With the pandemic demonstrating that many employees can work from home successfully – and even increase their productivity – employers and employees are moving toward a hybrid model of working from home and in-office work. In fact, 60% of the firms polled for the GlobalData Professional Services Study see a post-pandemic future with both remote and in-office work. But with this shift to a hybrid work model comes challenges.
At AT&T, creating connection is at the heart of everything we do and, as businesses continue to have employees in different locations, we know reliable high-speed connectivity is essential for seamless communication and collaboration.
Providing Fast Speeds on Our Growing Fiber Network
With many workers now having the option to work remotely, individuals and businesses are consuming more data than ever. We expect to continue to see data consumption increase. Multi-gig speeds are primed for these growing demands and will provide more bandwidth for households and businesses to run multiple connected devices at once. At AT&T, we are bringing multi-gig-capable technology across our current fiber footprint throughout 2022, and we aim to expand our efforts to cover 30 million customer locations by the end of 2025.
Working with Local Governments
It is easy to take for granted that everyone has access to technology capable of supporting our new hybrid work weeks. But the reality is – not everyone has the connection they need to work from home.
At AT&T, we’re committed to working with state, local and Tribal governments to boost access to affordable, reliable internet in their communities capable of supporting new workforce habits. Through public-private partnerships, we work with communities to maximize their use of federal, state and local broadband funding and introduce future-proof internet technologies like AT&T Fiber. Through such arrangements, communities can have peace of mind knowing AT&T will continue to maintain the network and infrastructure for years to come.
Providing Internet Protection & Security
One of the biggest challenges in a hybrid work model is balancing the user experience for remote staff with security considerations. The swift pivot to remote work means incorporating key security elements like anti-malware, multi-level authentication and end point protection didn’t always happen, leaving businesses vulnerable to cybercriminals. According to Group-IB’s latest Hi-Tech Crime Trends report, ransomware attacks spiked 150% in 2020, and they continue to rise.
Through network monitoring, we have a history of providing world-class network security, backed by industry-led standards, and we’re committed to that work to address weak identity systems and authentication to help prevent future cyberattacks.
The Future of Work
With the right solutions in place, we can help ensure employees can safely do their work effectively regardless of location. Ongoing innovation of connectivity, security and collaborative tools will help businesses adapt to the changing realities of work and deliver a more inclusive employee experience as the future of work evolves. Here at AT&T, we’re proud of the work we are continuing to do to make that a reality.
