Is your business prepared for remote work options amidst an outbreak?

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Mar 20, 2020

With concerns on the rise and the risk of coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, businesses are  seeing unique challenges that are impacting the operations of many organizations. One of the  more notable challenges is the need for secure teleworking capabilities for workers to continue  essential business operations. The safety and health of your employees should be the number  one concern of your company, but that does not mean a business needs to come to a  complete halt. Whether it is to avoid Covid-19 or a weather event, disasters don't need to be  devastating to wreak havoc on your business.  

Here in Atlanta, a half an inch of snow can – and has – shut down the greater metro area. When  water mains burst, power or internet goes out, floods, fires, severe weather, or any other  number of unanticipated situations happen, your business can come to a grinding halt, costing  you thousands in lost revenue and productivity. Teams that are set up to work remotely can  continue running business operations without a hiccup. 

Did you know?  

A remote work policy supports pandemic and disaster preparedness along with business  continuity. How? Because 75% of teleworkers say they could continue to work in the event of a  disaster compared with just 28% on non-teleworkers. 

With the right technology infrastructure, employers can give their employees a secure,  accessible option to work from home. Check out our list of must-have technology solutions  your employees need to remain productive from any location. 

Managed IT and Virtualization  

Disasters are swift and unexpected. In seconds, floods, power outages, cyber-attacks, theft,  and even snowstorms can obstruct operations, and with an increasingly mobile workforce,  having a business continuity strategy is essential. Without it, files become inaccessible, work  goes undone, processes are slowed, and employees are less productive. 

Virtualization, or converting physical networks into virtualized IT environments, can make  everyone's job easier. Virtualization gives employees secure access to company systems,  applications, file repositories, websites, and vendor services to create a universal digital access  point for remote collaboration. However, if your virtual network is not safeguarded by a trained  IT team, there could be other risks like data breaches and cybersecurity attacks. 

Access to documents 

Information is a businesses' greatest asset. Despite technological advancements, 90% of  corporate data is stored in unstructured formats like paper documents, shared hard disks, and  filing cabinets. In our modern age, nobody should be working out of a file cabinet. When  supporting remote workers, the necessity of digital files becomes even more apparent as it  allows employees to interact with their documents from anywhere securely. 

Reducing information-based vulnerabilities like access to physical files, lack of workflow  continuity, or environmental impacts that can disturb employee productivity are just one of the  many benefits of implementing a document management system. A document management  system can help clean up files, secure information, and make your organization more agile.  With easier access and more administrative control, a digital document management system  can create enormous boosts in productivity and efficiency, while making your organization  more agile. 

Unified Communications 

Communication is at the center of every operation. Today's communications reach far beyond  a desk landline. Instant messaging, emails, text, mobile apps, and video conferencing are  some of the collaboration tools available to businesses looking to support a remote work environment. 

Unified Communications (UC) provides products that encourage collaboration and make it  easier for colleagues and customers to reach you. Users can communicate quickly and  effectively in whatever manner suits their situation, using the same platform. Digital access is  streamlined and more efficient, offering more productivity, better customer service, and cost  savings. Upgrading to a cloud-based or hybrid system may reduce your company's  communications costs and increase your company's ability to support a teleworking  environment. 

An improved and sustainable work environment  

97% of workers surveyed in a FlexJobs report stated that a flexible work arrangement that  includes remote work options would have a considerable improvement in their overall quality of  life. Less time spent commuting, a more comfortable work environment, and fewer distractions  all contribute to the employees being more productive while working from home. Global  Workplace Analytics Costs & Benefits survey reported a 35-40% improvement in overall  productivity from remote workers. Transitioning into a remote work environment with the right  technology could make your business more reliable, even in the face of a national health crisis  like the coronavirus pandemic. 

With the right technology, your employees and stakeholders can stay connected, productive,  and integrated into your business's daily operations. We work to ensure our clients receive the  best of both worlds: secure networks that maintain their efficiency for mobile teams, and the  continuity and accessibility your business needs to support essential business operations.