IT Solutions for Remote Work – Enabling Seamless Collaboration and Productiv
4 min readWith remote work solutions, employees can access a reliable virtual network from any location. Managed IT services ensure the security and performance of these solutions, enabling remote workers to work without interruption.
Select remote work software that offers multiple communication channels, allowing for synchronous and asynchronous conversations. It should also provide robust file sharing capabilities, as well as task management features such as assignment tracking and progress monitoring.
Managed IT Services
Whether your remote workers work from home, on the road, or in a different office location, managed IT services ensure that they have the resources and technology they need to be productive. They offer a variety of solutions, including helpdesk support, network management, and cybersecurity protection, which enable seamless collaboration regardless of location.
In addition, they also provide backup strategies and disaster recovery plans, which enable them to resume work quickly after a natural disaster or other unplanned event. They monitor the network and devices, providing technical support and resolving issues as needed.
A good managed IT service provider stays up to date on the latest technologies and trends, advising businesses about which technologies would benefit their remote working environment. For example, they can recommend and implement cloud-based conferencing software to help teams collaborate remotely. They can also install and maintain document storage and project management tools to improve productivity. In addition, they can optimize the security of remote access by implementing stronger encryption and other cybersecurity measures.
Helpdesk Support
When a tech issue slows down your remote employees, it can cost you. That’s why your help desk is key. It provides centralized support, so IT can solve issues fast and track their resolution. It also helps you provide a seamless experience for your remote workers, by providing them with the tools they need to communicate and collaborate effectively.
For instance, with a communications platform-as-a-service like Slack, your team can share files easily. It also comes with a collaboration suite, so everyone can make edits in real-time and comment on them. This can improve communication and collaboration between teams and allow your remote employees to stay on task even when the line between home and work is blurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, an IT helpdesk solution can enable your support staff to securely access remote employees’ systems and applications. BeyondTrust’s Secure Remote Access solutions provide this for employees working from home or on the go, as well as third-party vendors, without straining your infrastructure with a VPN and introducing security risks. They can see the screen and control an employee’s device remotely, all while everything is monitored and recorded for compliance.
Training & Support
With remote arrangements becoming more common during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies need remote work tools that help teams seamlessly collaborate across multiple locations and time zones. Managers also need a variety of remote work solutions to keep their staff up-to-date on fast-moving projects and campaigns.
Streamlined communication and collaboration tools are key to maintaining a team’s productivity and morale when working remotely. This includes remote work tools that enable team members to communicate with one another via video conferencing, email, and messaging apps. In addition, a solution like Scalefusion MDM helps IT admins streamline remote device management by providing a unified dashboard to push diverse content files on employee devices and restricting the use of certain apps or websites for business purposes.
Other essential remote work tools include cloud-based file-sharing solutions that allow teams to share and access documents and spreadsheets. These tools enable real-time collaboration and ensure everyone is working on the most recent version of a document. Additionally, a tool like Instagantt allows managers to visually plan and control their project schedules with an easy-to-use Gantt chart software.
Reliable Internet Connectivity
As a growing number of employees opt for remote working, companies need to ensure their IT solutions are able to support this flexible work environment. Whether through IT helpdesk support or remote troubleshooting tools, ensuring reliable internet connectivity is an essential part of enabling effective remote work.
Video conferencing: Video chat and call services enable remote workers to stay connected with their team and reduce the feeling of isolation. These tools also allow for collaboration on projects and presentations.
Data transfer speed: Slow or unreliable data transmission speeds can significantly hamper productivity and frustrate remote workers. This can be remedied by choosing a remote work solution that provides cloud-based file-sharing platforms with optimized uploading and downloading speeds.
Wired internet: For remote workers who deal with large downloads, a wired internet connection offers consistent speeds. This can be achieved by providing employees with ethernet connections that are tethered to their modems or through mobile wireless internet services like Wi-Fi.
Disaster Recovery
A key component of managed IT services that enable remote work is a disaster recovery solution. This ensures that data is securely backed up on a regular basis, which can be crucial in the event of a business interruption such as a power outage or cyberattack.
Ensure that remote workers have a unified communication platform in place for messaging, video calls and meetings. This will reduce confusion and allow employees to keep working even in the event of an IT outage or natural disaster. Try a paid service like Slack, Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Avoid using free tools that may be cut off or limited in functionality without notice, as these can have a negative impact on teamwork and productivity.
How many times has a common issue such as a power outage led to hours or days of lost productivity? IT staff can spend countless hours on conference calls trying to get systems up and running with stopgap solutions. Instead, use a unified and automated DR orchestration solution such as Cohesity that provides failover in seconds.