Office Trends – Printing in Today’s Hybrid Workplace

The traditional office has changed dramatically over the past few years and it appears that hybrid work is here to stay. The numbers don’t lie. Recent surveys show that nearly all US companies now allow employees to have some say in where they work,[i] while many want a hybrid work schedule allowing them to work from home part-time, and some would even like to work from home full-time.[ii] This new reality is transforming office and work-from-home (WFH) environments for good. It’s changing office layouts, furnishings, and equipment, including computers and printers, and, equally important, it’s changing where and how workers communicate and collaborate, both in person and online.

New challenges drive new modes of office printing

The growth in remote and distributed printing has led to the need for solutions that enable employees to connect wherever they are and to move seamlessly between on-site and remote workplaces. It has also resulted in increased demand for remote fleet management capabilities and managed print services (MPS). And because the cloud enables remote printing and helps organizations easily store and share large volumes of documents, there’s been an increase in the use of cloud storage.

We’re also seeing increased usage of integrated workflows combining print and digital output. Even though the concept of a paperless workplace may still appeal to some businesses, the need for physical signatures, hard copy communications, and customer preferences for paper will continue to drive demand for printed output — and for workflow solutions that enable people to shift effortlessly between the digital and physical worlds.

A smaller footprint in traditional offices

Today, the demand for compact desktop printers that can be distributed across the workplace for individual or small workgroup use is growing. Because printing has become more dispersed, there’s also an increased emphasis on remote management and troubleshooting to reduce the need for in-person support, and greater demand for high-yield printers that require less replenishing, and thus, less intervention.

Remote support for WFH printing

A growing number of companies now give their WFH employees printers to use at home. The trend is for providing printers that are easy to use, can be set up wirelessly, and can help simplify management of supply levels. To enhance productivity and make WFH printing more convenient, many workers are receiving reliable, higher-end multi-function machines that can be networked and managed remotely.

Remote monitoring helps ensure that printers are used only in an authorized manner. Additionally, remote monitoring software can track printer usage and help with maintenance. Paper jams and low supply levels can be tracked and the help desk alerted whenever support is needed.[iii]

Addressing the challenges of printing in today’s hybrid workplaces

As noted earlier, the shift to decentralized printing has resulted in a number of challenges confronting organizations that are adopting a hybrid work model. Epson Business Inkjets provide solutions that help overcome the challenges by making it easy to:

• Connect from almost anywhere and move seamlessly between on-site and remote workplaces: With Epson Remote Print and Email Print you can send documents from a computer to an Epson printer just about anywhere[iv], and with Epson Scan to Cloud, you can easily scan, email, and upload from most Epson multi-function printers.[v]
• Minimize the need for intervention and in-person support: Epson PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology™ delivers top-quality output with fewer maintenance parts that might require replacement, which helps reduce the need for maintenance, and with Epson’s high-capacity ink supplies there’s less need for manual interventions. Additionally, Epson Remote Services enable admins to remotely diagnose service needs, monitor supply levels, and perform operations via the cloud on networked printers, while Epson Device Admin simplifies the installation, configuration, and management of printer fleets.

Epson Business Inkjet printers can help you make the most of hybrid work

Now that many businesses are finding that they can be effective with remote work, hybrid workplaces are likely here to stay. To support employees, regardless if working in a traditional office or from home, print solutions must deliver in terms of reliability, productivity, and efficiency — day in and day out. Epson Business Inkjet printers are designed to fit the bill and can help your organization leverage all the benefits of having a mobile workforce and make the most of having a hybrid workplace.

To learn more, please visit Epson Business Inkjet Printers.