10 Technologies For A Remote Workforce During COVID19

Tech companies and many other corporations are asking more employees to work from home as the novel coronavirus outbreak continues to spread. Facebook (FB), Google (GOOG), Twitter (TWTR), and Amazon (AMZN) have implemented remote working policies for many or all of their employees around the globe, and other business companies followed suit.

Building a remote workforce is a smart business. Being able to successfully do so is a smartly planned IT network infrastructure. A remote workforce can reduce overhead costs, increase productivity, and boost work efficiency. The key to building an effective and productive remote workforce is technology. Thanks to major advancements in technology and managed IT services, businesses have taken a giant leap forward. If you’re thinking of starting one, here are some technologies you’ll need.

Backbone Technologies

It’s best that your IT team has the expertise in the following including broadband technology.

VPN – The Virtual Private Network is where all shared files are stored and where work collaboration happens. This provides a secure communication channel through public Internet connections.
VoIP – The Voice over Internet Protocol slashes communication costs and increases team flexibility. Using VoIP, your staff can access their office phone calls from anywhere, send instant messages, do call-forwarding to mobile phones, go on a teleconference with clients and co-workers, and more.
Data Backup and Recovery – Securing important business data is often a challenge, so ensure that your staff have access to backup solutions and should have a secondary backup system as well. Review policies with them to make sure they’re in compliance.
Network Security – Getting hacked can cost a big loss to your company on top of client complaints and a bad public image. Hackers can also impede efficiency and productivity.
Malware Protection – This is another necessity of paramount importance. Most PCs do come with firewalls and anti-virus protection but an upgrade to business-efficient security solutions gives you that much-needed extra defense for your company data.
Collaborative Tech Tools – Their purpose is to increase employee productivity and efficiency. Think of apps like Sharepoint, Strategy X, Microsoft Linc, and GoToMeeting. Remote workforces are dead in the water without these.

Support Technologies

While these may not be as critical as those above, they’re still important to remote workforces.
Cloud Technology – A lot of companies are transitioning to the Cloud for easy access outside the office, and are even now optimizing their Clouds. This must go with compatible mobile apps.
Home Office – Staff working from home need good office technology. Don’t skimp on laptops, tablets, and printers. A high-quality headset is also a must with installed Skype and SkypeOut.
Management – Feedback and communication tools are important to manage remote employees. Consider the use of project management tools such as Basecamp.
Time-Tracking – This is also known as Timecard software technology that helps monitor how your remote staff is spending their duty hours. Depending on your setup, it can send data directly to the payroll department, thus, saving time.

Integrate Technical Services Support

With these 10 technologies and a good IT managed services provider with experienced IT staff, you can definitely save time, money, and energy. Building a remote workforce can move your company forward and thrive in today’s global crisis. The key is combining the right technologies with the right people. Do you have other ideas for building a remote workforce? Is good technical support already integrated into your system?
We’ve been in the industry for more than 15 years providing remote IT solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. Request a quote from one of our Tech Support Agents here.