It should not be confused with the already familiar home office , although it also includes this modality. Anywhere work, as its literal translation indicates, is the concept of working from anywhere.

And in this case, anywhere means being at home, in a coworking space, restaurant, hotel, outdoors or even in the company’s own office.

For this to happen, the idea of ​​anywhere operations means that the solutions and platforms to be used by the team of professionals are accessed and managed through a highly distributed and shared infrastructure.

This model makes even more sense when we consider it as part of the cultural, social and technological changes taking place in the world, and the development of the sharing economy . The culture of sharing spaces and objects and the advancement of the “as a service” consumption model develop a more flexible, intelligent and sustainable pattern of production and consumption.

What are the benefits of the anywhere work model?

Anywhere work has been growing as a trend, pointed out by the Gartner institute since last year. And even if it meets resistance, its advantages can be presented with solid arguments, based on business data that already adopt this model and obtain good results.

Between quality of life, incentive to professional development, cost reduction and expansion of work opportunities, operations from anywhere can mean an evolutionary leap for your business.

1-Advantages for the business

Anywhere work represents the future of the business world. Learn about some advantages observed by companies that adopt it:

• Reduction in real estate and furniture costs, as the teams no longer depend on a fixed office set up. Although the company’s headquarters keep the office available for occasional use or for those people who prefer it, this structure can be simplified, with rotating workstations, more compact and in fewer numbers.
• Increased agility in operations , since people will be able to resolve issues from wherever they are, without depending on getting to a certain place. This can be a great differentiator in critical situations or to speed up negotiation processes without depending on the physical presence of everyone involved.
• Overcoming geographic obstacles , which can mean expanding the business and the possibility of hiring talent regardless of where these people live.
• Attracting and retaining talent. Adopting a culture that values ​​quality of life, autonomy, flexibility and creativity , professionals who also value these values ​​will feel more satisfied working in the company and will produce better.
• Development of a culture of innovation , as the mobility and diversity achieved by anywhere work foster a more creative, innovative and dynamic corporate environment.

2-Advantages for professionals

Anywhere work is the work model that allows everyone to perform their duties in the most productive way, whether in a home office, each day in a different space or even in the company’s office. For all professional profiles, anywhere work promotes:

• Flexibility in the routine , which can be adapted according to the person’s other activities, providing a better quality of life;
• Reduction of stress , avoiding traffic at peak times and wasting time with displacements, in addition to the possibility of more moments of rest and relaxation;
• Increased willingness and productivity , as more satisfied professionals produce more and deliver better results;
• Opportunities for networking and professional development , which arise in the exchange of work environments and in the greater circulation of professionals in different locations. There is also the possibility of taking courses and training, without being tied to location or schedule.

What are the challenges to implement the anywhere work model?

Of course, for this type of work to be adopted, several changes must take place in the structure and culture of the company. It’s not enough to let your employees take their notebook and walk out the office door. There are also a number of challenges to be overcome for anywhere work to be a success:

1-Training and adaptation of each individual

It is important that each team member is involved in the new work model adopted. Even if a person decides to continue working from the company’s office, he must realize the benefits of adopting the new model and technological innovations for his work.

2-Development of a new organizational culture

Anywhere work demands a reorganization in the way of working. For this, it is necessary to change the company’s culture, valuing productivity and results, to the detriment of availability and hours worked.

This means that, for leaders, it is necessary to develop new forms of evaluation , based on the individual’s productivity, while professionals must understand this autonomy and trust as an opportunity to develop more creative work and better results .

3-HR and legal department cooperation

The implementation of anywhere work involves adapting the work regime, which must involve HR and the legal department so that all changes are made in accordance with applicable laws and conventions.

Thus, issues such as journey control, hiring regime, company and employee obligations and other topics that may reflect on the work regime must be carefully observed.

4-Robust, available and reliable IT infrastructure

It may be that, for the professional, all it takes is a notebook and a good internet connection to perform their functions. However, this is only possible if the company’s IT infrastructure is prepared for it.

It is necessary to migrate to the cloud, adopt IT security tools that guarantee the protection of company data and secure access for the team, establish communication and collaboration standards between teams, and all infrastructure that guarantees mobility, flexibility, security and support. .

A specialized IT provider, which can provide the necessary infrastructure and support to users throughout Brazil, is a good option to ensure the fluidity of processes, in addition to reducing data security risks by using personal computers for work.