In a previous blog, we looked at an article published in BBC Worklife, “How offices will change after the coronavirus.” One of the experts interviewed, Albert De Plazaola, global strategy director at Unispace, spoke about the new mobile workforce, and how firms may start subsidizing home offices.
“Organisations are working out who most needs to be at the office, and capping staff numbers off at about 30%, which is probably the sweet spot for social distancing”, De Plazaola said.
If offices are operating with 30% of staff physically in the building, the rest of the work week they will be working from home. The new office is looking more and more like a hybrid of a home office and commercial space.
Of course, this will all depend on the type of business you operate and whether you need to meet with clients or customers face-to-face. Other considerations are the degree your staff need to collaborate for extended periods, and whether they need to use special equipment that cannot be transported to a home office.
But, for many small businesses adapting to a flexible home/office workspace will not be too difficult, as long as the right technology is available, specifically network security and cloud-based tools. The correct technology will improve remote worker productivity.
Network Security:
Adding in a multitude of remote locations and possibly different devices, increases the complexity and risk of your data. For a mobile workforce, you need to address security as a top priority. Should you use a VPN for user login? Do you have password policies in place for employees to follow? Are all devices handling corporate data protected with antivirus software, and are you regularly backing up data? These are just some of the questions you should get answers to. If you don’t have network security expertise in your company, don’t avoid dealing with it. Your data is too important to jeopardize to cybercrime. Find out how OT Group can help review and recommend the right technology and services for a mobile workforce.
Cloud-based Tools: According to the International Data Corporation, public cloud services spending will grow to $10.3 billion in 2023, and that was before the recent health crisis. In an article, Top 5 Cloud Priorities For Businesses to Get Through the Covid-19 Pandemic, BDO Canada described why it’s an important strategy:
“Cloud services have given businesses the option to move away from managing their physical servers and keeping their business software up and running. Companies already using the cloud have seen a smoother transition to telework than those who have not. Having secure access to e-mail and files, as well as being able to share screens, conduct virtual meetings, and collaborate on documents are made possible by cloud computing.”
Making a decision on which services can be moved to cloud services, which vendors to select, how to roll-out the change, etc. are aspects you will need to consider to better enable your new mobile workforce.
For many small-medium businesses, the way to navigate change, such as transitioning to a more mobile workforce, is with a strategic partner who can bring the expertise to make sound technology decisions that are affordable. We’re ready to work with you and help your business succeed. Give us a call to set-up a discussion and find out more.
Suggest Reading:
5 Cyber-security Tips for Remote Working
What is Cloud Computing and How Can My Business Benefit
How to Increase Your Network Security While Working From Home
How to Ensure Your Employees Are Productive When Working Remotely
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