Business Technology Insights

A huge amount has changed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) over the past year, with many making the transition to remote and flexible work schedules. With employees now based outside of the physical office for many Ontario-based businesses, IT solutions and technology choices are becoming increasingly important for business success.

Has your entire small to medium-sized business made the transition to remote work? There are some measures you should take to ensure your team is properly cleaning their home office and IT hardware - both physically and technically.

If you are like the vast majority of businesses in Canada, then 2020 has probably seen your organization transition to a work-from-home model in which your workforce is largely operating remotely.

This way of working is becoming the norm for many organizations, and is set to continue long into the future. In fact, a study from Regus Canada found that nearly half (47 percent) of Canadian employees work from outside one of their employer’s main offices for at least half the week.

This year has seen huge changes in where, when and how employees work. Working remotely is now widespread across Canada, and many companies aim to keep it that way.

In fact, a study from Regus Canada back in 2017 found that nearly half (47 percent) of all Canadian employees work from outside one of their employer’s main offices for half the week or more. With remote work only growing in popularity in 2020, it’s likely that figure is significantly higher today. 

There are a range of benefits that come with remote work, including a better work-life balance, less commute stress, increased productivity and money savings. Perhaps one of the most popular benefits though, is the ability to work from home and, in turn, the opportunity to completely customize your own office space. 

When it comes to designing a professional home office space, however, many people have no idea where to start.

An increasing amount of the work that we do as small and medium-sized businesses is performed over the internet, particularly with the increase in teams working remotely. Whether it’s sending an email to a client, selling a product online or talking to employees, we are constantly communicating with both individuals and organizations online.

This reliance on the internet, without proper precautions, has opened organizations up to the threat of cybercrime, and in particular phishing scams.

In a recent article published on BBC Worklife, “How offices will change after the coronavirus”, Jessica Mudditt describes how offices in the future might evolve to new rules for workplace hygiene.

“Experts suggest this could involve a combination of short-term fixes aimed at boosting worker confidence, reducing the number of staff in the office at any one time and longer-term design upgrades and modifications that put hygiene at the heart of workplace planning. “

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.

‘It’s in the cloud’ - is one of those statements like ‘just ask Alexa’ that has worked its way into conversations involving day to day use of technology. Depending on how far down the path of creating a smart home you are, you may already have multiple appliances and devices using cloud storage and cloud applications. For example, when you switch from TV and turn on Netflix you are using a cloud-based video streaming service. Or maybe you have a NEST thermostat or camera system connected to a mobile app using the cloud storage and software.

With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in non-essential workers in Ontario self-isolating, it’s crucial that your company gives its employees the technology they need to be successful when working from home.

By providing your team with the technologies required for a long-term work-from-home (WFH) strategy, your company will realize the wide number of benefits that come with a remote workforce.