After the pandemic transformed the office, the country's $27 billion Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector needs a strategy to shift to hybrid work over the long term, according to Cisco Philippines.

The IT-BPM sector employs at least 5 million Filipinos and is expected to hire more by the end of 2022.

However, “Today’s employees demand more flexibility to work from anywhere. This calls for a radical change in the IT-BPM industry,” said Officer-in-charge (OIC) Managing Director for Cisco Philippines Robin Llamas.

Significantly, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to a work from home (WFH) set-up create challenges that threaten the future of hybrid working.

Concerns include the deployment of personal computers (PCs) to call center agents, talent generation, wellness and productivity, unequipped agencies, latency, plus the lack of stable internet and technological resources, Llamas pointed out.

Cisco, through its country digital acceleration program – UGNAYAN2030 – works with industry leaders, the government, and the academe to sort out these problems.

Cisco advocates for long-term hybrid offshoring grounded on connectivity, collaboration, and cybersecurity.

This can be achieved by adopting an infrastructure for mobility and secure set-up for remote work, as well as a safe space to prevent the spread of COVID-19 via technology like facial recognition, contact tracing, low- to no-touch devices, voice commands, social distancing alerts and notifications.

Security and remote features should also connect and protect users and devices working at home or in the office.

“The goal is to resemble an on-premise type of experience in a home set-up, especially since the IT-BPM sector’s value proposition is centralized management,” Llamas noted.

Addressing the personal health and wellness of BPO employees amid the hybrid set-up is also a vital concern in the continuing pandemic.

“While hybrid work is already being implemented, we must ensure this set up is productive and sustainable. In addition to seamless technology, the health and wellness of employees are critical components of successful hybrid work in the long-term.”

Cisco aims to support the IT-BPM industry industry through technology that enhances security systems while boosting performance and employee productivity at a minimal cost.

“The goal is to create a simple and integrated solution to address the challenges of a hybrid work environment,” Llamas stated.

Ample technology infrastructure support, talent and culture development, as well as networking and partnership opportunities are crucial components of a successful hybrid work strategy for the sector.