Where allowing employees to work from home was once considered a terrible idea, in 2016 many companies have embraced the idea and are reaping the reward. In the past, managers have balked at the idea of allowing employees to work remotely. Will they be productive? How can I trust them to get their work done? What about collaboration and access to important files?
Both large and small companies today have actually seen an increase in both productivity and employee morale since implementing a remote work setup. They are finding that not only can their employees be trusted to get their work done, but they are actually getting more done in less time.
Technology You Will Need to Make Working Remotely Work for Your Employees
To make working remotely work for your employees, you will want to make sure that you have the technology available to keep your employees connected and ensure they have access to everything they need to get the job done. Here are a few technologies you will need to get started:
Cloud-Based Services and VPN
You will need a remote computing environment, and that’s where cloud-based services and virtual private networks (VPN) come in. Cloud-based services allow your remote and in-office employee to access the same files and systems, thus they can work where they feel most productive. Cloud computing also gives you numerous security and privacy tools that will help you better manage your remote workers. VPNs let your remote workers login to your company’s network from anywhere, allowing you to setup desktop-as-a-service systems to create virtual desktops for your staff. You can easily integrate these environments into your in-office security applications.
Use a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) System
There will be times when your employees still need to deal directly with customers or vendors over the phone. While your staff can use their own phone numbers for this, the logistics are not in your favor. A much better solution is to have a voice over internet protocol (VoiP) system. VoiP systems come with all your typical corporate phone features out of the box that you can simply integrate into your cloud network so your staff can use them. VoiP solutions also give you video conferencing and coaching features that let your remote and local employees interact as if they are in the same room, enhancing communication throughout your organization.
Run Telecommuting Software When Available
Software providers are well aware of the Work from Home Movement and have already offer cloud-based versions of your favorite business applications that you can use remotely. Many of these tools are also mobile-ready, meaning you can use them straight from your smartphones or tablets. Combined with a good shared drive system, these cloud applications will let your employees work remotely while keeping your data secure and confidential.
Telecommuter-friendly, cloud-based services combined with a good VoiP, VPN, and shared drive system will give your employees working remotely the support they need to do their jobs while keeping you in control of the entire operation. If you need more information on which services you need to make working remotely work for your employees and how to set them up, contact us and our representatives will build a solution that best fulfills your needs.
