With the spread of Coronavirus in the UK, keeping workers infection free is becoming a serious issue. Businesses are being warned that in a worst case scenario up to 20% of the workforce could be off sick during the peak of the epidemic. This is obviously a worrying time, so what can businesses do to try and maintain productivity whilst keeping their workers safe?
‘Social Distancing’
‘Social distancing’ is being promoted as the best way to keep the virus from spreading, so enabling your staff to work from home is the ideal solution. At this stage it seems unlikely that businesses will be forced to make their employees work from home, rather they will be encouraged to do so. Global companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Google and Twitter have already made this move, banning non-essential business travel and urging their employees to work from home. Although working from home is not an option for everyone, when it is suitable it can keep a business functioning effectively even when employees are displaced from their normal working environment.
The suitability of home working very much depends on your current set up. If your staff can already work inside and outside the office effectively then you are just about ready to go. The main requirements will be to decide how your business will operate under this new regime. No one is sure how long this situation is going to last, so if your employees are going to be working at home for any length of time, they need to be supported adequately.
Basic setup requirements for home working
For staff to work effectively at home they will require access to work files, emails and documents. This can be achieved by setting up Remote Desktop or a similar type of software on employees’ laptops or PCs. Once configured, staff can then log in at home and once connected, access their workplace desktop and network resources as though they were in the office
IT services that can help with working from home
VoIP Telephony
If you are already using VoIP telephony, fantastic! If not, now is a really good time to make the switch. VoIP enables employees to take their telephone number with them. This means that staff can be at home and still receive calls to their work extension on their mobile phone or VoIP handset. VoIP also provides an easy way for you to keep in touch with your staff and for your staff to keep in touch with their peers. Many people feel isolated and miss the companionship of colleagues when working from home for long periods. Talking on a phone and not just relying on emails and messaging can be very beneficial.
VoIP Call and Video Conferencing
Holding regular meetings with employees to share ideas, and discuss plans for the future is essential for most businesses. Call and video conferencing options are available with hosted VoIP and on separate platforms. This type of technology is already used by many businesses to bring groups of people together when face to face meetings are impossible. It has been proven to be every bit as effective as office based meetings. As well as being simple to set up, with some basic training, it is easy to use. Employees will be able to collaborate and contribute as effectively as they would in the office.
Cloud Services
If your business currently uses cloud services you will already be benefitting from the flexibility they provide. Your employees will be accustomed to the convenience of being able to access files and documents while working out of the office. Working from home on a more regular basis will be an easy transition. Popular cloud services such as cloud file share enable staff working in different locations to access and update the same documents at the same time via the internet. Other cloud services such as cloud backup and cloud managed anti-virus can make home working more secure. If you are not using cloud services and want to find out more, get in touch with your IT support company.
The spread of Coronavirus is a rapidly evolving situation and no one is exactly sure how things will progress. However, if it follows the same path we have seen in other countries, things are likely to get significantly worse before they get better. Enabling staff to work from home will not be the whole solution to this problem. But it can certainly help towards slowing the spread of the disease, saving lives and keeping your business functioning effectively.
DATA Computer Services provides professional IT support services for businesses throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians. If you would like to find out more about our service, please get in touch or give us a call on 0131 657 1666