The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic compelled IT Sector to introduce many changes they had never planned earlier. Most of the challenges were found in managing a remote workforce and taking care of security measures to safeguard the users and the IT frameworks. When many employees have come back to offices, many others have preferred working virtually. Even some businesses have already moved to virtual work permanently. IT experts have predicted that working with a remote workforce is going to stay.

However, it is good that we have had ample time to adapt to the ‘New Normal.’ As the New Year is around the corner, this is high time to put best practices suitable for remote work.

Here are some lessons that the IT industry has received from 2020, and most IT firms will need to implement these lessons in their business planning for 2021.

1. Providing the Right Tools for Remote Work

IT companies need to provide employees with company-issued laptops while working from home. If you are an entrepreneur whose budget did not allow providing laptops in 2020, you should try to make it possible in 2021.

Moreover, cloud-based applications will help employees to access the software they regularly need for their jobs. Switching to cloud-based subscriptions for email and cloud storage will be helpful. It indicates that the demand for cloud Development Company will be sky-kissing worldwide.

• Developing Acceptable Policies

Often we overlook one of the best practices. Companies should stipulate rules and restrictions to access Company IT networks, such as Internet and email, using company-issued equipment. Acceptable Use Policies or AUPs decrease the company’s liabilities, employee privacy expectations, and company data threats.

AUPs are essential for your company when your employees are working outside the office. Employees working from remote locations face most cyber attacks. Hence, they need a series of acceptable usage guidelines to protect the user and the business from security breaches.

• Taking Care of Cybersecurity

Setting up a virtual private network or VPN is essential for remote working. A VPN establishes a secure tunnel between the user’s laptop and the office servers to encrypt information and stop cyber attacks. You will need other security measures, such as multi-factor authentication for user logins, optimization of home router security, etc.  

• Optimizing Virtual Collaboration

A healthy work environment needs connection and engagement. These two keys help you build a productive team. As a virtual work environment sometimes limit the frequency of face-to-face meetings, it is essential for you to enable your employees to connect and contribute virtually.

It’s a good sign that no shortage of IT solutions is seen in the market. Everything, including video-conference to document sharing, can be done swiftly with robust project management software or PMS.

• Providing the Staff with Training to Identify the Threats

 A study by ISACA has revealed that cybercriminals can use employees to destroy the security of your company. Employees can be victimized easily by ransomware, data breaches, and spear-phishing.

To help the employees avoid cybercrimes, IT companies should train their staff to identify cyber threats. For instance, they should learn the warning signs a corrupted file gives before accidental downloads of ransomware. However, there should be standard internal policies in place to stop an employee from unwisely transferring money to a criminal in his/her spear-phishing attempt.

Bottom Line

These are the five business lessons for the IT industry that must be carried forward to the New Year. A strategic and well-organized process can make remote work productive. You should implement these lessons given by the year 2020 in your business planning for 2021.