Organizations are scrambling to find ways to keep their businesses open and afloat while taking appropriate measures to protect their employees and customers from COVID-19.
While many are encouraging employees to work from home, most organizations lack the technology to make this happen effectively. Remote working can reduce productivity due to a lack of collaboration, missing tools, and an inability to access critical information. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure your employees can still work regularly while in the safety of their homes.
1. Network Security & Data Protection
Cybersecurity in the workplace is already the center of conversation around the world. Malware is becoming more sophisticated as business data becomes complex and central to business functions. Even with this worry, only 14% of SMB’s are confident that they are prepared to mitigate a cyberattack.
This statistic wreaks havoc when employees are sent home to work. Your IT is no longer confined to your building, but to all the homes and spaces that your employees work in. Your employees are likely browsing the internet more, checking personal e-mail, exposing office data on their device to a host of new security risks.
Creating a unified network your employees can access from anywhere can reduce this mounting risk. A network they must log in to or a virtual dashboard enables employees to work off secure servers that are surveilled 24/7 for security risks by IT solutions providers like Evron. Creating a network also allows your employees access to applications they don’t have on their personal computers.
2. Accessing Applications
Organizations depend on applications specific to their line of business. These businesses depend on their applications to get work done: inability to access this could be a major barrier for those working from home. While many applications today are SAAS and on the cloud, on-premise software is just as prominent. Putting these on a secure and accessible network will permit employees reliant on them to have continued access to them even at home.
As a bonus, working on a network means work is saved in the network. A team can quickly and easily access files without needing to send documents via e-mail. This also establishes security since work is not on an employee’s vulnerable personal device, but safe on a secured server.
3. Collaboration & Connectivity Tools
Working remotely is an isolating and therefore lonely feat. Shifting the corporate community online can help workers transition better to working alone and can support the kind of teamwork that takes place in the office. Take advantage of solutions like Microsoft Teams and Sharepoint, which give employees the tools to chat with one another, video conference in groups, share files, layout plans, and do everything you do in the office– online.
Keeping your phone lines open for customers and prospects to call is great if you’re actually in the office. Your phones should be set up to forward calls and employees should arrange for call forwarding to their cell phones. Solutions like Unified Communications unlock phone features that enhance connectivity and make working outside the office undetectable.
It is a chaotic time, but carefully planning your next steps as a business is important. Take some time to create a list of all the business applications your employees use, security vulnerabilities you may have, and set out new protocols for employees working from home. Most importantly, stay safe!
