The new age of the remote employee is upon us. Close to half the workforce in the U.S. never worked from home before the worldwide healthcare crisis, Statista reports. Today, 44% work from home five days a week. Companies had to scramble to adapt their services and systems so that business could continue. Now, they are making significant long-term changes for a workplace that will never be the same. Under today’s circumstances virtual desktops will become more widespread – in some cases, even becoming the rule rather than the exception – as companies rethink their overall strategy for employee experience.
Cloud migration also has a role in driving the growth of the desktop virtualization market, which was valued at $6.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to nearly double by 2026, according to Mordor Intelligence.
There are many other factors in favor of moving to virtual desktops. One is that companies are broadening use of virtual desktops across their workforce to give employees more flexibility. Another is that they are making themselves attractive to a wider pool of remote talent with hard-to-find expertise who don’t want to move to take a job. Desktop virtualization is also a vital asset for providing business continuity.
Virtual desktops save costs, which has become a higher priority for many companies that need to offset the revenue declines they have experienced.
With a virtual desktop model, there’s less complexity for IT operations, especially when businesses partner with service providers to implement and operate fully managed end-to-end virtual desktop infrastructure and applications.
Addressing security concerns
IT security and policy compliance has always challenged desktop virtualization deployments and is probably one of the biggest reasons some companies have been hesitant to adopt it widely. With the ability to take advantage of the native Azure security features in Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), including multi-factor authentication, company leaders can be more confident about tightening security and compliance.
Assuring the right cyber-security foundation was in place for desktop virtualization was a major goal for one of our customers in the U.K. public sector, so that it could maintain compliance with its IT security standards and policies. We were able to address that issue for its 2,000-plus users with our Virtual Desktop and Application Services solution based on Azure-native WVD, which leverages our comprehensive virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and managed desktop virtualization and application service offerings including managed security services.
Our customer’s timeline and constraints called for us to move fast, and we deployed a turnkey solution that included design and implementation – as well as ongoing support – in just 6 weeks. Now the project is expanding to increase the number of business applications and the organization has the flexibility to quickly and easily expand the solution for more users.
Recently we became one of the first Microsoft partners to receive the WVD Microsoft Advanced Specialization certification, which recognizes our expertise in deploying, optimizing, and securing VDI on Azure with WVD. This attests to our understanding and experience in helping businesses create the right VDI design and model – public cloud or hybrid deployments – for WVD. We’re proud of this recognition and validation of DXC as a trusted provider to deliver a comprehensive solution for WVD environments.
One of my ex-colleagues left her job to move to a new organization in Feb 2020. She worked in her new workplace for one month before the world shut down. Just like everyone, her entire organization shifted to remote. A few weeks into the lockdown, I called her to catch up. We talked about random things and she told me that she badly missed Anteelo– the people, the culture, and the feeling of oneness.It wasn’t that her current organization didn’t have a good culture. No. In fact, she was happy in her new role. Her peers were friendly, the work was challenging, and her leader was supportive. She just missed the camaraderie in her new workplace.
My friend is one of those rare people who kickstarts conversations, takes initiatives, and makes friends easily. But in the new organization, she felt limited by the barriers created by remote work. Before lockdown, she hardly got much time to bond with her colleagues and now in the lockdown, whenever she tried a new initiative, it crashed after leaving her circle of influence (which by the way was limited to her team). All of this despritied her.
And she isn’t alone.
The feeling of ‘I don’t have any friends at work’, ‘I still feel like a stranger in a foreign land’, ‘I don’t think anyone likes me here’, is quite common. And though, it’s normal to feel these emotions in the initial few months when people are settling in, but beyond that, they are a RED FLAG.
A dissatisfied new hire is like a person standing at the edge of a mountain. We can’t let them slip.
One of the solutions to tackle this problem is to spend more time onboarding them — defining the relationship with the new hire sets the right foundation.
A good onboarding practice ensures that the new hire is aligned with the vision of the organization and has enough resources and support to wade through the nitty gritty of how things work in the organization. A good onboarding is like a first impression. If you get it right at the honeymoon phase, you’re likely to be together for a long time.
But all this was easy when a new hire joined in a physical workplace. The part where they met their peers, received a warm welcome at their desk, participated in onboarding rituals, all of this added a personal touch to their onboarding experience. If they had any concerns, they could easily reach out to people, or ask for help. Their problems were addressed in real-time, and were given importance (and precedence) over other regular day-tasks.
Those were old days. Sigh!
In the new world order, the physical distance has posed a new challenge to integrate the new hires into the organization’s soul. So how does one ensure that the new hires receive the same (or even better) virtual onboarding experience and feel welcomed.
I can share a few changes we made to Anteelo’ onboarding process. It’s not bullet-proof. But I like the fact that we acted fast and made changes well in time.
Interact with the new hires before they join
In the new normal, we started a new practice– after new hires accepted the offer to join the organization, we spent some time connecting with them informally. We shared our excitement about welcoming them in the team. We also gave them an overview of the project they’ll be working on and shared a little bit about the existing team members so that they knew whom they’ll be working with.
If you wish to imbibe this practice, you can add some extra elements like talking to them about their expectations, their feelings about joining your organization and so on. The idea is to make them comfortable and let them know you’re expecting them to join your tribe soon.
Involve the existing team members in the onboarding process
In the old normal, team members were the first ones that got acquainted with the new joinee. The team was responsible for making sure they went together on lunch and coffee breaks and made the person comfortable.
In the virtual setup, none of this is possible. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make efforts to make the new hire feel welcomed. At Anteelo, we tackled this problem by taking turns on video calls and talking to the new team members on their first day. Every time a new Quant joined our team, we asked him/her about their day, and if they needed any help.
These are little things, and you might feel that you’re interrupting/disturbing the new person. But it’s the only way to ensure that he/she feels comfortable in the new setup.
Give them a virtual tour of your office
We all are itching to go back to our cozy nook in the office, to feel the warmth of workplace vibes, to smile, greet, bump into each other. Imagine the enormity of this itch in new hires– how does my new workplace look, where would I sit when I join the office, would there be a coffee machine, a foosball table, a breakout area?
I bet there are other questions too that they go through in their mind while making the decision to switch. One of the solutions that we discovered is giving a virtual tour of the office through videos/photos. It not only settles their curiosity and piques their interest, but also helps build familiarity with the organization.
Retrospect on your onboarding kit
Earlier our onboarding kit consisted of a laptop, a bag and a notebook. We thought of it as a whole because our other practices complemented the physical kit. We spent hours talking to the new hire– introducing them to everyone, aligning them to their peers, and being with them through every step of the onboarding.
This year, we asked ourselves– what else can we add in the virtual onboarding kit so that it brings a smile on their face? We wanted to keep the gesture small but impactful. So we designed a greeting card that welcomes the new team member and added a small potted plant in the virtual onboarding kit.
The card has a message to welcome them to our team. The potted plant is a gesture of how we wish to see them grow with us, just like the plant. It’s a small change, and we’re happy everyone likes it (so far).
Set up a central repository of resources
The shift to the remote setup was abrupt. But, it made us realize the mistakes we were making earlier. We realized that it’s unfair to expect new people to remember everything. Going through all the information related to the organization in one go is exhausting.
So we made the shift to a digital setup by making a central repository of every information. Everything is now available on Zepplin — be it leave guidelines, WFH manual or core values of our organization. We let our new team members be the owner of how, when and through what medium they want to access information.
Engage with them regularly
A regular practice to engage with new team members is to give them a stack of PDFs, videos, and presentations about the organization. It’s easy to consider that the new team member will find what they need from this Pandora box of information.
We made a shift in our mindset. We started engaging with our new team members regularly through weekly, monthly 1:1s and began asking them how it was going. By making them participate in pop quizzes and activities around our practices and vision, we eased out their familiarity with the organization.
Couple them with a work-buddy
A buddy at work is like a friend who can steer you through a freshman party and help you make new friends. At Anteelo, we always had the buddy system. In the remote setup, being a buddy to a new hire turned out to be an even bigger responsibility.
So we tweaked the guidelines a bit and motivated the work-buddy to be more open, approachable, and proactive in their conversations with the new Quant.
Apart from these virtual onboarding practices, you can even leverage social media to your advantage. By welcoming people on your social media platforms, introducing them in your network, you send them a message that you’re welcoming them wholeheartedly.
Good onboarding practices help you retain the talent for a much longer period. So, make sure a new hire’s first few months are positive and productive.
For a few years now technology has been a driving force behind innovations in the real estate sector. But when it comes to complete digitalization, real estate tech has not been one of the pacesetters.
A situation that the industry was forced to correct in 2020.
COVID-19 driven traveling restrictions and the fact that it brought open houses to a halt brought the usage of technology to the forefront, marking a new beginning for several real estate tech firms on the way.
As the present situation stands, the longer the pandemic stays, the greater will be the chances of digitalization efforts sticking with the real estate software development process in the long run. For an industry whose technology adoption spotlight was substituting home viewing with a video, the technological advancements in store will be nothing less than a true revolution.
When you look at these forced real estate technology advancements from a real estate tech firm front, will be nothing less than good news. By using next-ge technologies like Blockchain, AI, AR/VR, etc. the proptech industry will be able to keep its growth momentum intact.
Let us, deep-dive, into the state of real estate and technology combination and how it is setting a new trend for the real estate technology startups – one that would continue post-pandemic.
The pandemic has dramatically expedited the merger of real estate and technology in a way that the sector is on the path of becoming contactless and technologically rich. With a plethora of new efficiencies been brought about by technological innovations, the functioning of property management stands to change for the good.
Here are some of the most glaring technologies which are helping the sector sail through the coronavirus crisis:
1. Automation of business practices
One of the most important and yet common examples of technology in the real estate industry has been the arrival of automation. Touted as the by-product of artificial intelligence in real estate, automation can be seen across marketing, engagement practices, and business processes. Here are a few automation areas that have risen in popularity during the pandemic:
Lead generation through website forms
Omni-channel syncing of leads
Lead nurturing through drip emails or automated workflows
Transaction and tasks management
Financial and accounts automation
Property inspection automation through Spectora
2. Virtual home tours
By far one of the most loved pandemic-driven technology in the real estate industry is the virtual home tour. Going by an AppFolio survey, “71% of property management companies said their priority of virtual showings has increased,” and “64% believe they’re here to stay.”
The technology going beyond 2D photographs, video conferencing tools, and interactive 3D models pose to be a tool that makes COVID showing process an unprecedented success.
Virtual showings come with the value of extending beyond the current climate. It offers prospects greater flexibility in the apartment hunting process. With conveniences ranging from easing schedules, visiting houses in far-away areas virtually, etc. virtual property showing is something that is going to stay.
3. Cloud adoption
The one issue that real estate technology ventures have been trying to solve across the years is the reliance on papers. Streamlining real estate procedures keeping digital platforms at the center is a grand step businesses could take for continuing to serve buyers/sellers through stay-at-home orders.
The benefits of this disruptive technology in real estate can be seen in:
Reliable security and storage
Reduction of operational costs
Gives real-time sharing and accessibility feasibility
4. Streamline paperwork with Blockchain
In a traditional real estate economy, the property management process is considered to be highly complex, especially since multiple stakeholders are a part of it.
Property management can either be done offline through manual paperwork or through independent software. A result of this is that information remains confined to a database – a problem that property technology startups aim to solve.
However, with the increasing role of blockchain for property transactions, the future of real estate can be changed.
Real estate mobile app development done on the premise of a blockchain-based property management system uses smart contracts that can ease the process surrounding signing the lease agreements to complying with filing maintenance requests and cash flow.
A secondary field where a real estate software development company can see Blockchain impacting the real estate apps sector is deed management.
Defect in deed paperwork can make it illegal to proceed with the deed management process until the issue is resolved. In case an issue emerges, property owners are liable to pay heavy legal fees ensuring the accuracy of property titles. The application of Blockchain in real estate can be applied here to make the paperwork secure and transparent.
Parting Words
Looking at the future of the real estate sector, technology inclusion would continue to grow and restructure how transactions are conducted, thanks to COVID-19. One key factor that pandemics won’t change however is the need for personal relationships. Property agents, investors, brokers, and lenders must continue to develop their influence sphere. When you partner with a real estate app development company you must keep the human part of the process into consideration.
