Long-Term Investments For A Remote Future

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If you’re watching the trends in modern business, then there’s no reason to explain why more and more of them are going remote. It’s a transition that has been happening steadily for years now, but recent events have sped it up considerably. However, businesses that just “go” remote without investing in the right infrastructure are creating a lot more trouble for themselves. Here are a few examples of investments you may need to set up ahead of time.

The communication tools your team needs

One of the biggest challenges of going remote is that you no longer have the means to simply turn a corner and check up on your employees. Communication standards change a lot, and if you don’t set standards of communication early, you can find it hard to check-in and ensure the productivity of your team. Improving communication may mean, for instance, investing in IM platforms or workflow and project management software, or ensuring that every member of the team has a webcam for regular online conferencing.

 

Connecting workers to the tools they need

While remote working does cut down on the costs of keeping everyone supplied with the tech they need to work, since they can use their own, it does also deprive them of the tools they need to actually get on with their work. As such, it’s important to look at the benefits of Cloud-enabled software. A lot of software packages are developing Cloud versions that give people the tools they need to continue doing their work from wherever they are. Find what software is necessary for the key functions of your employees and ensure they are provided with it, whether they need to install it or you can find a Cloud provision.

 

Access to powerful equipment

Some software simply will not run on every machine. Your colleagues, employees, and freelancers might not have access to the kind of hardware that will support the software that they need to be using. As such, you may need to partner with a managed IT provider who can help link your workforce to virtual machines. Effectively, these connect them to more powerful machines through the internet, letting them use them from their own workstation.

 

Security is more important than ever

When employees are working from home, they are more open to security risks because they are not using systems vetted and protected by your IT specialists. Furthermore, they are not connecting to networks that you can control. As such, it’s essential to teach them IT safety policies that they can enact at home, while also providing access to the tools that keep their workstations and connections safe. This can include professional quality anti-malware software, as well as virtual private networks that ensure that hackers cannot easily tap into their connection to see what data they are accessing or sending.

 

If like many business owners, you see your future in remote working as a potentially permanent transition, then it’s wise to invest in it now. Hopefully, the tips above can help you do that.