Hybrid offices the way forward for UK SMEs post-Covid

As proof that home working during the coronavirus pandemic has changed business practices, over half of UK businesses say they will have a ‘hybrid’ workforce by next summer, according to new research.

In a survey of 1,000 business owners by cyber security specialist Nexor, 9% of respondents said they have already transitioned to a hybrid model. Meanwhile 45% said they plan to do so over the next 12 months.

However, the research also indicated that many business owners still have concerns around moving into flexible workspaces. These were largely around cyber security. The respondents expressed worries about working from different office spaces making them feel more vulnerable to cyber attacks.

The new normal

The flexible office industry had undoubtedly been growing pre-Covid. In 2018, a report by The Instant Group found that between October 2017 and October 2018, the number of flexible office centres in the UK tracked rose to 5,320. That’s a growth of 10% across the country in just one year.

However, the research by Nexor found that only 3% of bosses said they’ve always had a distributed workforce, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on the world of work.

Part of the attraction is the savings that flexible working can offer SMEs. Looser contract terms means prices are lower compared to full-time office rental costs. It is also more attractive for workers, the majority of whom have engaged in and enjoyed home working for the past 18 months.

What’s stopping SMEs from going hybrid?

The sizeable number of small business owners who say they are planning to make the change to a hybrid office are not without their reservations.

A loss in productivity was touted as the biggest concern for one in three UK employers that Nexor surveyed. Other worries mentioned in the research included:

• Maintaining an even playing field where all employees feel they have an opportunity to progress (28%)
• Communication (24%)
• Managing split teams effectively (24%)
• Collaboration (20%)
• Cyber security (18%)

When it comes to cyber security, four in ten bosses admit their biggest challenge is ensuring their business is sufficiently protected. A further 23% said their main hurdle is knowing where to start, or being able to afford adequate cyber protection.

During coronavirus, more staff members engaged in remote or home working. Having less secure network connections made them more vulnerable to hacking and phishing scams, leading to an increase in cyber attacks.

Looking ahead to 2022, 63% of employers will be increasing their cyber security budget. A further one in ten (41%) will be investing in a stand-alone cyber insurance policy over the next 12 months.

What cybersecurity measures should SMEs take when hybrid working?

The biggest cyber security measure entrepreneurs look to implement within their company over the next 12 months is more staff training. Hiring a security consultant, adding extra firewalls, employing higher levels of encryption and making two-factor authentication were also popular.

Nexor’s research found that one in five bosses give their employees cyber security training once a month. However, the same amount admit their employees have never had any cyber security training. If they had, it was only when they first joined the company. It is recommended that businesses refresh their team’s knowledge at least once a year

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