Work From Home: The Best Practice Guide
Working from home. The phrase that was once a euphemism for taking a day off has become a way of life for millions.
The shift from an occasional home working scenario to what we have today has had many long-lasting implications to how business is conducted.
Change can be a good thing
Workplace flexibility has historically been seen as a necessary evil: a value add to employees but a hindrance to productivity levels. Taken in the context of an office-centric working environment, it isn’t difficult to see why.
The pandemic has since become a catalyst that forced organisations to move away from the traditional 9-to-5 workday approach. Hesitatingly at first, but as software and hardware solutions evolved, the WFH environment has proven to be more than just a temporary solution for many.
Tackling the Challenges
At Sleepless we have guided hundreds of businesses through the challenges of developing effective WFH strategies. When it comes to productivity, team integration, document collaboration, file management and ultimately project management issues are some of the most common areas of concern.
As was the case in years past, efficiently interacting and communicating with employees that are not in the same office as you is the common thread that needs to be addressed.
You may already have the solution
With the burgeoning need to find workable solutions, many organisations have tried to patch or upgrade outdated technologies thinking that this approach would save time and keep disruptions to a minimum.
In most cases we have found the opposite to hold true, a properly implemented plan designed from the ground up is the best way to remain competitive and even improve productivity levels.
The strength of Microsoft 365 is that it offers an integrated solution to just about any WFH need and implementation of many of these products into your existing business model can be a seamless process.
In fact, a number of the packages you may need are quite possibly already part of your current software subscription. All that’s needed is the expertise to implement them correctly.
As an example, Azure Windows Virtual Desktop (Azure WVD) allows its members to seamlessly switch between their home and work office environments, without disruption. When combined with company-specific licenses, resources and services, the location where an employee works from is no longer a concern.
Your WFH setup is only as good as its weakest link
Remote accessibility to the office environment is essential, but this brings to light one of the biggest risks in a WFH environment: Security.
Setting up passwords and verification procedures at every step is not only frustrating but will limit productivity. Hackers are also all to adept at bypassing legacy systems and simple passkeys.
Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) addresses this issue with a system that ensures that only authorised people gain access to sensitive information.
Dynamically generated verification codes dramatically reduce the risk of hackers gaining access to your files and setting it all up is quick and easy.
Azure Single Sign-On (SSO) then streamlines the log in process by requiring a user to log in only once.
WFH practices are the future
The hybrid working model is here to stay. Whatever the work/home split, the benefits of these WFH systems will enable employees to use their laptops as their workstation, reducing the need for redundant office hardware.
This in turn can make for a far more flexible office environment, where project meetings and collaborations aren’t limited to the confines of the boardroom or office desk.
Whereas adopting business practices to suit a WFH environment seemed like a temporary measure too many, there are underlying benefits that will continue to improve productivity well after we have overcome the challenges of the current pandemic.
To see how your business can benefit from our WFH expertise, click here.
