Efficiency
Working remotely can be distracting for your employees . Here is how to tackle the challenge of keeping them on track .
Security
With your workforce no longer in a centralized location , work devices are more vulnerable to attack . Equipping your employees with the tools they need to spot scams and keep their devices healthy is essential .
Give employees the tools they need .
Set your staff up for success by ensuring they have everything they need to do their work from home . During the pandemic , many businesses sent employees home with the essentials expecting to return to the office where all their equipment lives . If you plan on making working from home a more permanent solution , consider equipping them with things that will make their office setup at home as comfortable as it would be in the office . They will appreciate not spending their own money to do their jobs at home .
Understand limitations .
Studies have found that working from home can increase productivity . However , if you want your employees to do their best , there ’ s a fine line between pushing your employees to do their best and pushing them too far . Communicate with staff to gauge their workloads and how they ’ re managing .
Adjust accordingly .
As you work remotely , you ’ re likely to notice that not everything is going according to plan . If that ’ s the case , don ’ t hesitate to make the necessary adjustments . There ’ s a delicate balance when it comes to making changes — you don ’ t want to make changes prematurely , but the longer you wait , the more out of control your problem can become . Give your business a quarter and analyze the numbers to see if you need to readjust . If you aren ’ t seeing progress in three months , make a change .
Teach staff about common scams .
As scams are identified , new iterations of them become more sophisticated . Scammers can make realistic phishing emails look like they ’ re coming from government agencies , banks and more . At first glance , you would never guess that the communications sent to you weren ’ t from who you thought . That ’ s why it ’ s important to recognize other red flags , such as the email asking for information that entity usually won ’ t ask for over email . You can find all the tips you need about spotting phishing emails at BBB . org .
Employ two-factor authentication .
Two-factor authentication is the next step in security when it comes to keeping your accounts safe . Unlike a traditional password , which can be stolen in a data breach or guessed by hackers , two-factor authentication uses two different “ keys ”— one the user should know , such as a traditional password , and another generated for the user at that moment in time . By having this second step that requires access in real-time , apps are decreasing the chances of someone getting into your accounts .
Work with IT to keep devices clean .
While your staff may be doing what they can to avoid malware , sometimes files creep onto computers and can compromise your company ’ s cybersecurity . Working with an IT company to maintain the integrity of your devices ’ safety is the most efficient solution . They can install updates regularly and run antivirus scans , among other things . While you could get antivirus software to run on your employees ’ computers , hiring professions who know exactly what to look for and can troubleshoot is worth the expense . It could save you a lot of time and money in the long run if it means keeping your devices , files and system safe .
8 SPRING / SUMMER 2021