If you were to ask your IT staff about how tech support for remote employees is going, they might say something along the lines of, “Fantastic! Never better!” However, if you asked remote workers the same question, their response could be far less enthusiastic.

This was among the findings of a report by IT solutions provider 1E entitled “2021: Assessing IT’s readiness for the year of flexible working,” which surveyed 150 IT workers and 150 IT managers in large U.S. organizations. The report strikingly found that, while 100% of IT managers said they believed their internal clients were satisfied with tech support, only 44% of remote employees agreed.

Bottom Line Impact

By now, over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, remote sales and work has become common practice. Some businesses may begin reopening their offices and facilities as employees get vaccinated and, one hopes, virus metrics fall to manageable levels. However, that doesn’t mean everyone will be heading back to a communal working environment.

Flexible work arrangements, including the option to telecommute, continue to be valuable employment features. Virtual workspaces are also generally less expensive for employers. As such, many will likely continue offering or mandating it after the pandemic fades.

For business owners, this means that providing optimal IT support to remote employees will remain a mission-critical task. Failing to do so will likely hinder productivity, lower morale, and may lead to reduced staff retention and longer times to hire — all costly detriments to the bottom line.

Commonsense Tips

So, how can you ensure that you are training and taking care of your remote employees? Here are some commonsense tips:

Ask them about their experiences

In many cases, business owners are unaware of the troubles and frustrations of remote workers when it comes to technology. Develop a relatively short, concisely worded survey and gather their input.

Invest in ongoing training for support staff

Do you have IT staffers who, for years, provided mostly in-person desktop support to on-site employees? If so, they might not serve remote workers as effectively. Having them take one or more training courses may trigger some “ah ha!” moments that improve their interactions and response times.

Review and, if necessary, upgrade systems and software

Your IT support may be falling short due to lack of preparation to dealing with so many remote employees. This has been a very common problem during the pandemic. Assess whether:

• Your VPN system and licensing suit your needs.
• Additional or better cloud solutions could help. Learn more about multi cloud architecture.
• Your remote access software is helping or hampering support.

Ensure employees know how to work safely

Naturally, the remote sellers, employees and other workers themselves play a role in the stability and security of their devices and network connections. Require employees to undergo basic IT training and demonstrate understanding and compliance with your security and usage policies.

Your Technological Future for Remote Employees

The pandemic has been more than just a tragic crisis. It has also become an accelerator of the business trend toward remote work. We can help you evaluate your IT strategy, technology costs, measure productivity and determine whether upgrades are likely to be cost-effective.