"Close to computing perfection" - has Lockdown changed our value system forever?

As we continue our voyage into the world of remote working, collaboration across the vast social distancing of the internet, and max out our laptops perhaps we have experienced what the "New Landscape" of work will be like. There is something to be said about fewer cars on the road, less pollution in the atmosphere, and less time and money spent commuting. Many talk of reviewing the way they work, exploring the reduction of large centralised office space, and are thinking about diverting their funding away from square foot costs and travel expenses to equip their staff for the longer term with the new way of working. As I reflect on the positives gained from lockdown such as savings made on fuel, time recaptured and channelled into more relevant and productive tasks, and the improved work/life balance it leads me to think about how to make the remote working environment the best it could be if this is to become part of the new norm. And oddly enough it's a surprisingly cost-effective path to take.

I am going to use the example of what Techradar Pro in Jan 2020 called "easily the best laptop out there for the travelling professional and executive" (https://www.techradar.com/reviews/hp-elite-dragonfly). You would think that something so exquisite, powerful, stylish and light, coming in at only 900 grams, would be out of the reach of most people. Or that the 24 hours of battery life would be something reserved for the lucky few. You would be wrong. If you could manage to save 7 miles of business travel by car per person per day you could afford this and save money! Technology like this is now available for about ￡1 per day on a "Device As A Service" or DAAS model (https://www.xeretecdaas.com/hp-dragonfly). When viewed like this it starts to make one realise that the radical measures needed fighting COVID-19 may have put us in a place to re evaluate ways of working, and give our staff the long term tools that not only make them highly effective, but also leave them feeling exceptionally valued.

GQ Magazine has just described this as "Close to computing perfection" and advises us to "accept no substitutes" (https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle/article/hp-elite-dragonfly-review). How interesting then the ￡1 price tag not only gives us access to what might have been reserved for the select few, but also wraps in full on-site warranty, UK helpdesk, predictive, remote support (think of it like the AA knowing you might breakdown soon and coming out to fit a new part to your car before you do!). Oh, and a new level of AI driven anti-malware "Zero Day" attack security software called "Proactive Security" that leaves you as protected from hackers as you can get.

In this new world of work, perhaps there are three areas where improvements can be made for certainly the near future; the remote office (making this a long-term viable space,); the traditional office space (adapting this into a safe, reliable and secure space respecting social distancing requirements and blending the best of group collaboration with the health of our staff); the mobile office (giving us longer and more flexible offerings that can be transferred to the home or fixed office). Certainly we as an organisation have worked hard on developing a range of innovative solutions and ideas to help our customers get the very best from what will be a brave, new and slightly different world. The "New Landscape".