The End of the Traditional Office - Citrix

How virtualization empowers remote workers while supporting your bottom line

According to the New York Times, almost 60% of American Adults that had to work from home due to the pandemic, now say they would like to work from home "as much as possible". 

Remote working was already increasing before the pandemic. Covid-19 accelerated the trend and now work from home has become the norm. Before the pandemic just 3.6% of the US workforce worked from home at least half of the time. It is expected that by the end of 2021, 25%-30% of the global workforce will work from home multiple days of the week.

There are three key drivers that are contributing to the increasing popularity of remote working:

1. Support from companies in all sectors 

Companies in all sectors and industries are embracing work from home models. It is not a solution limited to start ups. Tech giants Facebook and Twitter have announced that they will implement a hybrid model that will have a mix of onsite and remote employees. Traditional sectors like law, finance and real estate are also providing increased flexibility to employees in a effort to stay operational and keep employees happy. Organizations are re-evaluating their options and placing leases on hold as an increasing number of employees don't want to be in office 5 days a week. 

2. The need for re-designed office spaces

Over the past few decades hot-desks and open plan offices have become the norm. Cubicles are not as common and work stations are shared by several employees. Open offices allowed businesses to accommodate more employees in smaller work spaces. However, the need for physical distance brought on by Covid-19 will be the end of open offices. Business that want their employees to work on site will need to redesign their spaces to comply with social distancing requirements and to ensure employee health. The cost of such an endeavor can be significant.    

3. The risk of investing in office spaces

Investing in office spaces is a risky proposition in these uncertain times. Many organizations can't afford to expand or redesign their space. They would rather repurpose their existing space or downsize by allowing more people to work from home.

"The average office is empty or goes unused 55% of the time, costing companies $27,000 per desk each year." - Regus

Real estate is typically the second highest expense for a company after costs associated with staffing. Remote working has created an opportunity for business to significantly reduce or eliminate this cost. Organizations are recognizing the benefits of having a remote workforce. However, for work from home to be successful a business must provide employees with the right environment and infrastructure to be effective and productive.

Virtualization can be very useful for helping organizations provide remote workers with the right tools to be productive. Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops empower employees without compromising on a company's bottom line or security. Download this white paper to learn more about the changes landscape of the office and how Citrix's solutions can contribute during this change.

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