As another year comes to a close, EDGE360 is taking the opportunity to reflect on the future of work and the IT channel’s role in supporting the hybrid work environment. This year illustrated how the Cisco community is equipped to handle the widespread adoption of remote and hybrid work and what technologies are required to make this adjustment scalable and affordable for Cisco partners and their customers.
To unpack some of 2021’s lessons learned across the Cisco community with regards to remote and hybrid work adoption, our team spoke with Mike O’Connell, Manager of Partner Operations for Cisco U.S. Distribution. We connected with O’Connell preceding the Cisco Partner Summit, and knew there was much to be discussed around the new hybrid work model as adoption continues to grow.
Thinking back on key messages shared during Cisco Partner Summit, O’Connell emphasized “the ability to really be optimized in the way we function in a hybrid world.” He added, “The more that our partners are able to tell that story [of hybrid work optimization], I think they’re going to get a positive reception from their end users,” helping them to create their own hybrid work success stories.
During the conversation, O’Connell built on the sentiment of preparing for an increasingly hybrid workforce by citing a new survey conducted by Cisco titled the “Global Hybrid Work Index.” Among other data points, the study found that 98 percent of meetings have at least one person joining remotely, and on-the-go mobile meetings increased by 300 percent during the pandemic. This demonstrates the persistent need for robust, reliable remote and hybrid work options for the current workforce.
That said, this path toward the hybrid work environment can look very different across the channel, and a strong partner like SYNNEX Comstor is crucial to a successful transition. “I think 2022 is the year we’ll see…people realize that they can’t build it themselves,” O’Connell remarked. “And they’re looking for a partner to bring in who’s able to deliver that at a very high level of capability and professionalism.”
You can listen to the full conversation with O’Connell about what Cisco partners should know about the hybrid work environment journey and how they can equip their customers for success in the new year.
