It’s easy to see why there’s been an increase in the number of people choosing to work at home. In fact, we discussed the many advantages of remote working in our previous blog. However, it’s not all plain sailing. For many, the onset of Covid-19 has meant that they’ve had to work from home. It’s not something that employers have chosen. More importantly, it’s not a situation they’ve sufficiently planned for.
Without the right systems and equipment in place, working at home can be difficult and unproductive, which completely defeats the object. Here, we take a closer look at the common issues faced by those who have taken the remote working path.
Slow technology repairs
We’ve all been there; the moment you routinely click a button and suddenly that button no longer works. Technology has failed you. The printer won’t print. The scanner won’t scan. Or, they’re doing these things, just at a glacial pace. One of the biggest issues faced by those working remotely is faulty technology and the subsequent delay in getting those problems resolved when they can no longer rely on in-house IT maintenance. And on that, since when do you pay your IT team to deal with issues completely unrelated to their job spec? When your teams are trying to give their all from wherever they are it’s important to make sure they have the best technology on their side.
It really doesn’t matter what industry you’re in. If your business scans or prints paper documents, anything from court documents to product invoices, technology that doesn’t work isn’t something you need.
At AFP Digital, we provide home printing and scanning solutions which can handle the level of printing that your team needs to do, without the need to replace the device regularly. In addition, you’ll also benefit from full maintenance and repair as and when you need it. Say goodbye to losing half a day’s work to a faulty printer and the associated frustration
Data security
As a decision maker within your business, data protection should be a key priority. For those businesses not used to their employees working remotely en masse, protecting data will have rightly been a big concern. A lot of businesses will have, for the first time, turned to cloud storage options which need to be protected and access controlled. The average employee sends around 120 emails on any given day. It’s important for all of that information to travel and be received safely without any breaches. Again, this is important for businesses in any industry. However, for businesses in industries such as legal and finance which involve high volumes of private information, data security is of particular importance.
At AFP we’ve worked with a wide range of industries with data protection requirements. With our Smart Office solution, we’ll ensure your data moves securely between employees whether you’re scanning or emailing to your desktop or to the cloud.
Productivity
Some people find it much easier to concentrate and get through their tasks in their own home, whilst others find that they need the structure of an office in order to focus. Bear in mind that those who are remote working without the right technology will suffer from reduced productivity. Studies suggest that businesses can lose over two weeks of working time due to faulty technology. That’s time that your business simply cannot afford to lose.
As an employer, your team’s productivity matters. The more time they spend dealing with equipment that’s not up to the job, the less time they spend on achieving results for your business. It’s as simple as that.
Now the country is slowly returning to normality, it will be interesting to see how the remote working figures change. It’s likely that companies will have to address their flexibility on the matter sooner rather than later. When that time comes, it will be the job of employers to make sure that their people are equipped to give their best, no matter where they are.
To find out more about how AFP Digital can provide your business with unrivalled home printing solutions, contact us now.