Just a few years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine a future where employees have autonomy over where and how they work. But today, as workers log into conference calls and answer emails from kitchen tables and neighborhood coffee shops, many can barely fathom the idea of going back to an office five days a week — if at all. According to a recent global study of 80 offices in 13 countries representing roughly 80,000 employees, people go into the office an average of only 1.4 times per week.

The work-from-home lifestyle has its perks. But with this widespread shift in working patterns comes a number of technological challenges.

The move away from the traditional office has ushered in the need for modernized technology, and businesses that haven't refreshed their fleet of PCs could fall behind.

Below are a few considerations to help you support your hybrid workforce with the PC technology they need to succeed.

1. PCs underpin the hybrid workforce

Whether you're under pressure to meet a deadline, collaborating with colleagues on a cloud-based platform, or hosting a video meeting with team members on the go, a stable work computer is a must-have. And most IT leaders understand this necessity: A report from Intel found that 85% of IT decision-makers prioritize purchasing new PCs that allow employees to work from anywhere.

Older PCs with limited battery life, aging hardware, poor connectivity, or operating systems that are no longer supported, can slow productivity to a crawl. That goes for both individual employees and the IT teams that get pulled away from higher-value priorities to troubleshoot problems with underperforming equipment.

2. Employees expect better user experiences

Companies that want to recruit and retain top talent are increasingly considering how technology impacts the overall employee experience. According to a report by Forrester and commissioned by Intel, mature organizations are 20% more likely to see improvements in employee retention when IT invests in high-performing, stable PCs.

Eliminating distractions such as updates, low battery life, or slow device response is crucial for enhancing employee productivity and satisfaction. For example, laptops powered by Intel vPro® offer businesses multi-layer security features, modern management capabilities, professional grade performance, and reliable stability to help them scale with confidence.

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