Remote working has become the norm. Although we’ve predicted and supported the move to fully remote or hybrid workplaces for years, we didn’t expect it to happen so abruptly. The sudden need to set up secure, high-quality remote working environments, almost overnight, has been a real test for management. In previous posts we’ve discussed the challenges faced by remote workers. In ActionPoint’s Covid-19 Remote Working Report we listed some of the top challenges for workers including difficulty communicating with team members and the physical workspace. In another post, we discussed the whole new set of challenges that Covid-19 has placed in front of leaders and their teams. However, in this post we want to look at the challenges faced by IT managers specifically. We will also introduce a platform that can help IT managers overcome these challenges in one fell swoop.
Managing Remote Staff
While office managers and team leaders are adjusting to the lack of communication, the challenges for IT managers are quite different.
For IT managers, the most challenging task has been trying to replicate the office environment at home. In order for teams to be productive and effective when working from home, there needs to be consistency. A huge disparity between the office and home setup, can be disheartening for staff, who can feel like they are fighting an uphill battle.
The Weight of Expectation from Staff
The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that many organisations have been scrambling to put remote working policies in place and set up ad-hoc remote working environments. However, as time goes on, that weight of expectation is returning. Workers expect high quality working environments, no matter the location. They want to be able to access the same files, data and tools as they would in the workplace. If they are being asked to work from home long term, they want the experience to be on par with their office setup.
On-boarding/Off-boarding Staff
While it has been a challenge for IT Mangers to manage existing staff, this pales in comparison to on boarding new staff. IT managers are having to set up new team members remotely, ensuring they have all relevant data, tools and applications.
When setting up staff in an office environment, IT managers can do this task in-person. They can be the ones to physically add applications and ensure that workers have access to everything they need. However, this becomes incredibly challenging when operating remotely.
Upgrading Legacy Applications
For many organisations, their “remote working strategy” consists of handing workers a laptop and setting them up with a VPN. While this can suffice in the short-term, it is neither scalable nor efficient.
What happens when a legacy application needs to be updated? The one task of updating legacy applications across an entire organisation can place a huge burden on resources.
Security
Security is one of the most important challenges faced by IT Managers. If employees are working from home, using a home broadband connection, you must make the assumption that the connection is not secure. In an office environment, IT managers are able to actively manage and monitor the connection. This is not the case when your team is working remotely.
With employees no longer in a safe office environment they become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This is a huge challenge for IT managers. When security isn’t baked into your remote access setup, it can place your team at risk.
How Windows Virtual Desktop is Revolutionising the Workplace
Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) is a single solution that delivers all your applications and all your data, centrally through the cloud. It allows you to virtualise business applications to provide remote workers secure access. Users get the same Windows 10 experience regardless of where they are.
Windows Virtual Desktop helps combat the challenges faced by IT managers:
- Workers are provided with the same Windows 10 experience every time. Your team can access the same desktop, with the same files and data, whether they are at home, in the office or on the move.
- With WVD, there is a consistently high-quality working environment, which relieves the weight of expectation from staff.
- All data and apps, legacy or otherwise, can be updated centrally through the cloud and rolled out across your entire team.
- On-boarding staff is made easy. Workers are given access to Windows Virtual Desktop with all necessary files, tools and applications added in.
- Security is built-in, not added. And the need for complicated VPN connections is eliminated.
By deploying Windows Virtual Desktop across your team, you are providing access to the only multi-session Windows 10 desktop virtualised in the cloud that’s highly scalable and always up to date. Users are given a familiar, high quality Windows 10 experience no matter what device they use.
Want to learn more about Windows Virtual Desktop? It all starts with a workshop. Contact us today and we can begin discussing your remote access needs. We can provide you with a sense of our approach, estimated costs and arrange your half day workshop. In this workshop we will outline the features and benefits. Start today and get your remote teams set up for success long-term.
Get in touch at https://actionpoint.ie/contact/
