Managing IT In the Work from Home Era

There are a lot of reasons that the new push to work from home can be a positive experience for users. From an IT perspective, the ever-evolving meaning of the word “workspace” can pose a challenge. While IT support can be implemented in many situations over the phone or through the internet, it can still sometimes prove difficult to fully share knowledge with users without being there in person. The varying constraints of home environments, the remote implementation of new software, and the movement and troubleshooting of off-site equipment are just a few of the problems we’ve encountered over the past few years. As work from home becomes part of the new normal, so do new challenges. 

While many basic home networks these days do meet requirements to maintain a reliable connection to a work network, home environments can be tricker to troubleshoot than office based ones. They sometimes include configurations or firewalls that block the ability for the host computer to communicate with the correct applications or connectors for them to properly complete their work. This can be frustrating for both the user and the technician because the set up lacks the consistency of being on-site. Providing step-by-step resources and encouraging the use of screen sharing sessions with technicians during troubleshooting can improve users’ confidence in the resources provided to them by their company to work at home.

Many types of new software, especially video conferencing and collaboration software, have become vital to business operations in the work from home era. If you are planning on implementing new software, make sure to speak to your IT team in advance. Having them as an integral part of the introduction of new software can help them identify issues that might be common and have ready-made solutions for those situations beforehand. This improves the user experience overall, and can help solidify confidence for users when using new software without in-person support.

Another large obstacle to overcome is onboarding new users in a work from home environment. It helps to have a plan and process in place for onboarding new users remotely ahead of time. Think about whether you want users to pick up their new equipment or if it will need to be shipped. Consider scheduling them for a set up with an IT representative or sending set up instructions before they start their first day, to ensure they are ready to jump right into work from day one. 

Does your company need help finding solutions to complications arising from the new work from home era? Contact DCD, and we can start looking into what you need to continue to grow and succeed in today’s ever changing workplace.