COVID-19 has ruined many lives and has had a considerable impact on businesses. A central issue when considering that effect is the technology that powers so many business operations in the modern world. It’s already clear that, by the time that this is all over, many businesses will have rethought the way that they use their technology. Let’s look at some of the IT solutions that have become prominent and some that will probably recede in relevance in future.
Hardware
In a typical office, hardware, including workstations, but also printers, scanners and similar, are shared equipment in a shared space. The potential for virus transmission through touching items that may have been used by an infected person may make employees anxious. Allowing staff to work from home partially avoids that but then there may be the problem of hauling a desktop computer backwards and forwards.
This means that Bring Your Own Device – typically an easily portable laptop computer – is a popular option. Staff have a device that they’re used to and is exclusive to them. Laptops and other mobile devices are likely to become ever more popular as office equipment, to facilitate moving from office to home working and back again, as circumstances fluctuate and remote working becomes the norm.
Infrastructure considerations
With remote working, accessing data and software becomes a key issue. Cloud solutions can help you deal with this. It can also make your IT management easier more generally. If an IT infrastructure issue arises when most people are working out of the office it can be quite difficult to fix. With cloud solutions, the provider maintains and manages the system remotely on your behalf, and can react quickly and proactively. Another bonus of cloud solutions is that they are more scalable than on-premise infrastructure, giving your business additional flexibility.
Collaborative working
There’s much to be said about in-person conferencing but, with social distancing, restrictions on travel and anxieties about mixing with groups of people, virtual meetings have rocketed in popularity. To utilize this technology effectively you’ll need to look at both the hardware you have and specialized software to facilitate collaborative practices to complement remote working.
In the changed world we currently live in businesses are seeing many shifts in traditional working practices. Businesses are adapting by embracing the various IT solutions that are available. Quikteks can help you identify IT solutions for your organization and help you to implement them in your workplace. Call us at (973) 882-4644 to find out more about how we can assist.