Office Technology

Trend 1: OS and Endpoint Readiness Becomes Everyday Hygiene

Endpoints are the foundation of modern work. When devices are outdated or inconsistent, problems surface quickly, with performance slowing, compatibility issues increasing, and security risks rising. For users, this shows up as frustration. For IT teams, it shows up as tickets and reactive work.

Operating system timelines are also making endpoint readiness harder to ignore. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, pushing organizations to align device refresh plans with security and support requirements rather than stretching hardware until failure.

Organizations that standardize a small number of approved devices and peripherals tend to see smoother onboarding, fewer compatibility issues, and more predictable support costs. This approach works best when procurement, standards, and support are coordinated, so device choices don’t multiply helpdesk load.

What you can do now

• Define a short list of approved laptops and desktops by role instead of allowing one-off purchases.
• Align device refresh timing to operating system support timelines and security requirements.
• Standardize everyday peripherals such as docks, monitors, and headsets to reduce variability.

Trend 2: Device Management Shifts from Setup to Visibility

As work becomes more distributed, device management is no longer just about getting machines ready for use. It is about maintaining visibility across devices wherever they are located. Without that visibility, IT teams are forced to react to problems after they affect users.

Modern device management supports the kind of asset awareness and governance outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, which emphasizes maintaining accurate inventories of hardware and software and managing them based on risk.

In practice, this means moving toward centralized management approaches that reduce manual effort and improve consistency across in-office and remote devices. Many teams move toward centralized management when they need consistent visibility and compliance across office and remote devices.

What you can do now

• Centralize device enrollment, updates, encryption, and application deployment in one management approach.
• Define minimum requirements for device access, such as current patches and basic security settings.
• Use automated provisioning to reduce hands-on setup and repeated rework.

Trend 3: Identity Becomes the Primary Security Control

The traditional workplace perimeter has faded. Users now access applications from many locations and devices, often through cloud platforms that sit outside the network. As a result, identity has become the most reliable point of control.

Global incident data continues to show that stolen credentials and phishing remain common causes of incidents, particularly for cloud-based services. Inconsistent access rules or outdated permissions make these attacks easier.

In 2026, identity-first security is less about adding friction and more about creating clarity. Organizations are increasingly aligning identity controls with broader workplace security strategies, including access governance and endpoint trust.

What you can do now

• Apply multifactor authentication and single sign-on consistently across core applications.
• Remove standing access that users no longer need and limit permissions to what is required.
• Reduce shared accounts and ensure temporary access is reviewed and removed on schedule.

Trend 4: Wi-Fi and Networks Are Judged by Collaboration Quality

Network problems often become visible during meetings, not during testing. Video calls freeze, audio drops, and shared content lags, especially during busy hours. As cloud applications and collaboration tools become central to daily work, these moments carry real productivity costs.

New wireless standards are designed to better support dense, high-traffic environments. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 introduces improvements aimed at reliability and performance for collaboration-heavy use cases. But technology alone is not enough. Coverage, segmentation, and ongoing monitoring matter just as much.

Many organizations address this by revisiting their networking and wireless infrastructure strategy, ensuring it is designed for real-world collaboration loads rather than basic connectivity.

What you can do now

• Validate Wi-Fi coverage and performance during peak collaboration times, not just off-hours.
• Separate guest traffic from corporate and sensitive systems to improve performance and security.
• Monitor network health continuously so issues are visible before users report them.

Trend 5: Meeting Rooms Become Consistent Shared Workspaces

Meeting rooms are no longer occasional-use spaces. They’ve become everyday collaboration environments shared by in-office and remote participants alike. When room setups are inconsistent, meetings slow down before they even begin.

Hybrid work research consistently points to the importance of predictable, easy-to-use collaboration experiences. In response, organizations are standardizing meeting rooms into a small number of repeatable setups rather than designing each space independently.

What you can do now

• Create two or three standard meeting room setups and replicate them across locations.
• Prioritize clear audio and proper camera placement over advanced features that go unused.
• Provide simple instructions and a clear support path so users know what to do when issues arise.

Trend 6: Lifecycle Discipline Reduces Cost and Risk

Technology costs are often hidden in unmanaged assets, underused print environments, and unclear end-of-life processes. Without structure, organizations face surprise replacements, security exposure from retired devices, and inefficient spending.

Lifecycle discipline brings order to this complexity. It aligns with guidance from NIST CSF 2.0 and CISA, which emphasize maintaining, securing, and retiring systems appropriately to reduce operational and ransomware risk.

Organizations increasingly treat print, devices, and infrastructure as part of a unified lifecycle approach, often supported through managed print and IT asset disposition (ITAD) services that reduce risk while improving cost predictability.

What you can do now

• Review print usage and apply security controls for sensitive documents.
• Track assets from purchase through deployment, warranty, and retirement.
• Establish a repeatable end-of-life process that includes secure data removal and documented disposition.

The Connectivity Challenges of Hybrid Work

As hybrid work becomes the standard, network reliability, security, and bandwidth limitations remain major obstacles. Many employees rely on residential Internet connections that struggle with videoconferencing, cloud applications, and large file transfers, especially during peak hours. Geographic disparities further complicate connectivity, as workers in rural areas face limited access to high-speed broadband. Additionally, 64% of organizations say their current network is made up of a patchwork of different supplier technologies, which has created inefficiencies for IT teams.

Security is another growing concern, with 69% of organizations seeing a rise in network security threats due to remote work. Unsecured home networks, personal devices, and public Wi-Fi usage introduce vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. As hybrid workforces expand, businesses must adopt scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions to ensure seamless connectivity and data protection across all work environments.

How to Achieve Seamless Hybrid Connectivity

To overcome connectivity challenges, businesses must invest in technologies that enhance speed, security, and reliability for hybrid teams. Software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) optimize traffic flow, ensuring critical business applications get priority bandwidth while reducing latency and security risks. Mesh Wi-Fi networks eliminate dead zones in home and office setups, providing seamless, high-speed Internet coverage for uninterrupted collaboration.

Cloud-based communication tools—like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack—enable real-time collaboration, reducing dependence on unreliable email chains. VPNs and Zero Trust security models further strengthen hybrid work environments by encrypting connections and preventing unauthorized access. With 88% of organizations prioritizing network infrastructure simplification, adopting these solutions ensures hybrid teams stay connected, productive, and secure.

How to Strengthen Security for Hybrid Work Connectivity

As hybrid work expands, network security threats continue to rise, making robust cybersecurity measures essential. Multifactor authentication (MFA) and password managers help protect employee accounts, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Meanwhile, endpoint security solutions safeguard company devices from malware, phishing attempts, and other cyberthreats.

To prevent data breaches and service disruptions, businesses should implement VPNs and Zero Trust security models, ensuring remote employees access only what they need while keeping sensitive data protected. Cloud-based backup and disaster recovery solutions also provide an extra layer of security, allowing organizations to quickly restore critical data in case of cyber incidents or system failures.

Enhance Employee Hybrid Work Experience with Better IT Support

While technology plays a critical role in ensuring seamless connectivity, the employee experience is equally important. Hybrid workers often struggle with inconsistent network performance, security concerns, and limited access to real-time IT assistance, which can hinder productivity and collaboration.

To support a distributed workforce, IT teams must adopt proactive support strategies, such as:

• Remote network monitoring: Using AI-powered tools to detect connectivity issues, optimize bandwidth, and troubleshoot problems before they disrupt work.
• Self-service IT portals: Providing employees with access to troubleshooting guides, security training, and automated support tools to resolve minor issues quickly.
• 24/7 IT assistance: Offering live support via chatbots, help desks, or dedicated IT teams to address urgent connectivity challenges, especially for global teams in different time zones.

By prioritizing IT accessibility and employee enablement, organizations can ensure that hybrid work remains not only efficient and secure but also a positive experience for employees. A well-supported workforce is more engaged, productive, and equipped to handle the demands of modern hybrid work.

Future-proof Your Hybrid Work Connectivity

To ensure long-term success, organizations must prioritize future-ready solutions that adapt to evolving hybrid work demands. AI-powered network management solutions can proactively monitor and optimize connectivity, addressing issues before they impact productivity. It’s also important to evaluate the scalability and integration of new technologies to ensure they work seamlessly with existing systems.

5G networks and edge computing are also emerging as transformative technologies for hybrid work connectivity. 5G provides faster speeds, lower latency, and improved network reliability, making it an ideal solution for remote workers in areas with limited broadband access. Meanwhile, edge computing processes data closer to the user rather than relying on centralized cloud servers, reducing lag and improving real-time collaboration for cloud applications, videoconferencing, and remote work platforms. Finally, regular tech audits help identify outdated or underperforming technologies and allow you to stay ahead of emerging connectivity challenges.

Seamless connectivity is the backbone of a thriving hybrid work environment, enabling teams to collaborate effectively across multiple locations. As hybrid work continues to evolve, investing in scalable, high-performance network solutions will ensure teams stay connected, secure, and efficient—no matter where they work.