Vertiv, a company that provides critical support equipment and services for commercial IT infrastructure power and cooling solutions, advises small businesses to strengthen their core infrastructure to support hybrid work setups.

Because the new generation of workers in the Philippines values their time, the introduction of hybrid and remote working arrangements was a welcome option for them. And this is not limited to employees in the Philippine capital.

The growing number of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Cebu and Davao also offer hybrid and remote work arrangements.

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Vertiv cited the Cebu Salary Report 2023, which says that Cebuanos experience better levels of happiness and engagement at work when companies offer remote work. Hybrid setups, on the other hand, are expected to not go away soon, as well in Davao City as its IT-BPM industry eyes doubling its workforce by 2028. 

Supporting innovation and new technologies

“With the growing demand to cater to the new generation of workers that enjoys remote and hybrid working arrangements, SMEs should be able to improve their infrastructure, ensure uptime and business continuity, and invest in adequate infrastructure to establish seamless communication, collaboration, and productivity,” said Jason Lim, country manager, Vertiv Philippines.  

To help SMEs as they start embracing flexibility and driving productivity by supporting innovation and new technologies, Vertiv shared these key factors that businesses can consider as part of their strategies:   

Improve IT infrastructure and ensure uptime. Since hybrid and remote working setups mostly happen between the time and space of the employee, they usually work on their own. The danger with this is that there is no assurance that the household where they reside can support the day-to-day operations.  

That is why it is better to safeguard this by equipping them with Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) that can ensure business operation uptime. Its primary purpose is to provide backup power during unprecedented service electrical outages, which protects critical systems from downtime, data loss, and equipment damage.  

The wide array of UPS solutions Vertiv offers is perfect even for SMEs. Like the Vertiv Liebert GXE UPS that is compact yet has a high output power factor that enables more connected loads, which saves space and costs. 

Embrace technological advancements that can enhance work processes. Hybrid and remote working arrangements might be similar, but the former has more demands that companies must address. Hybrid means employees must still report to the office with flexible weekly schedules. Even if the employees still utilize their equipment at home, businesses, even if part of SMEs, should be able to sustain an adequate infrastructure to live up to the dynamic needs of on-site employees. 

To do this, Vertiv offers SmartCabinet, which provides all the supporting infrastructure needed to successfully deploy a business’s distributed IT equipment. Using the SmartCabinet solution, companies can quickly establish a standardized rack system that simplifies deployment, integrates essential infrastructure, maximizes uptime, and protects assets. 

Ensure seamless communication and collaboration to drive productivity. Lastly, companies should promote active communication and cooperation among team members. Addressing the challenges with virtual communication, team collaboration, and fostering a sense of belonging between remote and hybrid teams is crucial. Companies can do this by streamlining all schedules in one calendar and utilizing messaging tools. 

And to ensure that communication lines will always be open between the management and the team members, the company must be ready to provide infrastructure solutions to ensure uptime, which a UPS can deliver. UPS doesn’t always have to be significant in scale because Vertiv has comprehensive options, varying on what’s best for the employees and the company. 

Indeed, the global workforce has experienced a significant transformation that changed their working behavior. The convergence of technological advancements, changing employee expectations, and the need for business continuity have accelerated the shift towards flexible work models and urged companies, even SMEs, to adapt.