In the face of COVID-19, companies and institutions around the world have done their part by shifting to remote operations. While remote work is nothing new in the business landscape, it is for many employees who have never experienced a disruption in their everyday lives. Thus, it is crucial for leaders of organizations to set strong foundations and guide their staff so operations run as smoothly as possible during uncertain times. With that in mind, consider these digital workspace tips to maximize remote working.
Connection is Key
The need to stay connected is two-fold. It is crucial to stay connected with your team for a sense of camaraderie, as well as connectivity from an IT perspective.
First, the shift to the mobile workforce across systems presents a new workload that is complex and potentially time-consuming. Because of this, many companies are looking for a solution to help their business unify communication to a single platform and simplify the way IT professionals manage systems. Unified communications (UC) allows easy access to information and communication at the click of a button from any device. This streamlined system saves time and increases productivity as employees navigate their new day-to-day operations.
Second, the reality of the mobile workforce requires strong connectivity. In order for businesses to stay productive amidst varied working hours and locations, executives are looking to IT experts to deliver capabilities for optimized collaboration. Without the basis of a strong connection, tasks ultimately take longer to complete and outcomes suffer. Strong connectivity allows for a persistent workspace where chat features and file sharing are always available so you can communicate in real-time with other team members. People are able to review projects and edit information as soon as it’s needed, as well as track progress and create task lists. Essentially, everything your team needs to work together and complete projects without disruption.
Maintain a Culture
Albeit crucial, choosing the right unified communications solution is one part of the equation. In order to carry out operations, it is necessary to set expectations for work culture while you conduct business remotely. Most importantly, guidelines for communication must be set as soon as possible. Because supervision can’t be done in person, remote work does require more trust in employees. Be clear in your objectives and ask your employees to meet the same level of transparency. Examples of setting guidelines can include:
- Asking team members to set away statuses when needed
- Discussing appropriate response periods
- Establishing “office” hours
- Planning weekly calls or video conferences
The goal is to create a new culture that keeps communication efficient and collaboration effective. In the hopes to keep things as effortless as if everyone was in the same room, executives must act early in leading their team toward the new work culture characterized by remote business.
Choose the Right Provider
The evolving market and changing expectations are presenting IT teams with the task of keeping current systems running while fostering agility for more effective operations. To keep business moving forward and support growing needs, it is critical to adapt with the right set of collaboration tools, supported by a unified communications platform. Nevertheless, adopting the cloud-based tools that fit your needs begins with a unified communications as a service (UCaaS) provider.
Rest assured, VOIP Networks is available during this time to answer your questions on business continuity and offer assistance to your organization. Our flexible and agile approach allows us to work within your existing network, thus enabling seamless integration and eliminating complications to make adoption as simple as possible.
