Expert Opinion: Navigating the ‘new normal’ and its impact on your IT

With the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating many businesses’ embrace of new technology, IT support experts at Amshire have shared their advice for your technology for navigating the ‘new normal’ of remote working.

With the disruption associated with COVID-19, business owners have had no other choice but to embrace the need for new technology solutions to facilitate processes such as increased network flexibility and effective internal and external information exchange via virtual platforms. However, attention is beginning to turn to the prospect of the “new normal” and what this potentially looks like for businesses; whether that be in regard to work premises, cyber security or long-term technology.

Sufficient Digital Infrastructure

Strengthened digital infrastructure is arguably the most important aspect to think about; if you downsize your office space (or even move out of it altogether).

How can you prevent your IT systems from downsizing as your workforce continues to spread out and rely on digital solutions more than ever? It’s therefore vital that your business has sufficient infrastructure to sustain the increased digital load, specifically, your server will need to have the necessary capacity and space to cope with this surge in online use.

Utilising Cloud applications to store and access data is another avenue that should be explored, and one which increases digital resilience and helps to enhance agile working.

Remote Work Stations

During this remote-working revolution, mobile-orientated work stations enable employees to flexibly adapt to new situations, and this aspect would only become more necessary if your business were to operate remotely in the long term.

By replacing desktop PCs with powerful laptops, staff members can easily transition from one place to another with just a single cord to contend with as opposed to multiple trailing cables. With built-in cameras, microphones, speakers and more, laptops help to increase productivity by making it easier for employees to carry out their tasks.

Additional monitors for dual screening can then be added to your mobile set-up. Having numerous tabs and windows open can often make a computer desktop feel extremely cramped and difficult to navigate under time pressures. A second monitor can eliminate this problem by spreading out work onto two screens, therefore enabling workers to stay organised and on top of their workload.

Security Policies

The need to defend your business and staff against new cyber threats has been a topical issue since the onset of Covid-19 and if a long-term remote strategy were to be adopted, the need for greater protective mechanisms would undoubtedly remain.

Cloud security solutions should be implemented, particularly if your business is new to this environment, to check for vulnerabilities and ensure a safe migration to this virtual space.

Firewalls which protect all of your staff’s devices, as well as your entire computer network, will also need to be updated when necessary and potentially replaced in order to keep up with the latest technological advancements. Take a look at our ‘Top Tips to protect your staff and your business against cyber crime’ to find out more about the cyber security implications of flexible working becoming the ‘new norm.’