How to manage technology with remote employees
Learn the best practices for your business to effectively work from home
When COVID-19 arrived in the U.S. in early March, many businesses unexpectedly shifted to working from home. The transition happened quickly and most businesses were not fully equipped to work remotely.
If your business teams are still working from home, you’ve probably worked out all the major kinks in your communication system. But is your technology being managed in the most effective way to support your remote employees and your business?
Even at home, it’s important to ensure that your employees are equipped with the best devices, communication tools, and virus protection possible.
Keep reading to learn how best to manage technology with remote employees.
Provide adequate devices
The most important items needed for working remotely in 2020 are a well-equipped computer and a reliable internet connection.
The right computer will depend on your business and its needs. If you’re conducting video conference calls, make sure your employees have laptops with adequate cameras and microphones. If they need to create and save large files, ensure their device has enough space and the right applications.
Additionally, depending on the individual employee’s role, you may need to consider providing monitors, printers, or other devices for them to be able to complete their responsibilities.
If you’re looking to conduct an in-depth assessment of your company’s IT set up, we’ve compiled a handy remote working IT checklist covering some of the more in-depth technical aspects for businesses to consider when looking to improve.
Utilize the best virtual communication tools
Constant communication is vital to a successful online working environment. It’s important to consider if your team is utilizing the most effective virtual collaboration and communication tools possible.
Email and phone calls are no longer enough to stay connected—apps that provide seamless communication are great for employees to discuss projects, set meetings, and exchange resources promptly.
Learn more here:
How team chat technology can boost your internal communication
Collaborate with a project management system
Effectively collaborating on a team project can feel like an insurmountable challenge when working remotely. From delayed communication to confusion of responsibilities, a team project can quickly find itself in disarray without the proper management system.
In order to most effectively manage technology with remote employees, your business should be using the right project management system when completing a team project. It’s important to use a system that allows you to assign tasks, hold one another accountable, view progress, and notify team members when a task is complete.
Some of the available options are Microsoft Teams, Asana, Trello, Monday, and Basecamp. Choose the one that will best fit your needs, budget and management style.
Invest in cybersecurity measures
Cybersecurity has always been important for businesses, but it can oftentimes be even more important for employees working from home due to their increased vulnerability. In fact, we’ve seen a recent increase in online scams related to the pandemic, so it’s extremely important for your employees to be protected and prepared.
There are a few basic cybersecurity measures you can take to better manage technology with remote employees such as ensuring all devices are equipped with cybersecurity software including antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall measures. You should also make sure your employees are using complex passwords and multi-factor authentication to log in to company software.
If you’re unsure, it’s always best to consult with a reliable IT service provider about the best cybersecurity measures you can take to protect your business and employees.
We can help better manage your technology!
With our Managed IT services, we can support your existing technical team or provide full service outsourced IT to help you better manage technology with remote employees. We provide a wide variety of services including 24/7 monitoring, backup support, cloud computing, and more.
Contact us today to learn more.