The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many companies to send people to work from home. As organizations prepare for a remote workforce, now or in the future, consider these top priorities to achieve success.
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1. Discover which files and the apps employees use to perform their jobs, and devise a plan for them to remotely access and share data in a secure manner.
Cloud-based apps are inherently available, where there is internet, outside of your company offices and network. Files or programs stored or running on a desktop in the office prove a more difficult access challenge. You need to decide which option for extending remote access makes the most sense for your situation. A traditional VPN is probably the easiest option, although newer virtual desktops also offer advantages.
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2. Ensure reliable, fast Internet service at home.
If the employee does not have reliable internet access at home, consider providing them with an LTE wireless solution.
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3. Ensure continuity of voice communications.
Do employees use physical phones? What options do they have for using their business extension remotely, such as with a cloud-based hosted phone system? Can they access their business line via a software-based unified communications app in place of their physical handset? Is it wise to have people use their personal mobile as their primary phone in place of a business extension?
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4. Assess call centers.
Remote work is an attractive option for companies that operate contact centers. How easily could you scale your contact center beyond your four walls? Is your call center software cloud-based, or could your employees securely access your apps remotely?
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5. Consider web conferencing capabilities.
What is the capacity of your current service, and how will it handle an increase in usage or number of meeting participants? Does your web conferencing service offer all the features your remote workforce needs? Are free conferencing services everything they claim to be? Many unified communications services give users the ability to host voice and video conferences and screen share which could be valuable tools when connecting to customers and co-workers remotely.
Beyond equipping a remote workforce, there are many other items that a business needs to consider. Training and support requirements as well as business policies and procedures are just some of the things that should be reviewed and updated as needed to encompass what is required to enable a remote workforce.
