Strategies for Remote Working

Your ability to remain continually connected from any location is now a reality whether working from home, traveling for business, or on vacation. With today’s work environment, many are being encouraged or required to work from home. Even if it is not required, you and others in your organization can increase productivity by enabling this type of accessibility.

We provide computer systems, VOIP communications, cloud email, and cloud application support for Work From Home (WFH) solutions. For hardware, we recommend portable laptops or tablets with docks that can be used with one or more monitors, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. For video conferencing and virtual meetings, we can do complete “Zoom Room” setups compatible with any major video conferencing service. These would include a large TV screen for viewing other participants, HD cameras, and quality microphone and speaker setups for clear communication. The employee may also need a desk phone or mobile phone app with VOIP service that provides the same voice communication tools they have available at the office.

It’s important when developing a WFH strategy that both accessibility and security are considered. We recommend accessing work system with company owned laptop computers or mobile devices that are secured and managed by a professional IT firm; although with appropriate precautions, an employee-owned device can be utilized.

If all applications and files the employee needs to access are cloud accessible, the only thing needed may be to ensure that the computer or tablet has proper desktop security software and a stable internet connection. If VOIP or video conference services are to be utilized, a VOIP connectivity test and bandwidth test may be appropriate and Internet service upgrades may need to be done to ensure a good experience.

There are a few key questions that need to be answered when setting up work from home. What local files and applications do I need to make available? Should VPN be set up to allow access to those files or do they need to be moved into a secure cloud storage? Are there Line of Business apps that need to be accessed that are not cloud based (such as Quickbooks Desktop)? Is company email accessible outside of the office? Does the employee need access to a phone or can they communicate just via email?

Harmony Techology Solutions can help answer these questions to ensure you have the best, most efficient Work From Home solution that will minimize impact on your business or even make it run more efficiently. To get started, contact us now!