Remote working made simple: the technology factor

The digital workplace is a vital component of any digitalisation strategy. When implementing the digital workplace, the technology that is made available to employees will have a significant role to play to ensure its success.

The ability to work remotely and from any location has always been important, not least in light of increasing digitalisation and internationalisation. Also, in recent months, it has become even more relevant. But the fact is not all employees have access to the technology we often take for granted in the office. For example, not everyone has the space for two screens, a stable enough broadband connection, or a printer. You also have the ask are the necessary support networks in place if a laptop breaks, or a mobile phone smashes. If technology goes down, that can be a major stressor for people. Employers need to ensure that their employees have not only the best in class IT technology, but also the infrastructure in place to deal with any issues that might arise. Of course, if the majority of workers are suddenly forced to work from home, it is not that easy to implement.

Providing the right devices

More and more companies realise that technology is the basis for increasing the productivity of remote workers. Working productively over the long term requires the latest technology, including upgrades at regular intervals, and each workplace component needs to offer adequate performance. A remote working strategy also needs to focus on the individual technology requirements of your employees. Each user group has its own requirements: if an employee spends a lot of time travelling, then a lightweight device is the best fit. Convertible devices are also very popular. Other employees might be working with large data volumes; in which case, high performance is key. The basic equipment that needs to be made available should always consist of a smartphone and a laptop. The employee can then select additional options according to their specific needs, which, in many cases, includes a noise-cancelling headset.

Involving employees in device selection

From the outset, it is important to give your employees a say in device selection, as they know their requirements best. Having a choice between devices is increasingly important to younger colleagues, in particular. Getting them involved provides a boost to employee motivation and can help you hire and retain the best talent available.

End-to-end device management can be fully automated via an inhouse online self-service ordering portal. Here, each employee can select the mobile devices they need, without the long approval periods and installation processes. Upgrades can easily be arranged for a personal surcharge and are delivered promptly – to the employee’s home address if required.

Making devices available for personal use

According to research by IDC, 62 per cent of companies have to contend with employees taking matters into their own hands, and buying the equipment they need, rather than waiting a long time for delivery. By involving your employees in the device selection from the start, you can avoid this particular phenomenon. What’s more, employees are permitted to use their chosen devices privately. This has several advantages:

• The employee only has to get used to one IT environment
• Customer data and company documents no longer have to be sent from personal devices. Important considerations when it comes to compliance, security, and data protection.

Ensuring a high level of data protection

The risks to data security are higher with mobile devices, which is why you need a solution that ensures that the data on mobile devices is secure. Thankfully there are simple solutions on the market for this issue that can protect you in the case of theft and other types of device loss or damage. At the end of the useful life, a specialist solution provider will be able to offer secure data deletion by erasing storage units and hard drives in laptops, tablets, and smartphones.