Summer is just around the corner, bringing changes to most employees’ regular schedules.
School is out, and some folks will have to deal with daycare and arrange to get their kids to camp, sports and other activities. Some organizations implement summer hours in which employees work extra hours Monday to Thursday with a shortened lunch and get a half-day or full day off on Friday. Summer is also “construction season” which means much longer commute times for many.
Advances in technology from mobile devices that let you to do more wherever you are, and the increased availability of cloud-based software options have made remote work or telecommuting a viable option for many organizations. If your company is thinking of implementing this work option, the first areas you’ll need to address are infrastructure and technology.
Here are the items you’ll need:
Secure server
A secure connection to the company’s server is a must for remote workers. Choices include an IPsec-VPN which is installed on all company issued devices or an SSL-VPN, an appliance installed on the server in conjunction with the firewall.2
Secure file sharing
Remote team members will need to share documents, and email is not always secure. Use a file sharing service such as Google Drive, Dropbox or Microsoft One Drive.3
Cloud-based software
When looking for productivity tools, choose cloud-based software as it provides easy access from anywhere there is an internet connection and on any device. To maximize productivity, be sure to provide these applications:
Once the technology has been addressed, the next step to successful remote working is to ensure that employees and management both understand the benefits and exercise best practices.
To help your employees make the most of off-site work, download Remote Working: Setting Up Employees for Success.
If your organization wants to leverage the benefits of remote working or implement remote work training and need assistance, contact the global experts at TrainingFolks.
1 America’s Coming Workplace: Home Alone
2, 3 Make Your Office Available for Remote Workers