A New Normal for Business Continuity Despite Covid-19

This year has seen us change the way we do almost everything. From visiting friends and family to shopping and especially the way we work.  While some of those changes have been more difficult than others, many businesses have found that working from home can genuinely be a viable option.

What began as a temporary solution to carry on business may now be your “new normal”.  As we approach the final quarter of this year and new budgets are being prepared, have you considered how your business will adjust with these (possibly permanent) work patterns?

Are you set up for working anywhere, on any device, at any time?

After you’ve considered your workplace policy on face masks, have plenty of PPE, and social distancing in place, you need to think practically about the tech side of your business.  We’re going to discuss a list of things for your business to consider, apps to utilize, and policies to implement.  Because if your new normal isn’t easy, you’re doing it wrong.

Your Team

At this point in the year, you’ve probably already worked out who will be back in-person, who will become a remote worker, and who will do a bit of both.  It’s possible that people will feel a little nervous at the prospect of reporting back to the office, and therefore fall into the latter category, at least initially.  These are the ones you need to think most about in detail.  Consider how they will be working:

• Will they have a work-issued device to use at home and a computer to use in the office?
• Will they bring a laptop back and forth?
• Will they use a personal device at home and a work device in the office?

Whatever you decide, security should be top of mind.  What happens if a device is lost or stolen?  Who is responsible for ensuring your procedures are being followed?

Your Communication

During the last few months, your business may have relied on apps such as Zoom or Go-to-Meeting to meet virtually.  If that has worked for you in the past, keep it up. We also highly recommend Microsoft Teams.  It’s an amazing tool for keeping on top of projects, sharing documents, connecting with colleagues, and planning ahead.  Your entire team can chat over instant messages, video calls, voice calls, and email.  It’s like a productive form of social media.  And because of that, it’s relatively easy to get your team on-board with using it.

Your IT Infrastructure

Like many small businesses, your IT procedures likely changed during quarantine?  If you’re now looking at a permanent work-from-home lifestyle, it’s possible that things need to be adjusted.  Think about how your VPN (virtual private network) is performing.  Does it suit your needs or are changes necessary with more static requirements?

Many businesses handed out old company laptops back in March, just to allow home working.  Are those devices updated with the latest versions of operating systems, applications, and security?  Are back-ups successfully performing each day?  It’s time to reevaluate your technology.

Your Future

In a perfect world, your team should be able to walk back in, sit at their desk, and get going.  But things have changed.  Maybe your team is smaller than it used to be.  Maybe business is up and you’ve had to hire.  If your network isn’t running smoothly with your devices, phones, and data storage, get in touch with 46Solutions to help you plan for your future.

Eric Delvalle

Eric Del Valle is the business development manager for 46Solutions. He studied computer information systems (CIS) at the University of Louisville and brings a decade of technology sales experience to the company. He enjoys Florida football, craft beer, and spending time with his wife and two children.