Do You Have A Plan For When The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Over?

Do You Have A Plan For When The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Over?

No matter when it happens, you’ll need a plan in place for when some or all of your staff can return to work at the office. Do you know what your top considerations should be?

After more than two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s likely that your business has gotten into a rhythm with remote work. However, while we don’t know specifically when the pandemic will end, it will certainly conclude at some point - do you know how your business will proceed then?

You don’t necessarily have to return to the way it was before - in fact, according to 317 CFOs recently surveyed by Gartner, 74% of CFOs say they expect to move previously on-site employees to fulltime remote work post-COVID-19.

What’s your plan for unwinding after the pandemic? Check out our latest video to learn more:

3 Things To Include In Your Post-COVID-19 Plan

In planning your partial or full return to work after the pandemic dies down, there are three main questions you should be asking yourself:

• What Changes Did You Make To Work Processes That Should Be Kept? Whether you plan to continue with remote work or not, if you implemented new practices for time management, communication, or other workplace priorities that helped to boost productivity and engagement, then you should continue with them.
• What Changes Did You Make To Work Processes That Should Not Be Kept? On the other hand, if you found that some new processes or the nature of remote work itself led to delays and lowered productivity, there's no reason to keep them going. This is especially important when you're determining who on your team will continue with remote work. If someone did not thrive in the remote setting, you should bring them back into the office as soon as you can.
• Are You Ready For A Second Wave Of The Pandemic? Although you may be able to bring your staff into the office at some point, it’s important not to forget all the hard lessons learned during this pandemic. A second wave is a distinct possibility, and so, you need to make sure you have a viable remote work plan in place that can be launched quickly.

Are You Investing In The Right IT Support For Remote Work?

Your staff’s productivity depends entirely upon how effective your IT support is. Your IT services support a number of key processes in the remote setting:

• Access to files, applications, and systems
• The ability to collaborate with colleagues, partners, and customers via video conferencing solutions
• Confident security against the increased rate of pandemic-related phishing attacks
• Maintenance of communications with cloud-based phone systems that keep staff connected

The real question is: are you sure internal IT support is the best way to manage a remote environment?

The fact is that an in-house IT team can cost a lot to manage and maintain. To be effective, IT service and support requires up-to-date skills and expertise. There are additional expenses on top of the salary to consider such as holidays, and the coverage while your network administrator is away.

This is why outsourced IT services are the better choice. With outsourced IT services, you’ll have access to a team of IT experts with a breadth and depth of tech knowledge and experience. The bottom line is that outsourced IT services give you access to a team of experienced and knowledgeable IT experts— can you get the same from an in-house IT staff?

Like this article? Check out the following blogs to learn more:

COVID-19 Calls For Proactive Remote Workforce Measures

Why Your Organization Needs Cybersecurity Awareness Training