Hybrid workforce — Keeping people, technology and ideas connected

The pandemic has caused many companies to transition to remote work. With the widespread distribution of vaccines, some employees are slowly returning to the office, but not everyone.

Employees have become comfortable with working from home, saving them money on commuting and, in many cases, upping their productivity. In response, businesses have resorted to allowing remote work permanently, leading to a new hybrid model that features remote and in-office workers.

Allowing for a hybrid workforce affords employees the choice of working from home, in the office or going between the two. Though this may be convenient for employees, it means a whole new set of obstacles for employers.

What are those obstacles, and how are they being overcome?

Keeping teams connected

With so many people working from so many different locations, companies have had to find ways to keep them connected.

Network needs

Internet bandwidth is becoming a deciding factor in whether someone is capable of working from home. Employees are upgrading their plans with their internet service provider (ISP) in order to accommodate their new situation. Some employers are even offering to pay for a better internet plan for their teams at home so they won’t miss a beat on their work.

Reliable internet connectivity has become a utility instead of a luxury, making or breaking this newly-created work from home economy. This was especially true for jobs that included working with large file sizes.

Collaboration software and file sharing

Collaboration software and file sharing has become commonplace in order to communicate and keep up with work. Collaboration software allows teams to contact each other via direct and group messaging, as well as through voice and video conferencing with voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

Collaboration software is a Software as a Service (SaaS) app that fits under the umbrella of Unified Communications. This includes calling, messaging and meeting with anyone from any device the user chooses. The app is capable of HD video, voice, private and group messaging, screen sharing and conferencing in a single application that can integrate with other cloud-based business applications.

Collaboration software can be used on PC, mobile, and tablets. This gives your hybrid workforce the flexibility they need to stay connected from wherever they are, but there are more features beyond that, like:

• Business calling - Use your business phone number to place and receive business calls using VoIP and the cellular network.
• WiFi Calling - Call using WiFi to pay less for calls.
• One number - Have a single number people can call to reach you on any device.
• Corporate directory - Contact anyone on your team with a quick search.
• Dial into a video conference - Use your cellular network to call into a meeting from anywhere.
• Move meetings - Seamlessly move meetings between devices, whether at home or in the office.

After you have your collaboration software up and running, you can get right to work. File sharing means teams can share and download files via your cloud storage application, making it easy to collaborate, give feedback and turn in work when it’s finished. This can include programs such as digital whiteboards that allow for real-time collaboration during meetings, keeping a record of everyone’s notes during brainstorming sessions.

Most importantly, using cloud-based software like the applications mentioned above can keep everyone on the same page no matter if they’re working in the office or on the other side of the country.

Staying secure

During the transition to remote work, a lot of companies became concerned about security. Every employee working in a different location in a range of environments means more security risks.

Not every employee is going to know how to properly secure their network, so consider a solution that works for those both in the office and at home.

SD-WAN

One such solution is a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN). An SD-WAN is a virtual wide area network (WAN) that can virtualize and combine any sort of network type, such as:

• Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS)
• Internet
• Cellular
• Satellite

But what does this mean for your business, exactly? It means you’ll get a much more safe, reliable connection so you never have to worry about dropped calls or low resolution video when using web and video conferencing. It doesn’t just stop at calls, either. Any bandwidth-hungry cloud-based application will benefit from using an SD-WAN. And it’s packaged in an easy-to-use user interface as well.

Endpoint protection

One of the most effective methods of ensuring network security in a hybrid workforce is endpoint protection. Endpoint protection, or endpoint security, is used to secure devices connected to a network. This is done by creating a layer of protection on endpoints, such as servers, desktops, laptops and mobile devices.

In other words, endpoint protection can better protect your business from ransomware and malware. It’s common for most users to have some sort of antivirus software already installed, considering that Microsoft Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender pre-installed, but they often don’t protect users against advanced cyberattacks, exploits and data leakage. These are all areas where endpoint protection excels.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of endpoint protection is that its security stretches to all devices, not just PCs. So whether you or your team are sharing confidential documents via smartphone, tablet or desktop, you never need to worry about them being compromised.

Consistency is key

The most important takeaway with network security in this context is consistency across all devices within your business’s network. Every device should have the same software and means of protection so that everyone is on the same page when it comes to both collaboration and security.

With everyone on the same level of security, your business can go about its day-to-day operation without worry while your team can comfortably work from wherever they want.

Telesystem can provide you peace of mind when it comes to keeping your business safe, whether it’s in the office or at home. To learn more about how you can up security for your business’ network, contact us today.