At Newave Solutions, we recognize doing business in our industry means we need to be prepared for any eventuality that may come our way. Because we’re located in Oklahoma, we prepared for common disasters like tornadoes and heavy winds, and the uncommon disasters, like ice storms. This paid off when, in March of 2020, coronavirus was labeled a global pandemic and caused a massive shift towards remote work.
For the past 6 months, we’ve helped our customers equip their remote workforce to face the immediate technology and security challenges presented by COVID-19. However, this pandemic won’t last forever, even if it feels that way right now, and your organization needs to start thinking about the next phase. Some organizations may return to business as usual, but more organizations are going to a permanent hybrid or fully-remote situation that creates a different set of challenges.
What do the weeks, months, and years look like for your organization when COVID-19 is no longer a worry? We had to answer the same question, as most of our workforce will continue working remotely long-term and had to implement solutions to make sure that we can function effectively in our new structure. Your organization trusted us to equip your workforce; now, we can help you navigate this new normal – whatever that looks like – with a few simple solutions.
Logistics
COVID-19 has shown organizations around the world that employees can be just as – if not more – effective when working from the comfort of their own home. Most companies were forced to adapt to fit the immediate need for safer working conditions when facing a pandemic and made do with the IT solutions available at the time. However, ensuring your IT network is capable of supporting your team remotely long-term is another question entirely.
To make sure our employees could work anywhere, we implemented a cloud network infrastructure, offsite in a data center with multiple redundant data backup servers, and firewalls for security. We also designed and installed a VOIP phone system that works anywhere our employees have an internet connection.
With these simple, easy-to-implement solutions, our staff is able to work from our offices or the comfort of their own homes for the foreseeable future. It’s also promoting and sustaining our company’s growth. By creating a network that supports remote work, we are able to market and hire talent across the United States and allow Newave Solutions to access wider markets to promote our services.
Communication
Nothing beats having a conversation face-to-face and one worry that many business owners have concerning a long-term remote workforce is that those conversations will disappear. It can seem daunting, but more digital solutions are being developed every day to make us more connected than ever. Platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, and others make collaborating with a team or onboarding new clients simple. Whether you’re used to depending on a team in the office or handling client work, staying connected is doable if your company makes finding the right solution a priority.
Culture
Some industries depend on collaboration and it’s built into their corporate culture. That’s true for us here at Newave, too. Our team, just like yours, is used to interacting with others on a daily basis and it’s hard to simulate that environment when everyone is working from home. It was important to us, just as it is important to you, to involve our team in developing new ways to support our culture even though we’re not in the same office.
Every morning, our team does a ‘water cooler’ video call. We spend 10 to 15 minutes as a team, discussing the goals for the day, challenges our people might be facing, and connecting on our lives outside of work to keep that sense of togetherness, even though we’re apart. Our team also does a well-being check from time to time, so our employees and customers are reminded that we care about them.
Productivity
It’s also increasingly important to develop ways of checking and measuring productivity, because the team isn’t in the same place anymore. While studies have shown that working from home can make some employees more productive, it can be quite distracting if you have other responsibilities at home. Some employees have children at home who need help navigating their own changes in how they attend school or spouses who are also working from home.
It’s hard to stay focused with so much going on that wouldn’t normally be there at the office. That’s why we developed a process that measures and tracks productivity, to ensure that our workers have the work-life balance they need at home and are still meeting the goals we have in place.
COVID-19 has redefined the way every organization does business and business success today is about being proactive. That’s why having Managed IT Services makes perfect sense. Having a proven, well-delivered, and well-executed solution will boost your organizational agility, increase efficiency, and give you peace of mind as your company faces this new future.
-Paul Nickens, CEO
Newave Solutions was here to help you equip your workforce and make the right decisions to protect your business continuity. Now, we’re ready to help you navigate your long-term challenges as we adjust to this new world together. Are you ready to start building a long-term IT solution to fit your new business model? If you have questions or need assistance going forward, contact Newave Solutions at (918) 289-2093 for more information.
