Health insurance, retirement and paid time off (PTO) have traditionally been required benefits that every business needs to offer. But now—and especially thanks to COVID—the ability to work from home (WFH) has joined the list of essential benefits. Most business owners have implemented or are considering some WFH arrangement to stay competitive. They understand that remote jobs benefit the employer as much as the employee. And, although their exact arrangements may vary from hybrid to 100% remote work, technology is the one consistent thing these business owners agree on. Technology is critical to remote employee performance.
But with so many remote work technologies to choose from, it’s tough to know what’s necessary and what’s a nice-to-have. In this post, we’re covering the essentials. Ensure that you (or your remote employees) have access to these five key technologies in their workspace to improve WFH performance company-wide.
5 remote work technologies every WFH employee needs
1. A reliable laptop
Not a tablet, not a smartphone, not an old PC with the kids’ games on it. We mean a good, reliable laptop with the following specs, at a minimum:
- Less than three years old
- 13-inch screen (or larger)
- Built-in webcam, speakers and microphone
Many computer manufacturers sell laptops that fit those specs, and most manufacturers and technology retailers even have factory-refurbished options for a lower price. Make sure employees use a newer model (at least from the last three years) and provide an allowance to help them do this if necessary. The faster and more glitch-free the device, the higher your employee productivity will be.
2. A cloud hosting or intelligent cloud platform provider
For your WFH model to be successful, your company has to buy into the cloud as one of your key remote work technologies. That means taking all of your applications, databases, files and documents and having them stored with a reliable, third-party cloud hosting provider.
In the cloud, your people have anytime, anywhere access and can share updates in real-time from any device without compromising data security. Additionally, the best cloud hosting providers take care of backups and storage for you, with the added benefit of 24/7 support. Intelligent cloud platform providers have the staffing and resources to protect your business (and the data within) so you can concentrate on running your business. Watch this short video for more information on the intelligent cloud.
Rightworks offers several cloud hosting options that address the different needs of firms and businesses. Accounting firms that need a single login with access to all their business-critical apps, along with enterprise-grade security, should learn more about Rightworks OneSpace Firm. Professionals looking primarily for QuickBooks hosting should look at Rightworks OneSpace. For users concentrated on tax work, OneSpace supports hosting for core tax applications, such as Thomson Reuters® CS Professional Suite, CCH Axcess™ Suite and CCH® ProSystem fx®. Additionally, Rightworks offers tax application hosting options for Drake Software® or Lacerte and ProSeries.
3. A complete and accurate CRM system
A customer relationship management (CRM) system is essential for tracking activities, notes, orders, history, forecasts, marketing campaigns, service issues, tasks and other critical details about your customers, clients, prospects and other key members of your community.
Cloud-based systems like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Zoho and Method CRM for QuickBooks provide a shared database for employees to track the people they’re doing business with, regardless of anyone’s location. Use your chosen CRM system’s workflows to keep employees updated and automate info-sharing to make everyone feel closer to your company and its progress.
But remember, this is a database, and it will only be as good as the completeness and accuracy of the data in it.
4. Strong communication and collaboration applications
Remote employees need the ability to email, chat, call or host video calls to stay connected. And it’s your responsibility to enable communication and collaboration for remote workers with technology, productivity tools and applications that make it seem as if everyone is still in the office.
Remote employees also need to communicate progress with their clients and customers to ensure supervisors and team members stay updated. They should be able to do so in a client’s preferred method as long as that method is secure. That’s why all remote workforces need a good communication and collaboration application, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts or Slack.
Many software suites (like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace) include project management tools—another vital piece of the remote workforce puzzle. If you don’t have (or aren’t a fan of) the project management tool included with your software, check out a program like Asana, Basecamp or monday.com.
When used properly, these applications can literally make it seem that your remote team members aren’t working remotely at all.
5. Security that addresses new and emerging remote work threats
With so many people working from home, and nearly every business dealing with disruption, hackers have been presented with a great opportunity.
Just think about it: Most home office networks weren’t created with the security needed for remote work, and remote workers sometimes have older, out-of-date devices. Unsecured Wi-Fi mixed with outdated technology are both critical issues that IT teams must address immediately.
That means ensuring that all remote workers are running security software like Malwarebytes, Kaspersky or AVG, and it means they are updating their operating systems on their devices. It also means building a tighter security protocol, documenting procedures and verifying user identity with multifactor authentication (or even biometrics like fingerprints and eye scans) before allowing system access. Businesses that have moved to the cloud already have a head start when it comes to security, but it doesn’t end there. Solutions like Rightworks Total Security extend the protection of the cloud and fill security gaps.
Security isn’t just one technology—it’s many. But having the right security technologies in place will ensure that your WFH employees aren’t opening the door to potential data breaches or other disasters. We have enough of those, right?
Successful remote work depends on the right technology
In today’s rapidly evolving and competitive work environment, embracing remote work technologies is crucial for business success. Arming your remote team with the right tools will enhance collaboration and productivity. Start with these five essential technologies, and you’ll be well on your way to reaping the benefits of a secure remote work strategy. And if you’re ready to move to the cloud, we can help you find the best package and pricing to get you started.
