How to Work from Home During a Pandemic: The Technology Basics

Let’s Face it. Business was not prepared for COVID-19. I mean really, no one generally was ready. Yet, here we are. As toiletries, canned goods, and sanitizer disappear we wait in anticipation. We read, watch and listen to news directing us on what to do. As a desperate attempt to try to contain the uncontainable, we do our best to isolate ourselves. No more restaurants and bars. No more concerts and sporting events. The recommended number of humans allowed to gather has now dwindled down to 10, we watch in shock as more business’s close offices to comply. Employees are asked to work from home only to realize they can’t effectively work at all. Companies putting off technology upgrades are now face to face with their worst nightmares. IT staff are spread thin trying to get everyone connected.

Let’s take a deep breath and clear our minds of the sensationalism that causes people to panic buy toilet paper. Instead, let’s talk solutions. What is needed for business to continue, not tread water, but effectively operate.

Connectivity:

When workers are forced to work from home like with what we see now with the COVID-19 virus, the key to efficient business operations centers around connectivity. Does everyone have access to the information and resources needed to get the job done? Also, do employees have open lines of communication with the office or current management system?

This may seem like a, “duh” moment, but internet and e-mail access while working remotely is step one to successfully working from home. Fast and reliable internet access allows your employees to access company e-mail and, in many cases, Virtual Private Network (VPN) remote access connects employees to company resources. Are you currently set up and prepared to provide your employees with the tools needed?

Phone System

Another vital business resource for remote employees is Voice over internet protocol. With VoIP anyone can access their office phone from anywhere and using an app, calls to the office can be forwarded directly to mobile phones. Employees should also have teleconferencing options for connecting with coworkers and clients. The question here being, do you have an updated phone system that has this ability? If the answer is no, I suggest looking into options. You would be surprised by how you may not only gain resources by making a switch, but you may be able to lower associated expenses at the same time.

Video:

In 2020 video takes center stage in how we communicate. Global web conferencing is projected to be a 20-billion-dollar market by 2024 via Global Market Insights. Access to video conferencing is critical now more than ever. Inadequate work conferencing practices causing low productivity and lost time can result in up to 34 billion dollars in losses annually. Besides being more engaging, video and web conferencing solutions can enhance the benefits of an organization’s current CRM platform. Zoom is a great tool that allows an organization to hold online meetings. Other collaborative tech tools to consider are SharePoint and Microsoft Linc. What tools do your employees have access to? What tools do you already have and are paying for, but are not using?

Data & Security

Do remote employees have access to data backup/recovery options? It is crucial that this challenge is addressed. Up to date policies and having a secondary backup system is critical to keeping data safe. Along with data backup/recovery comes network security and malware protection. Unfortunately, there are people out there who take advantage of crisis situations. Targeted Coronavirus themed spam and phishing attacks have spiked this month. Employees working from home need to be using work devices, let me say it again…work devices, that have up to date security in place to decrease the risk of malware leaking both work and personal information.

Digital Document Management:

Digital document management hosted in the cloud provides easy access to documents outside the office. More importantly, the paper workflows that are behind the day to day operations of an organization become digital workflows that are accessible on the go. Decentralizing decision-making to mobile apps allows any organization to continue with standardized processes even while working from home. AI technology learns from actions taken and begins to automate processes independently giving one the ability to spend time on more important tasks. Management can easily track status and even set approvals to make sure all details are in order enhancing business agility. Storing and retrieving documents becomes as easy as a single search. Plus, the integration capability allows information to pull from or push into current management systems making working from home easier than ever before.