Non-essential businesses across Canada have closed their offices, and only select types of businesses are at present allowed to re-open, according to Provincial guidelines. This means that a large number of employees are still in a lockdown situation and must perform their jobs remotely.
For some businesses that already have a remote workforce or a work-from-home policy, this may have been a seamless transition. For other businesses, remote work may be a completely new experience that they have not prepared for.
The good news is that remote work can actually bring your business a wide range of benefits. In fact, according to a study from Owl Labs, people who work remotely at least once a month are 24 percent more likely to be happy and productive.
To realize these benefits, however, it’s absolutely crucial that your employees have access to the technologies they need to complete their job, collaborate with teammates and stay productive.
To give you an idea of what technologies your employees might need to work from home successfully, Genesis Integration has listed a few tips here.
Desktops and laptops
The most important technology for your employees while working remotely is access to a desktop or laptop. Since it’s likely that working from home is a short-term solution for your employees during COVID-19, it’s unlikely that you will want to invest in new devices for your employees.
As a result, you may have asked your employees to work from their personal computers. We highly recommend you allow your employees to take their work computers home. Not only will this ensure your company’s data is better secured, it also will help your employees to access all the files they need when they get back into the office. If they use their personal devices instead, it's likely that those files will be saved sporadically across different devices and in different folders.
Cloud-based software ensures business continuity
Your business is probably already using cloud computing in some capacity. Cloud-based services allow you to access computer software wherever you have an internet connection, meaning you won’t have to rely on local hardware or servers.
This means your remote employees can access all the tools they would have used in the office, wherever they are and whatever device they are using.
The benefits of using cloud-based software, include:
- It’s cost-effective - no more up-front costs and maintenance fees.
- It is scalable to your workforce.
- It’s convenient - remote employees can easily access software for seamless communication and file sharing experiences.
- It’s faster, allowing remote workers to be more efficient and productive.
- It improves the security of your company’s data saving and communication.
In fact, a report from Dell claims that companies which invest in big data, cloud technology mobility and security can realize up to 53 percent faster revenue growth than their competitors.
Audio visual technologies that boost collaboration and communication
When working full-time from their home, it’s absolutely crucial that your employees are able to effectively communicate with each other, as well as with partners and clients. To do this successfully, your company needs to adapt to changing technologies.
Whether it’s a conference call, an online team meeting or a video call, it’s crucial that your business has the audio visual (AV) and collaboration solutions necessary to collaborate and communicate effectively.
This could include using communication software such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom or Pexip, as well as investing in video hardware such as webcams for all employees.
By making sure your remote workers have the AV technologies needed to connect everyone for team meetings and collaborative tasks, you’ll ensure that your company is able to communicate with both employees and clients even when they aren’t in the office.
Don’t forget, you aren’t just investing in this because of COVID-19. These technologies will help your business stay connected with remote workers, improve client communication and encourage internal collaboration long after COVID-19 has gone.
Read our blog, ‘4 Benefits of Audio Visual (AV) Technology Refresh’, for more information on how investing in better communication technology can transform your company.
Are you looking for more information on working from home, and how you can ensure your employees have the technologies they need to remain productive when working remotely? Contact the Genesis Integration team today. We would love to help.
