Working remotely offers plenty of benefits. You can work from any location and at your most productive time. Also, you can manage your schedule and take breaks whenever you need them. In a lot of cases, you can stay more focused as there are no office distractions.
However, you won’t have direct contact with your employees. Also, there’s a likelihood of confidentiality breaches. Someone can hear your private discussion or see sensitive information on a worker’s computer. Fortunately, there’s a way of curbing these risks by using smart technology. That said, here are six ways to choose the right technology for your remote workforce:
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Evaluate your business needs
One of the most crucial things in determining the right technology for remote working is your business needs. You need technology that provides you and your workers with the right tools that allow you to complete your tasks seamlessly. To accomplish this, you can begin by evaluating your needs, cross-checking the available technologies, and choosing what best fits your work.
For instance, in the very niche example of an electrical contracting business where technicians are often required out in the field, you might want to consider using specialist electrical contractor software to manage your ways of working. Such software enables you to:
- Schedule jobs faster and efficiently
- Receive more approvals by sending professional quotes
- Send instant updates to your team in case of any changes
- Offer outstanding customer service by providing your clients with 24/7 customer support and sending appointment reminders
- Send professional invoices without much hassle
- Track your employees’ activities from any location
Software applications like this are available for pretty much every industry niche you can think of. It’s purely a matter of finding what works for you. Other more simplistic things you can do to improve your ways of working are to use industry best practice templates like Jobber which can significantly cut down on admin time.
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Look for efficient collaboration tools
Productivity is essential to a company’s advancement, leading to accelerated effectiveness and profit. Remote working shouldn’t compromise your productivity at all costs. Remote workers should have technology that enables them to be productive at home, just like in the office.
The secret to achieving this is selecting technology that enables remote workers to collaborate. It gives every team member instant access to projects and ideas, making virtual work more effective for everybody.
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Check security measures
Aside from choosing technology that meets your needs, you need one that guarantees top security, especially if there is sensitive information that requires protection. Without maximum security, this information can be accessed by unauthorized persons, modified, and even deleted.
Regarding remote work, workers may use any device to share files and communicate. These files may contain threats such as viruses which can destroy your equipment. In addition to this, hackers may want to invade and steal your data. For these reasons, it’s advisable to go for highly secured technologies.
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Select a scalable technology solution
Scalability is the organization’s ability to adapt effortlessly to increased workload or market demand. Typically, scalability involves expansion and adopting technology systems to ensure growth and advances. As your business grows, your main objective is to continue being efficient and productive without the need to add resources. This is the role of effective, scalable technology.
Scalability is a perfect and one of the most cost-efficient ways to manage your business expansion. It enables you to avoid unplanned expenses like replacing software or hardware, or adding another software whenever there’s an increase in the number of employees in your company.
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Look for user-friendly technology
User-friendly technology is one you can easily understand and operate with little or no training. One of its main features is simplicity and an easy-to-navigate system. Additionally, updating or providing auto-updates should be simple, allowing you access to enhanced tools.
One advantage of choosing a user-friendly technology is that it saves you time as anyone can easily use it. Also, it has a positive impact on your mental health. Things may become challenging when you have a complicated interface, which can cause unnecessary stress.
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Choose a technology that fits your budget
Cost is a critical consideration when upgrading technology. It’s always good to determine how much you’d want to spend, which helps ensure you don’t spend money you don’t have, thus limiting your debt intake. You know what you have and can afford without interfering with your finances. Therefore, before selecting your technology, set a budget with clear goals; it’s a great way to keep your spending under control.
Conclusion
Remote working becomes even more enjoyable and convenient by adopting suitable technology. In this regard, you must know how to pick the one that aligns with your remote work. Start by outlining your business needs, then shortlist tools that help you achieve your goals. Other than that, look into security and cost implications and scalability. A careful analysis of these choice criteria will help you pick a potentially game-changing tool that’ll significantly transform your work-at-home experience.
References
- “Benefits of Working Remotely”, Source: https://medium.com/ohmonday/benefits-of-working-remotely-d4081b520bd2
- “Scalability”, Source: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/scalability.asp
- “6 Reasons Why You Need a Budget”, Source: https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1109/6-reasons-why-you-need-a-budget.aspinvestopedia.com/…/6-reasons-why-you-need-a-budget.aspxx
