Borderless offices: exploring the future of work
When the global pandemic hit, businesses had to get creative. Many adopted a remote work model, but some became completely borderless. This article looks at the concept of a borderless office, its pros and cons, and how to make it work.
What is a borderless office?
In short, a borderless office is a business that is not tied to a physical location. Companies that have remote or hybrid work policies often require their employees to commute to the office, or at least be in a certain time zone. Borderless offices embrace a ‘work-from-anywhere’ model where employees can work from any location, worldwide.
What are the benefits of a borderless office?
Access to global talent
A work-from-anywhere approach means that borderless offices can recruit talent from anywhere. This means they have far more candidates to choose from and can find the right person for the job more efficiently. This flexibility is especially valuable in today's competitive job market where skilled workers are in high demand.
Hiring globally also improves workforce diversity. When companies bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, it often helps improve innovation and creativity.
Additionally, companies that allow their employees to work remotely are more appealing to seekers. According to McKinsey, a remote work policy is one of the top three most important company benefits, coming in behind salary and career advancement opportunities. This means borderless offices not only have more choices when hiring but are also likely to attract better.
Employee wellbeing
Allowing employees to work from anywhere can improve their wellbeing. Along with cutting the need to commute, it also helps them handle personal commitments and avoid stress. For instance, parents can more easily balance the needs of their children with work demands. Read more about remote work and parenting here.
Additionally, borderless offices give employees the flexibility to focus on their physical health. They can easily schedule doctor appointments and have more time to focus on eating healthier and exercising. Healthier employees perform better and are less likely to miss work due to illness.
Increased job satisfaction and productivity
Studies show that employees who have the choice to work remotely are significantly happier, with some research suggesting up to a 20% increase in happiness. When employees are happy and satisfied with their work, they are less likely to want to leave. Low employee turnover helps companies save on the considerable costs of recruiting and training new staff members.
Cost savings
Along with potentially reducing expenses by avoiding staff turnover, borderless offices cut costs by cutting the need for office space and equipment. Considering the substantial cost of renting or buying office space in most capital cities, this can lead to significant savings.
24/7 operations
A borderless office lets companies run smoothly across different time zones, which is great for serving global markets and providing 24/7 support.
Reduced environmental impact
In a borderless office, employees don’t have to drive or take public transportation to work. This cuts down on CO2 emissions and helps curb environmental pollution.
What challenges does a borderless office face?
Security risks
In borderless office environments, remote employees often do things that put their company's network security at risk. One example is using unsecured personal devices to access company systems. Another example is the download and use of software without the oversight of their IT team.
Unauthorized hardware and software usage bypasses the scrutiny and monitoring of a company’s IT department. As a result, unmonitored assets don’t receive centrally managed updates, patch protection measures, or other security measures put in place by the IT department. Without adequate protection, these assets become prime targets for cybercriminals.
A recent report by Kaspersky found that around one in ten cyberattacks are the result of hackers targeting unmonitored IT assets.
Another security challenge for borderless offices is unsecured public Wi-Fi. Employees working from cafes, for example, risk joining a network that is not secure. This means that sensitive data passed between their device and the server is vulnerable.
Non-compliance
Unmonitored assets also cause serious compliance issues. For example, unmonitored software might not adhere to regulatory standards, such as GDPR. Fines for breaching compliance regulations can be significant — as much as EUR €20 million for GDPR noncompliance.
Lack of cybersecurity awareness
A lack of cybersecurity awareness among employees can put borderless offices at risk. Working remotely brings with it new threats; however, research suggests that one in three companies do not provide cybersecurity training for employees who work remotely.
Poor collaboration
Coming together to effectively manage projects can be challenging for teams when individuals are spread out across multiple locations. Time zone differences often prevent real-time collaboration, delaying responses and decision-making. For managers, it can also be difficult to keep track of individual tasks.
Team bonding
Even though apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams make communication easy, employees in borderless offices are at risk of feeling isolated. According to a 2023 report, 23% of remote workers reported loneliness as an issue.
How to create a successful borderless office
Secure remote work environments
Unmonitored software and hardware assets in borderless offices leave security gaps that become targets for cybercriminals. To reduce the risks associated with unmonitored IT assets, borderless offices must have the right tools in place.
By implementing a comprehensive asset management and discovery solution, IT teams can easily scan the company network and find unmonitored assets that would otherwise remain hidden. Once found, these assets can be cataloged, managed, and updated to ensure they are less vulnerable to cyberattacks.
IT asset discovery also provides information on whether devices and systems are being used in alignment with internal policies, vendor terms and conditions, and applicable regulations. Access to this information helps businesses stay compliant and avoid unwanted fines and legal headaches.
Train staff and implement IT policies
Cybersecurity training sessions using video conferencing are an effective way to ensure remote workers have the knowledge and tools they need to protect company assets from cyber threats. Regular sessions help emphasize the importance of security protocols and best practices.
Implementing cybersecurity policies is also important. For example, policies relating to password strength or the use of public Wi-Fi.
Provide work-life boundaries and opportunities to connect
When employees work remotely, the lines between work and personal time can easily blur. To help with this, borderless offices should create clear policies. They can also offer guides or workshops on time management and how to set limits. By doing this, borderless offices ensure that their employees are enjoying the opportunity to work from anywhere. In turn, this improves productivity and job satisfaction.
Having clear rules about remote work can also help companies stay out of legal trouble and make sure everyone is treated fairly. Clear policies and proper record-keeping also help companies prove that they are following workplace regulations
To prevent employees from feeling isolated, it is important for borderless offices to organize regular events that bring teams together and promote relationship building.
Give employees the technology they need
Remote workers should have access to the technology they need to do their work, but not if it means sacrificing cybersecurity. For borderless offices, software is often a dilemma. On the one hand, giving employees the freedom to download and use the software they want has been shown to improve productivity. On the other hand, unmonitored software assets can create security vulnerabilities.
Another benefit of asset management and discovery solutions is that it lets borderless offices adopt a 'business-led IT' approach. With a robust solution in place, IT teams can effectively monitor and manage software usage, while allowing employees to access and use the software they need.
Summary
Borderless offices let their employees work from anywhere. This allows them to tap into global talent and reduce costs. Yet, they also face challenges like cybersecurity risks and team collaboration. To be successful, borderless offices need to implement the right cybersecurity technology and train their staff on how to work securely and effectively.
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