The Way You Manage Technology Has To Change

The coronavirus pandemic has been a stressful and uncertain time, especially for organizations that were required to close their doors to maintain social distancing. For most, remote work has become the new normal. But what’s next? It’s commonly said that organizations that survive events like this aren’t the strongest or the largest, but the most adaptable when it comes to change. So how are you adapting? Are you prepared to open your office back up as lockdowns are lifted?

Preparing To Reopen

There are tons of considerations to keep in mind as you’re getting ready to reopen. First and foremost, it’s important to invest in the right health and safety measures:

Touch-free hand dryers
Touch-free door openers
Touch-free alarm systems
Gloves
Hand sanitizer
Face masks
And more

But beyond that, it’s important to know what to expect in this new normal. Gartner surveyed 317 CFOs to find out their plans for operating in a post-coronavirus world:

74% of CFOs will be switching previously on-premises employees to remote work post-coronavirus.
81% of CFOs will be exceeding their contractual obligations to hourly workers via remote work to offer flexible schedules.
13% of CFOs have already cut real estate expenses, with another 9% planning to do the same.

Remote work is here to stay

The takeaway from the study mentioned above? Remote work is here to stay – and that’s what businesses must prepare for when it comes to reopening. Naturally, you’ve already transitioned your workforce. But as organizations rushed to embrace remote work with minimal time to prepare, a lot of efforts were “good enough” instead of well-planned and executed. Going forward, a proper remote work strategy is key. This means remote workers need access to:

Innovative collaboration tools
Enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions
Remote technology support

Who Should Manage Your Technology?

Many organizations will decide to get rid of some, if not all, of their technology department to minimize expenses. We’ve seen a massive number of layoffs happening all around the world, but we urge you to avoid laying off your technology department during the coronavirus pandemic. Why? Because technology is more essential than ever before. We’ve seen the following:

Collaboration tools became integral systems
New demands have been placed on networks and data center infrastructure
Hackers have been exploiting fears surrounding the pandemic

Ultimately, you’re going to need your technology department more than ever before. We recommend supplementing your technology department through co-managed IT services once lockdowns are lifted to make remote work even more effective. The coronavirus pandemic created three main priorities for technology departments:

Initiating business contingency plans to get back up and running from home
Finding innovative tools, processes, and procedures to make remote work effective
Using lessons from the crisis to create a digital transformation going forward

Right now, we’re between stage two and stage three – meaning it’s time to ramp up our efforts. In terms of finding innovative tools, processes, and procedure to make remote work effective, it’s important to focus on

Securing all computers, laptops, and devices for remote workers
Configuring the right remote access tools and software
Implementing more flexible business telephone services
Creating remote work policies to hold everyone accountable

Next, it’s time to use lessons from the crisis to create a digital transformation going forward. For many organizations, this means embracing remote work, as well as:

Automation for time-consuming, routine tasks to minimize the need for human resources, and in turn, cut costs
Business intelligence via access to real-time data that allows for smarter, more informed decision making

How Will Co-Managed IT Services Help You?

Co-managed IT services give you the ability to access additional skill-sets, availability, and expertise as your technology requirements continue to grow. Essentially, an MSP handles some of the management of your information technology while your internal technology department handles the rest. This means you get:

Access to an entire team of skilled professionals for a flat-rate monthly fee
Greater availability as they’re available for support after-hours or on weekends
A wider range of services, including:
- Business continuity planning
- Strategic technology planning
- Around-the-clock monitoring
- Preventative maintenance
- Responsive help desk support
- Cloud solutions
- And much more