Hybrid Work Scenes

2023 Technologies to Secure Your Hybrid Workspace

For businesses looking to invest in the creation of a safer and more productive modern office environment, this Expert Insight * post provides a rundown of the top 2023 technologies to secure your hybrid workspace. 


The shift towards remote and hybrid work schedules has become one of the most talked about aspects of post-pandemic business, with reports indicating that as many as 85% of the US workforce would prefer the option to work remotely for at least part of their contracted hours. 

This information comes in direct contrast to the 50% or so of US business leaders that intend to reinstate a traditional 5-day office-based working schedule in 2023, posing a potentially difficult situation for employers and employees to navigate in the coming months and years. 

There is evidence to suggest that some of the resistance companies exhibit to hybrid work stems from a lack of preparedness in terms of infrastructure and security, though with around 52% of younger workers claiming they’d sooner switch jobs than return to the office, perhaps it’s time to modernize. 

For businesses looking to invest in the creation of a safer and more productive modern office environment, here’s a rundown of the top 2023 technologies to secure your hybrid workspace. 

Cyber and physical security convergence 

It’s not uncommon to find businesses that employ separate physical and cyber security teams, with each department operating independently using different processes and technologies, though by utilizing smart tech teams can converge their operations to improve upon wider security networks. 

One example of this is the integration of physical access control and remote-access visual verification, as by developing a system in which cybersecurity teams link commercial camera systems with access control, admins can visually verify guests before granting access to secured areas. 

This system can also be configured to engage when remote staff wish to access secure digital information, with data storage programs requiring visual verification before allowing workers to open selected files. When these protocols are combined with a cloud-based management platform, both physical and cyber security staff can access and adjust permissions remotely via a smart-device. 

Remote management and cloud-based platforms 

Remote management and smart security technology go hand in hand, with the utilization of these systems helping to simplify physical security protocols and reduce the need for expensive physical infrastructure. This is mainly due to cloud-based platforms requiring no on-site servers to store data. 

By integrating physical building security features such as alarms, door locks and video cameras within a cloud-based operating platform, security staff are no longer required to be on-site at all hours, and instead can monitor logs remotely using automated alerts and remote-access live camera feeds. 

This allows even physical security teams to work hybrid roles and can be particularly useful in coworking setups, where staff from multiple companies utilize the same flexible workspace, as security teams can verify access credentials remotely allowing the building to operate 24/7. 

IoT devices and intelligent automation 

By developing a smart building management platform that makes use of IoT devices, security teams can create automated systems based on real-time data analytics. IoT devices include temperature, humidity and proximity sensors that can be used to control building heating and lighting systems based on occupancy trends and can also include internet-connected physical security features. 

If a security team installs IoT cameras, pressure sensors and alarms within a commercial property, these devices can be used to trigger automated lockdown functions and alerts, with the whole system viewable and adjustable remotely via a smart device that’s connected via cloud-based technology. 

This functionality combines physical security triggers with cybersecurity protocols, to develop a more efficient building and security management system that relies on trusted data to engage each element rather than requiring teams to constantly re-evaluate security measures as workflows change. 

Utilizing a hybrid security model 

When we describe a modern hybrid work model, the convergence of remote and on-site work should also extend to the operation of a business’ security systems. Whether the operating programs and data storage systems related to company security features exist as physical servers or cloud-based platforms, the idea here is that all essential services can be accessed both directly and remotely. 

By utilizing such a system, every key security component remains universally connected, regardless of whether the processing of essential information happens within an on-site server, a cloud-based platform or contained inside a handheld device such as a smartphone or tablet computer.  

Adopting a hybrid security model allows both physical and cyber security teams to better allocate employee time to direct resources towards current issues, with workers able to intently monitor individual aspects of the business security system at all times within the context of a wider network. 

Final thoughts 

Hybrid and remote work is proving to be much more than a simple post-pandemic trend, with 74% of US companies either already offering or planning to implement this model in 2023, and many US workers even sizing up a move to find a city better equipped to provide a more flexible work schedule. 


(*) Disclosure: This article was sponsored by Seene Digital. For more information on how Security Ledger works with its sponsors and sponsored content on Security Ledger, check out our About Security Ledger page on sponsorships and sponsor relations.

2 Comments

  1. Pingback: Hyperautomation: The Future of Work (Whether You Like it or Not) - The Office Tech Tap

  2. Thank you for sharing this article about 2023 technologies to secure hybrid workspace. This is very informative blog and I appreciate it a lot.