The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations across the globe to embrace remote work. For many companies, this sudden and unexpected transition required a major shift in operating. Once office-based employees are now working from home, which has brought many challenges.
While remote work isn’t new, many companies weren’t prepared for the sudden influx of employees who had to work from home. This is where technology has played a big role in helping companies to make the transition. Technological advancements have enabled companies to continue operating, even with remote work employees.
Technology plays a significant role in how companies continue their operations despite the distance from their employees. Here’s how it helped companies during the advent of remote work:
1. Virtual communication tools
One of the most important things that technology has helped with is communication. With everyone working from home, there’s a need for virtual communication tools that can help employees stay in touch. This is where video conferencing and messaging apps come in handy.
Video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Hangouts allow employees to have face-to-face meetings, even when they’re not in the same location. These platforms also come with features that allow employees to share their screens, which is essential for presentations and collaboration.
Messaging apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams are also useful for keeping employees in touch. These apps allow for instant messaging, so employees can quickly ask questions and get answers. These apps also come with features like file sharing, which is essential for collaboration.
2. Logistics
Another area where technology has been helpful is logistics management. With employees working from home, companies have had to find ways to manage the distribution of work. This is where project management tools like Asana and Trello come in handy.
Aside from that, many companies decided to send some physical tools to their employees’ homes, so they could work efficiently. Some companies had lightweight custom Mini PCs delivered to their employees so they could do their work without lag. These PCs also enabled companies to maintain information security since they could control what data was stored on the devices. That wouldn’t be possible without the help of technology.
These tools allow companies to see which employees are working on what tasks. This is essential for ensuring that work gets done on time and keeping everyone on the same page.
3. Security
When it comes to remote work, security is a major concern. Companies have to worry about their data security and employees’ data. This is where VPNs and other security tools become useful. VPNs allow employees to access company data from their homes securely. It’s essential to ensure that company data stays secure.
Many companies require employees to use two-factor authentication when accessing company data. This is another layer of security that helps to keep data safe. It has minimized the risk of data breaches and other security issues.
Aside from that, cloud services have also helped ensure that data is safe. It has become the backbone of remote work. With cloud storage, companies can store their data off-site. This means the data will be safe even if there’s a data breach since it’s not stored on-site.
4. Employee productivity
Technology has also helped ensure that employees are productive. Many companies use productivity tracking tools like RescueTime and Toggl to track employee productivity. These tools allow managers to see which employees are slacking off and which ones are working hard. This is essential for ensuring that work gets done on time and that employees are productive.
Aside from that, many companies use employee monitoring tools like Hubstaff and DeskTime. These tools allow managers to track employee activity to see which employees are truly working. This is essential for ensuring that work gets done on time and that employees are productive.
5. Employee engagement
Lastly, technology has also helped companies keep their employees engaged. With remote work, it can be hard to keep employees engaged since they’re not in the same location. This is where employee engagement tools like Officevibe and 15Five have become very helpful.
These tools allow managers to check in on their employees and see how they’re doing. It’s vital to ensure that employees are happy and engaged. Not only that, but these tools also allow managers to give employees feedback so they can improve their performance.
While the shift to remote work has been challenging for many companies, technology has played a vital role in helping them make the transition. By enabling many possibilities only technology can provide, many companies have successfully kept their business running despite the pandemic. There are still some challenges that need to be addressed. However, the rise of remote work has shown us that technology can help us overcome anything.
