Remote work has been steadily increasing in popularity even before the pandemic blew up. It got even bigger when the coronavirus swept all over the world, forcing people to retreat to their homes. It has been around for quite some time now and, with the way things are going, it looks like it’s here to stay.
Of course, not all types of jobs can be done at home. For instance, if you work for an automation and robotics company like John Henry Foster, you will need to be on-site the same with blue-collar jobs. But most white-collar America can get their work done in the comfort and safety of their homes, thanks to technology.
That’s one thing that modern science has gifted us with. The ability to get work done whenever, wherever. Access to a physical office, while still important today, is no longer a major requirement to get a job done.
It saves you from all the inconvenience of commuting daily and lets you set aside more money for savings since you rarely spend money working from home. It allows you to provide for your needs and those of your family without exposing yourself to any health risks. This is a benefit to your company because it slashes overhead expenses, boosts employee efficiency, and increases productivity.
Overall, it makes a worker more efficient and a lot happier. And this can be a great factor in significantly improving customer experience leading to increased profits.
The New Normal
For most small-to-medium businesses, making the transition to remote work makes a lot of sense. They need to take advantage of every little thing that will allow their business to grow. Remote work is one of the best ways to do that.
As mentioned earlier, getting work done from home helps keep overhead expenses to a minimum. You no longer need to pay for office space and utilities monthly. That alone already amounts to great savings which can be used as additional capital for business improvements or expansion. This is why a growing number of SMBs are adapting and adopting the system.
One of the most important keys to building a highly effective and efficient remote workforce is having the proper technology in place and using it at an optimum level.
6 Backbone Technologies That You Can’t Do Without
The following are six key enabling technologies that businesses use to manage digital devices that are entrusted to their employees:
1. Virtual Private Network
A virtual private network, or VPN, is perhaps the most important and most critical piece of tech you need for remote work. It allows you to safely connect to the internet through secure communications channels.
2. Voice over Internet Protocol
Communication is very vital in having a successful remote work system. VoIP cuts the costs of communications which allows remote teams to increase their flexibility. It allows them to have immediate access to office phone calls and forward them to their mobile phones, send messages online, and teleconference with co-workers and clients.
3. Network Security
Network security minimizes the risks of security hacks and breaches, especially today that information and data are paramount to any organization. A hacking incident can cause you lots of money.compromise your company’s systems, and hinder productivity.
4. Data Back-up and Recovery
Keeping important data is challenging across all industries. Data is one of the key elements that make businesses survive and thrive. For this reason, companies should have primary and secondary data backup and recovery solutions for added security.
5. Malware Protection
Most computers come with antivirus protection and firewalls for added security. Make sure you upgrade your systems to business-efficient solutions and keep up with all the updates.
6. Collaborative Tech Tools
A remote workforce would be dead in the water apart from apps like these. Apps like GoTo Meeting, Slack, TeamViewer, and SharePoint, among others, help make a team fully functional despite a work-from-home set-up.
4 Supporting Tech that May Not Be as Critical but Are Still Very Important
1. Management
Project management tools are necessary for providing feedback and allowing communication between management and employees.
2. Home Office
You can’t expect remote workers to have the best output if they don’t have the tech to do their jobs at home. Tools like a good-quality computer or laptop are crucial. Peripherals that aid them in the kind of work they do are also a must, such as headsets, tablets, pen tablets (for graphics artists), scanners, printers, and others.
3. Time Tracking
Time tracking tools are a big help for management and payroll to keep track of their workers’ productivity.
4. Cloud Technology
The Cloud is getting more and more critical and fast becoming a necessity in today’s world. It lets a person access important data outside the office.
As the demand for remote work arrangements increase, more and more tools will be developed to further increase worker productivity. If a worker has everything he or she needs to get the job done, then both the employees and the company benefit big time.
