Working from home part 2: Productivity

Part 2 in our Work From Home series is all about finding the right solutions to help your remote workforce keep productivity levels up while protecting your business.

The work from home revolution has had a profound effect on productivity.

People are reportedly working more than ever before; no surprise when we are quite literally living at the office.

While business leaders need to protect their teams from burnout, it’s equally important to make sure “office” hours are still productive.

One way to do that is to equip your workforce with the technology they need to perform safely. But how do you do that without breaking the budget?

Don’t worry: you don’t have to dig deep in your pockets to pay for a fleet of shiny new iMacs. You simply need to make some informed choices.

Pushing productivity: Is VDI the VIP?

Working from home would definitely be easier, faster and safer with the latest laptops. However, most businesses cannot provide them for the entire team. In fact, most business networks now include personal laptops and mobile phones.

To deal with these devices, many companies are buying into VDI – Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

VDI improves the performance of networked devices by connecting them to the computing power of a server.

So, instead of struggling with a slow laptop, your team can log into a virtual machine that offers lighting quick performance. All they need is a screen: the processing power is offsite.

VDI gives you better hardware performance that can boost your team’s productivity. It also makes it easy to managed your network of distributed devices from one location. It’s easy to scale as your team grows or shrinks, and you won’t need to buy and maintain an expensive server.

Subscribing to a VDI solution can be a game changer, but don’t underestimate the cost of a subscription.

The monthly cost can add up quickly, especially if you’re adding users regularly. It might be worth partnering directly with a technology supplier to get functional, low-maintenance devices for your team.

A CTO KNOWS: Crunch the numbers and check your long-term growth strategy before you set up a monthly subscription.

Productivity essentials: End point security

End point security is not a nice-to-have; it’s essential.

As the name suggests, end point security protects devices at the “end” of your network – like your teams’ phones, laptops and tablets – from ransomware, malware and viruses.

The aim is to protect your network by detecting and nullifying threats when they appear. Depending on your setup, you can remotely block USB ports to make sure nobody spreads harmful software, or shut down a device if it’s at risk.

But endpoint protection isn’t just about securing devices. It also allows you to set rules about data access so that nobody can share sensitive information with the wrong person by mistake.

End point protection is absolutely essential for keeping your team online and safe whenever and wherever they’re working.

A CTO KNOWS: The cost of end point protection is far less than the losses that an attack or network downtime can cause.

What about Wi-Fi security?

Most people don’t give their wi-fi a second thought unless it goes down, but it’s a point of serious vulnerability. When everyone’s working remotely, each home connection becomes poses a threat to the business.

Here are 5 steps to take to ensure your WFH wi-fi is as safe as possible:

1) Change all of the out-of-the-box passwords

Encourage your staff to change their Wi-Fi passwords, including the system administrator details, to avoid attacks that reconfigure the network settings.

2) Install updates and security patches regularly

Any outdated software is more vulnerable. Make sure you update your router software often to ensure the latest security patches are installed.

3) Make sure all connected devices are secured

Remember, data flows both ways between your router and devices. That means malware can be spread in both directions. Keep all your devices secure.

4) Add security layers

WPA2 is the preferred safety standard for routers. Get your IT team to guide your teams through the process of switching to this next generation access framework.

5) Consider work-issued dongles

If you’re worried about at-home networks, you can configure and issue dongles that remove the risk of exposure to potentially unsafe systems.

A CTO KNOWS: Most people don’t know how dangerous their home network is. Don’t allow that risk into your network.

The last word

You don’t need a bottomless balance to make sure your team has everything they need to hit peak productivity levels. stay productive at home. VDI, new devices, end point security and basic Wi-Fi security will help you avoid any dangerous threats and downtime.

Not sure your team has what they need to perform? Chat to us today.