The fundamental role of information technology for good performance in the home office

For some time now companies have been using the home office method of work, however, with the current scenario caused by the pandemic of COVID-19, the resource has become a necessity.

In the latest survey released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) on the labor market, the category of remote work showed a considerable increase in 2018, with 3,8 million Brazilian working at home. This number is said to be the highest on record. Note that the research is already 2 years old.

If, in normal situations, we already had such a high number, now, with social isolation, we can expect an even greater volume. Thinking about the scenario of adapting the work routine into the employees homes, we must clarify the importance of technology to maintain the performance of the employees’ functions, the progress and safety of the company.

It may seem like an easy procedure. However, for employees to be able to carry out their demands within the comfort of their homes, it is necessary to carry out a planning that involves several factors, such as data and company and employee information security, using a secure connection, support so that everyone can have remote access, in addition to the preparation to be able to supply any eventual technical problem and for everything to occur in the most satisfactory way possible. Thus, the great ally of companies is information technology.

First, it is necessary for organizations to have support from specialized people in the field, which, in this case, are information technology professionals, who will be able to design and maintain the best structure to maintain the company’s performance during the home office, both in technical aspects of communication between computers and data centers, as well as to maintain virtual collaboration between employees, customers and suppliers.

Thinking about the role of technology in this business scenario, we can list some main point that need to be employed:

• Implementation of a robust and structured Cloud strategy, to facilitate the delivery of IT services to employees, in a secure manner;
• Attention to cyberbillary security, with the correct use and configuration of firewalls, VPNs, antivirus and other protection tools;
• Capacity planning of company resources, especially data links, to support the increased load generated by the home office, with many simultaneous accesses. It is important that employees do not experience a difference in service performance when working remotely;
• Stimulate a culture of virtual collaboration among employees, with good and safe communication tools.

When adopting a remote work plan, numerous measures must be taken and, fortunately, we have technological means that assist us in the whole process and transition as comfortable as possible, especially in the scenario of social isolation in which we are conditioned.

Rafael Variz is IT Director at HLB Brasil