Advances in cloud and mobile computing technology have made it possible to have an office without walls, something that would not have seemed possible just a few years ago.
Local Area Networks (LANs) revolutionized work within offices because they enabled everyone on the network instantaneous access to the same applications and data. Now this capability is not even limited to a physical office.
The Mobile Workplace
Advances in mobile technology, security tools, and cloud services, along with falling costs for bandwidth, have enabled companies to think outside the office. They can now extend the work environment to wherever workers happen to be. Wide Area Network (WAN) technology is affordable for even small and medium-size enterprises now.
The upside to this revolution is workers don’t necessarily have to commute to work each day, and they can be more productive when traveling. In addition, companies can make more resources available for satellite offices.
Along with the obvious benefits, though, is the need to ensure that company data is properly protected and that remote workers’ work experience is optimized, not bogged down by bandwidth or latency issues.
Here are three things to consider when planning to take advantage of the modern mobile workplace.
Make Sure Remote Access is Secure
This seems so obvious it hardly bears mentioning. But remember, your data is not just traveling over wires within your office anymore – it’s in the air and in the cloud. Use connection methods that employ strong authentication processes and encryption. Data needs to be secure while in transit and when it’s stored. Your industry may have specific regulatory or compliance requirements. Take these into account as well.
Make Sure Applications Are Optimized for Remote Use
Not all applications are cloud-ready. Others require very specific access methods to be usable via remote connection. To enable remote work for travelers and satellite offices, you will need to examine all the applications and data required for your business and make determinations as to the best ways to remotely access them, from a usability and security standpoint.
Make Sure Employees are Trained for Efficient Telecommuting
In the office, workers often save files locally to their PCs, which is OK if that’s their only work device. Once they try working outside the office building, though, some or all of those files may be inaccessible remotely. To make workspaces mobile, data and applications need to be centralized in a place that is (securely) accessible from anywhere. Policies can be set up to make it easier for employees to save things to a network drive rather than a local drive, but helping the employees understand where they’re saving things will help; it could also reduce your IT support costs.
There’s no reason why your business can’t reap the benefits of mobile computing. Clare Computer Solutions has been helping businesses take advantage of the latest technology since 1990. Contact us to get started!
