WORKING FROM HOME PART 3: CONNECTIVITY
Part 3 in our Work From Home series explores the essentials for you and your team to stay connected in the new world of work.
More than half of business across the globe are now run remotely in some form. And more are set to follow.
There are clear advantages to this approach, but it also brings new difficulties – like the lingering feeling of disconnection.
Most leaders are worried about protecting their culture, and technology can be a powerful tool to keep morale up. A stable, secure internet connection can keep your staff productive, but it can also help them feel like they’re part of a team.
So, what’s the best way to keep your crew connected?
Getting your connectivity up to speed
Your business is basically run from a network of home offices. Whether it’s open wi-fi networks (a huge security risk, FYI) in coffee shops, co-working spaces or the couch, everyone has a different degree of connectivity.
It doesn’t matter whether your team members have FTTH (Fibre To The Home), a 3 of 4g-enabled dongle, or access to 5G, home setups are not backed by SLA’s, so their speed and stability varies.
You can’t risk your business’ reputation on a wobbly Wi-Fi connection.
Blending and extending your teams’ connectivity is a great way to keep them feeling connected. It’s best to have a backup plan in place in case their connection fails.
That could mean providing those with FTTH with a backup LTE connection like a dongle or router. You could even set up subscriptions with different network providers – a good solution in areas where fibre is yet to be installed.
A CTO KNOWS: Double down on dongles and data – it can make all the difference.
Top tips to boost connectivity at home
If offering every employee a blended home network isn’t an option, you can help them get more from the what they already have.
There are loads of online tutorials on the best way to set Wi-Fi speeds soaring you can share. If needed, set up a virtual tour of their space to recommend optimum router placement and offer other advice.
Someone struggling? Get them a range extender. They’re an affordable, simple solve for less tech-savvy teams.
Still buffering during the board meeting? You may need to install a Wi-Fi mesh. Extending the primary router’s strength with satellite stations can improve speed and stability without the need to upgrade your broadband package.
A CTO KNOWS: Fast internet is pointless if it presents a risk to your organisation, so make end point security a priority.
Keeping your customers and clients connected
Your customers and clients might also be feeling a bit disconnected at the moment. After all, they are probably have their favourite sales rep on speed dial.
Platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Skype solve that problem to a certain extent, but not completely. Plus there’s the challenge of using multiple services – and different email addresses!
VOIP, Voice Over Internet Protocol, is a great way to make sure your clients feel cared for and connected.
It’s a technology that recreates your office phone network across connected devices. Instead of dialling a number, customers and colleagues can call one another online. Most service providers even have a directory feature.
It’s clearer, cheaper, and more mobile, because you can make business calls wherever there is internet – all you need is a device. It’s more secure too, because unlike WhatsApp, Zoom, or Skype, VOIP comes with encryption and ID management to help you protect sensitive IP
A CTO KNOWS: Your team will thank if you can protect their privacy and keep work communications to professional, office channels.
The Last Word
In today’s digital, distributed word, human connections depend on a solid connectivity. Keep everyone online and safe, and half the battle of shifting to a dispersed workforce is already done.