Have you heard about remote working? In 2020, it’s likely you have. Over the last few years, this convenient, flexible and attractive way of working has grown in popularity. So much so that it’s now seen as a given that many companies will provide remote working as part of their benefits package.

The concept is simple – allow you and your employees to work from anywhere, at any time. Most companies approach this through a technique called ‘flexible working’, which essentially means that your employees (and you) would be office based most of the time, but would be able to work from home a certain amount during the week or have the option available if they want it.

It really does make sense from a business point of view. It cuts the number of days employees need to take out of the business completely for necessary personal appointments like doctors appointments or waiting for the boiler repair to finish. The benefits of remote working mean that if your employees go on trips, they can stay in touch with teams, ask for support and work effectively, wherever they are.

And if you find a perfect candidate for a role, but they live too far away to commute, you can make their role remote on a full-time basis. You can offer them a role, bringing their skills and expertise into the business, but don’t have additional office overheads or commuting costs.

But if you’re looking at offering remote working, there is one thing you need first, and that’s a cloud computing strategy.

How Does Cloud Computing Enable Remote Working?

The idea of remote working is great, but cloud computing is the engine that drives it. Without a good cloud computing strategy in place, remote working just wouldn’t be possible.

In order to do our jobs, you and your employees will need to access various company systems. These are all sat on company computers and servers, which can only be accessed in your office. That isn’t very helpful for Kevin, who needs to access the CRM database from his living room while a repairer fixes the washing machine.

Cloud computing is what gives your employees anytime, anywhere access, using nothing but an internet connection and enables the possibility of remote working. So it’s not really optional – it’s the essential first step. There are a variety of ways this can be achieved, so the exact strategy will need to be developed with your IT provider.

Why Use Cloud Computing For Remote Workers

Improve Collaboration: If you have a team that is made up of on-site and remote workers, it can be difficult for them to feel like a real team. Conversations by email aren’t quite the same, and communication can break down when people aren’t sharing the same space. Cloud computing solutions create a collaborative platform for everyone and play a central role in keeping remote teams functioning and meeting their goals. In fact, it can even improve efficiency!

Work On The Go: Being able to work from varied locations is one of the benefits of remote work. Cloud computing solutions allow remote workers to be productive from anywhere, with access to all the information and tools they need to work. Cloud storage apps support remote working as they allow teams to synchronise smartphones and other computing devices.

Increased Security: ‘Cloud’ might be a fluffy word, but the hidden benefit of moving to a cloud-based support system is the extra security it gives you. It allows remote workers to establish a more secure platform for files, assignments and shared work projects, and it keeps all of your business data safe from hardware failures. Cloud solutions are also subject to much tighter access controls and security systems than traditional IT, so you can be confident your data is safe.

The Benefits Of Outsourcing

So, why would you bother outsourcing your strategic plan and management for cloud computing? Why not handle it all in-house instead? Well, for starters:

• In house expertise is expensive: To handle the strategic plan and implementation of cloud computing you would need to hire an expert, which could cost you upwards of £30k a year.

• Quick Implementation: An outsourced IT manager means you get quick access to what you need. New projects can be started quickly, and they can bring years of expertise and connections to the table, meaning you also get access to the latest and best technology and strategies, without needing to invest in training.

• Stay Focused: Your job as a business owner is to keep your business running smoothly and making money, which you can’t do if you’re constantly checking in on the IT guys. You have limited resources, and by outsourcing your IT strategy you can focus on the areas that really need you.

• Qualified, Experienced and Trained: Outsourced IT management companies will be staffed by highly trained, qualified and experienced IT techs, often with a laundry list of certifications that make them perfect for the job. It’s just like entrusting your healthcare to a qualified doctor – only the patient is your business.

• Lower Costs: All of those great benefits (and more), at a fraction of the cost of hiring someone in-house.

Remote working is a big topic at the moment, and more businesses are realising each and every day what potential it can unlock in their businesses and their employees. But in order to get remote working right, you need to have a solid strategy in place to manage it – which can be difficult without an IT department to manage it all.

That’s where we come in. At AIT Systems, we provide a fully outsourced IT service, including the creation and management of specific projects. Depending on your overall strategy for remote working, we can handle all of your business’s IT requirements.

If you would like to know more about your strategic IT management, just get in touch today.

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