A forecast by Global Workplace Analytics estimates that 25-30% of the US workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021, with repeated surveys before the global pandemic indicating that as many as 80% of employees want to work from home at least some of the time.

Recognizing that savvy employers are embracing flexible working and adopting strategies that cater to continued workplace disruption, Esko | Brand Solutions aims to help make the transition easier for brand owners and their cross-functional teams.

The business is focused on solving the workflow and asset management challenges faced by brands today with two proven web-based tools; WebCenter, a powerful, secure, cloud-based packaging management and collaboration platform and MediaBeacon, a digital asset management (DAM) system for images, videos and other digital files.

“In a time of massive flux and uncertainty, the good news for brands is that the solutions for digitizing workflow are already here. WebCenter and MediaBeacon are tried and tested solutions that put virtual working at the center of the content process,” says Matthew Haws, Global Marketing Director at Esko | Brand Solutions.

“Our web-based project management system eliminates all the common problems for teams collaborating on project delivery, from ideation to marketing. But what resonates with users today is whether they’re working in-house, from home, remotely or a mixture of all scenarios, they can do so with confidence that our solutions are easily-accessible and available at all times.”

WebCenter manages all aspects of preproduction specification, approval and project lifecycle to remove the bottlenecks that are most associated with the packaging design to production process.

Complex review and approval pathways are up to 3 times faster with revisions reduced by 60%. Errors due to multiple amends and project deadline pressures are minimized with up to 50% lead time reductions being achieved on packaging creation. The digital, secure management of files and data with streamlined processes leave team members free to concentrate on tasks that better utilize their expertise.

When used in conjunction with the flexible platform, MediaBeacon, cross-functional teams have access to all common digital assets such as image, video, audio and 3D files and can easily feed and retrieve these files to and from other systems. The Software as a Service (Saas) DAM system is welcomed by users for simply making it easy to find and repurpose assets – a universal pain point for all teams from creative to marketing.

Further to its statistics on home-working, the Global Workplace Analytics forecast goes onto mention that: ‘Those who were not ready this time will learn what worked and what didn’t work and be compelled—by investors in particular—to close the gaps.’ While a UK Office for National Statistics report cautions that ‘‘Technology can be an enabling power for homeworking, providing employees have access to, and skills required for, technology’.

Haws believes the time is now for digital technology to empower workforces of today and tomorrow: “The debate shouldn’t be about where we work,” he concludes “it should be about how we embrace smarter working, to become agile to any, and all, workplace challenges of the future. The way we work is evolving and the question for brands today, is are they really prepared?”