According to U.S. Census data, roughly 8 million Americans worked from home in 2017. That same year, employers offering remote work saved $44 billion collectively — which shows just how beneficial flexible work environments can be for both businesses and employees. As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, estimates reveal that more than 16 million U.S. workers have now made the transition to working from home.
Some are saying that the pandemic has merely sped up the demand for remote work options that already existed — but it’s hard to argue that there haven’t been growing pains along the way. Although many Americans were already accustomed to working from home at least some of the time, it’s now clear that many businesses weren’t previously set up for this type of environment. Not surprisingly, one of the biggest challenges has involved technology — especially when it comes to support and security.
This illustrates the need to provide remote workforce support on a consistent basis. Given that many businesses with the means to do so will continue operating outside of the office for the foreseeable future, it’s never been more important to provide the security and support your remote employees need. Let’s take a closer look at how careful planning and professional IT services can offer the remote workforce support your business requires to thrive during these uncertain times.
Everyday Technical Support
With remote work comes a whole new routine — and even new technology. While workers might have become used to using office computers and connectivity networks, that will likely change when employees start to work from home. Employees might now have to use new anti-virus software, virtual private networks (VPNs), password lockers, headsets, and other technology with which they aren’t familiar. This can lead to confusion and frustration, which may have a negative effect on productivity and job satisfaction. Fortunately, your remote workforce support team can provide assistance with the use of this technology and ensure your employees are able to get up to speed.
Mitigation of Security Breaches
When employees start using their own equipment for remote work, this can create vulnerabilities for your business. Both physical and digital access needs to be restricted to certain individuals in order to reduce risk. Your IT services team can ensure that the hardware and software being used by employees will protect your operations. What’s more, they can answer any questions your workers have and even provide guidance on proper training to lower the likelihood of a potential breach. Since phishing scams and other cybersecurity threats are on the rise due to the pandemic, it’s important to be proactive about protecting your business now.
Emergency and 24/7 Assistance
What if you suffer data loss or a breach while your employees are working from home? This can make it hard to identify the source of the problem or facilitate a quick fix. Your remote workforce support company should be available at any time — particularly because working from home allows for more flexible work hours! — to provide necessary assistance. Whether it’s a potential emergency or an employee needs help late in the evening, you should have access to technicians who can facilitate the best possible solution.
Whether your business has recently embraced remote work for the first time or your company has offered work-from-home options for years, it’s likely you could use improved support for your workers. To learn more about how we can help, please contact us today.
