already changing and the pandemic has only further reinforced this need for change and highlighted that this process needs to happen faster. “Our clients are a collection of people and clearly the pandemic has changed us all in some way. In the workplace, people have learnt new things quickly and done what humans do the best – adapted. There will be a shift towards more flexible working and the balance between office and home will be different for different businesses – but it will be critical to retain staff whilst maintaining productivity and culture. “We want our people to return to the office for a vast majority of the time for the next six months to re-cement the relationships with colleagues, hone team spirit and work on our strategic direction. After that, there will be a move to much more flexible and agile working. As our clients work differently, we need the flexibility of our people to match our customers changing demands.” www.sharp.co.uk Tony Wills, Country Director, Document Solutions, Canon UK & Ireland “The workspace landscape has rapidly evolved and the reality for many businesses is that the central office has not been the main working location for quite some time. As we look towards a post-COVID world, it is unlikely that most of us will be working from the office all of the time. Instead, employees will increasingly be moving between different environments, including working from home. However, a survey by YouGov revealed that 41 per cent of employees have an ‘inappropriate’ working environment at home. It is therefore important that the new hybrid working model is supported by technology solutions that facilitate seamless communication and collaboration across a distributed workforce. “For many businesses, the cloud will be the backbone of their new working models. It allows teams to collaborate using tools such as video conferencing, messaging and shared drives. A cloud ecosystem can bring employees closer, building efficient workflows and equalising employees irrespective of their location. “Many businesses are still undergoing change, but to succeed in the future, they will also need to combine this transformation with robust cybersecurity practices. Companies should look to good. We were ready for lockdown on day one and we’ve introduced a hybrid working option for those that want it on our full return to work scheduled for the 21st of June. “We’re transforming our HQ to facilitate greater collaboration and social interaction by introducing new breakout spaces and hot desking areas for when social distancing fully eases. We want our people to make the most of face-to-face contact with colleagues after a year of video conferencing, while also having the option to work from home. We think this strikes the right balance between work output and the social cohesion of company culture. “Embracing this transition positions us well to support partners as they help customers adapt to hybrid working, we’ve already learnt the lessons of what you need to think about. Businesses are reviewing how they can provide employees with the technology they had in the office for their home set-up to boost productivity, which includes everything from high spec printers, to laptop risers, microphones and lighting. “Reseller-vendor partnerships have a key supporting role to play here, supplying solutions like cloud-enabled managed print services that allow IT leads to monitor devices in people’s homes as well as the office. “Clearly, many companies expect to adopt hybrid working arrangements at least in the short-term and there is a sizable opportunity for the print IT sector to help its customers in delivering them.” www.brother.co.uk Stuart Sykes, Managing Director, Sharp UK “The uncertain attitude of CEOs surrounding their businesses returning to normal shows the sheer unprecedented nature of the pandemic. The lasting effects of COVID-19 will definitely be sector and industry specific, with some Phil Jones Stuart Sykes Tony Wills Clearly, many companies expect to adopt hybrid working arrangements at least in the short- term and there is a sizable opportunity for the print IT sector to help its customers in delivering them