Did you find yourself tearing your hair out over your remote working technology at some point during the first lockdown? If so, you were far from alone. Research by app designer Fluxon found that technology issues impacted a whopping 50.6% of employees when they shifted to working from home as a result of the pandemic.
Fast-forward to the present day, and has the situation improved? Yes and no, according to Work Here, Work There Managing Director Andrew Ferguson:
“We’ve seen a lot of firms, quite understandably, fighting fires rather than taking a proactive, strategic approach to tech for remote workers during the pandemic. The situation is improving slowly but there have been a lot of temporary fixes and workarounds. That’s not sustainable over the longer-term – at least, not for any company that wants to operate efficiently.”
The IT challenges of remote working
There are multiple IT challenges to be addressed when it comes to running a business remotely. Onboarding and offboarding staff are key concerns, with significant implications around access and security for both physical equipment and data.
Data security is also a broader concern when it comes to remote working, as is access to reliable WiFi. Too many companies have had to take a reactive approach to these issues since the pandemic began.
It’s time to get strategic
For companies looking to tackle their remote working IT challenges, it’s time to take a step back and devise a strategic, methodical approach to addressing the issues at hand.
“This is something that we’re supporting a lot of clients to work through,” adds Ferguson. “We’re looking at long-term, strategic approaches while also tackling immediate issues, particularly around security and access.”
With remote and hybrid working arrangements here to stay, these challenges can’t be glossed over any longer. Companies that want to maximise their efficiency need to step up and tackle them head on.