WFA stands for Work From Anywhere.
One step on from the Work From Home system, WFA incorporates the concepts of:
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Homeworking
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Office working
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Hybrid working
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Working in the field
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Remote working aboard
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Working on-site
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Working while commuting
WFA represents the philosophy of true working flexibility for employees. However, it is not only staff who can benefit from a WFA ethos. Businesses also can accumulate the best talent available both locally and anywhere in the world if they take the tenants of WFA seriously. It allows them to tap into the remotely located talent and absorb it without making anyone relocate.
WFA On The Rise
The WFA mindset has definitely been championed by digital nomad culture in recent years. Yet it was the pandemic and the enforced increase in home working that really highlighted to businesses just how feasible WFA could be.
Businesses had no choice but to allow home working and later hybrid working due to lockdowns. Having had no other recourse and seeing positive results, many businesses are ready to embrace the tangible company advantages of WFA staff. Meanwhile, employees have enjoyed the additional freedoms and work/life balance and will be unwilling to relinquish them.
WFA Challenges
One of the biggest fears from businesses, in regard to WFH and WFA, is the idea of productivity. While employees can be monitored and supervised in an office setting, this dissipates if they are working elsewhere.
Employers fear that staff will be distracted in their homes. Interestingly, distraction is not the reason that workers can lose focus. In fact, productivity tends to increase at home as there is less office noise and interruptions. Employees also feel the psychological pressure to prove they are capable of working from home and so tend to work even harder and longer. The lack of a commute aids this mentality at well.
One barrier to WFA productivity is down to tech. Yet systems like DaaS and included hardware deployment programmes, such as Apple Business Manager and Microsoft Autopilot can make WFA seamless and effective for employers and employees.
Why Is Tech A Barrier To WFA Success?
Outdated technology prevents staff from doing their best work. It can also be a genuine distraction thanks to social media. Slow machines, poor cyber security, and a lack of management are all to the detriment of work.
Luckily, solutions like DaaS and hardware deployment systems have completely solved this stumbling block.
How Does DaaS And Deployment Systems Champion WFA?
DaaS, like Hardsoft’s Devices For Teams, enables businesses to put the latest devices in staff’s hands.
By leasing, you gain access to the most up to date technology, while premium DaaS packages have built-in upgrades. With DaaS, you can take advantage of these upgrades at any time. The result is that your workforce has access to powerful, efficient devices with relevant, sophisticated software for their specific needs.
DaaS suppliers like Hardsoft will also help with adding new devices to MDMs, giving businesses granular control over the applications utilised by the device. There’s no need to worry about monitoring staff when you can remotely manage the device.
Deployment systems, such as Apple Business Manager and Microsoft Autopilot have allowed hardware suppliers to order, register and completely set up devices remotely. The hardware is then directly deployed to the staff even at their homes. This saves time, money and has enabled WFA to flourish.
When ordering, configuring, and shipping devices is merely at the touch of a button from a remote location, the possibilities from WFA culture are significant.
Andrew Morgan is Co-Founder of HardSoft Computers, where he’s spent over 30 years driving innovation in tech leasing. With a focus on making IT solutions flexible and accessible, Andrew leads strategy across product development, SEO, and digital marketing.
He’s passionate about helping businesses thrive with the right technology and regularly shares insights on the HardSoft blog.
LinkedIn: Andrew Morgan
Email: [email protected]