Hypershift Technologies on the Surprising Costs of Building Resilient Hybrid Work Infrastructures and How to Fix It

In the last five years, organizations have navigated the post-pandemic workplace, trying to integrate the hybrid model, which has often defaulted to the three-day in-office week. While the dust around such return-to-work policies has begun to settle, what has emerged is a more nuanced challenge. The hybrid workforce, which has become normalized across the world, is not only bringing complexities, but it's also considerably more expensive.

"Most companies are trying to support both in-office and remote work at the same time," says Nathan Reynolds, co-founder of Hypershift Technologies. "The problem is, historically, workplaces were built to support one model. Now, as they're trying to do both, by duplicating infrastructure and security layers, as well as creating a unified user experience across both environments, the results aren't as easy or cheap."

While hybrid work may look inexpensive in theory, it's rendered far more expensive behind the scenes. An example Reynolds shares points out the irony in hybrid work culture: "I can pay $100 a month for lightning-fast internet at home that would otherwise cost a business considerably more per employee in an office setting. That really shows you the hybrid system can skew the cost model."

Internet infrastructure isn't the only facet that makes the current hybrid model costly. These costs quickly multiply when other factors like endpoint security, collaborative tools, physical office design, IT infrastructure, and increasingly, AI-driven productivity tools are taken into account. Yet, despite these investments, the outcomes often miss the mark due to a lack of strategic planning.

"Realistic planning for adopting a hybrid work culture is essential," Reynolds states. "Companies need to take measures to understand how the work culture will be different from the pre-COVID era."

Reynolds has witnessed a disconnect between what organizations think employees will do when they return to the office and what they realistically expect. "Companies are investing in office redesigns and tech, only to find the usage doesn't match their expectations," he says. Companies that integrate old technology and minimize office spaces realize that they've wasted capital once employees voice their problems.

Hypershift, a full-service IT company founded in 2019, is taking a more forward-thinking approach to tackle this underlying problem. Their philosophy lies in modernizing office spaces with the same mindset that is used for internet cafes. "We aim to secure office spaces to function like secure internet cafes," Reynolds shares. "Because if we can secure your identity and control access in a cafe, why would we bypass those protocols inside of an office space?" This strategy is less about surveillance and more about sustainability and security. "If we can reliably authenticate who you are and what you're accessing, regardless of your location, we've built a far more resilient infrastructure. This is about building trust into the system."

Hypershift intends to build foundational rigidity in hybrid design, balancing airtight security and protection of digital assets with ease of use, something companies often struggle to achieve for their hybrid and offshoring models.

With ever-evolving tools and technologies, businesses have to remain steadfast in being aligned with these dynamic trends. "The tools people use now are very different from five years ago," Reynolds explains. "And the means to approach them in a secure hybrid environment needs to evolve, too. A lot of legacy tech simply doesn't serve us anymore."

A means to solve this problem lies in intentional transformations, starting with tech. Hypershift brings new-gen technology infrastructure to hybrid workspaces to ensure that businesses choose systems that are simple, secure, and scalable. "You have to get rid of the old stuff and reassess needs that align better with the employee needs," Reynolds says.

That principle applies not just to infrastructure, but to company culture as well. Reynolds emphasizes the importance of feedback and iteration. "A hybrid model requires feedback to see how people are actually using the tools and spaces," he explains. Hybrid models are rooted in experimentation, and in order to achieve the best results, being receptive to feedback is imperative.

Hypershift's work focuses on the unseen backbone of hybrid productivity and how network infrastructure supports human experience. With tailored consulting services and bespoke IT solutions, the company is focused on executing intentional processes to bring a fortified hybrid work model that empowers companies to have faster and more efficient IT infrastructures.