How to optimise workforce for remote working

6 Ways To Optimise Your Workforce For Remote Working

1. Set-Up Your Staff With The Right IT Equipment

For an organisation to work remotely, every team member needs their own equipment at home. This includes laptops, computer screens, access to Wi-Fi, and a phone, as well as any other equipment they require for their role.

Once your team has all the tools they need for their roles, an IT provider can help set staff up remotely onto your company’s network, which is essential for staff to have a smooth transition into working from home.

If any of your team needs assistance with equipment while working remotely, IT support can diagnose computer issues remotely and fix the problem while minimising downtime. 

2. Install A VPN For Employees

A VPN is another essential tool to optimise your remote workforce as it gives users access to company data from home.

A VPN is a virtual private network that extends a private network across a public network while remaining secure when sending and receiving data.

Setting up a VPN is an essential tool that optimises your remote workforce as it allows staff to use their equipment as if they are in the office. They will have access to the important documents they require for their role while being secure on the network as they’re working.

3. IT Security At Home

When working from home, it’s important to be as secure as when your team is in the office. While a VPN can contribute to the security of your business’s data, there are other important features to implement. An IT security team can install various security measures to mitigate against data losses and ensure you can recover with minimal disruption if one does occur, such as:

• Anti-Virus
• Disaster Recovery
• Cloud Backup

At Bluecube, as part of our managed IT services, we can monitor the security of your organisation’s IT Infrastructure, even while your company is working remotely. This ensures that your business’s data, network, and computer systems are secure and protected from cyberattacks.

When transitioning to working remotely, there will be IT challenges and staff will have questions as they adapt to a new way of working. The ideal solution to this is access to 24/7 IT support. That’s why Bluecube offers support available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Even though your staff does not have a helpdesk at home, there will always be one available at the other end of the phone.

Once your team has the equipment, security, and access to IT support they need to excel in their roles, it’s time to provide effective ways of communicating for your entire team:

4. Communication While Working Remotely

Communication while working from home is crucial. Effective communication can optimise a remote workforce and increase all team members' productivity. There are many tools to help your staff communicate and collaborate while working remotely, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Microsoft SharePoint, and Zoom. 

All of them support a team in their roles but also provide an opportunity for virtual face to face contact through video calls. Let’s explore these remote communication tools:

Popular Remote Communication Tools:

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams streamlines a team’s communications. Using Teams allows people to send quick messages and host video calls, but also schedule meetings and share documents straight from the chat window. Teams also integrates other Microsoft products like Office, so users can see the apps within the conversation without having to click off the chat.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace is Google’s solution to the communication challenges of remote work. Workspace integrates all of Google’s apps, such as Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides, to create a smooth collaboration experience for users. It’s a paid service and has different price tiers that unlock different benefits.

SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint allows users to create websites but also offers secure online storage where users can organise, share, and access information from any device. The software allows document sharing, content management, and social networking, in ways to optimise teamwork.

Zoom

Zoom is a video calling service that has exploded in popularity in 2020. It’s simple to set up and manage, working across all operating systems, such as PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. Like Workspace, there are paid tiers, however, Zoom can be used for free but only for 40-minute video calls.

5. Cloud Solutions

If your team can stay connected, they can collaborate in their roles effectively and the cloud offers a way to do this that optimises how a remote workforce operates.

A cloud solution is when an organisation uses the cloud to store important data and resources they can then access securely via the internet. Integrating the cloud into your business’s activities benefits your organisation in a variety of ways. These are some of the benefits:

24/7 Accessibility 

Cloud computing can help an entire organisation shift seamlessly into remote work. Wherever staff are, they can have easy 24-hour access to the information, documents, and tools they need to fulfil their roles. Whatever device they’re using, all they need is an internet connection to access your business’s cloud storage.

Scalability

Cloud services are more cost-effective than adding physical servers within a data centre and administrators can scale them much more easily. This allows the cloud to be adapted to fit the user’s needs. For example, if a remote workforce grows, the cloud’s flexibility means it’s simple to accommodate new members. This makes it quicker to transition to remote work as an organisation and reduces the amount of downtime you need to plan for.

IT Security

Cloud computer solutions increase an organisation's cyber security protections. They ensure all data an organisation is storing on a server has safety measures in place. Public cloud platforms also give users access to particular security features like data encryption and specific user permissions. When a remote workforce uses cloud services, this ensures the security of an organisation’s data.

Once you implement measures for your remote workforce to support their productivity and improve their performance in their roles, you need to know that the features are working.

6. Productivity Tools & Performance Management Systems

Using a performance/ productivity management system allows you to track how your team is working in a measurable and clear way. This can help push you towards achieving the goals of your organisation.

Examples of Performance Management Systems:

Teamwork

Using Teamwork allows users to measure how long they’re spending on tasks by timing themselves. Managers can then check these times and monitor users’ performances.

Monday

This tool allows an administrator to remotely manage their team projects, tasks, and workload. Monday also allows managers to supply resources and easily track the performance of staff, and entire teams, in their roles.

Trello

Trello assists collaboration and remote organisation. Users can add their tasks into a simple to read board where all team members, and managers, can check with a glance what’s being worked on.

Contact Our Team at Bluecube for Expert IT Services

At Bluecube, our team offers cloud services, 24/7 tech support, and IT infrastructure plans to help you work from home efficiently. To discuss the benefits of our IT services for your remote workforce, get in touch with our team today. Call us at 0845 257 8010, visit our contact page, or explore our cloud services.