There’s no denying that flexibility is important. While technology makes it easier than ever before to communicate and work anytime, anywhere, employees should be encouraged to use this flexibility to their advantage. Yet, it’s often quite easy to fall victim to the many pitfalls of flexibility, which is why it’s so important to invest in solutions designed to maximize productivity.

While flexible work policies might seem like they’re limiting your business’s potential, more flexible work hours could allow your team to flourish as people rather than as employees. It’s important to remember that your employees also have lives outside of the office. They have families and passions other than the workplace that they want to pursue. This becomes the biggest argument for a flexible workplace--when you give employees the mobile technology and flexibility to work on their own terms, you empower them to pursue their dreams in addition to fulfilling their work duties. Much of this can be accomplished thanks to the smartphone’s mobility and versatility.

Yet, this mobile technology presents another problem in the form of the work-life balance. If your employees are constantly in contact with the office, even when in the comfort of their own home, this can be invasive to the employee’s personal life. In many cases, this can lead to a dissatisfaction which is difficult to resolve. After all, nobody likes to receive a phone call in the middle of the night or while at the dinner table, especially if it’s for something that can easily wait until the following morning to resolve.

While the choice to implement a flexible working schedule is yours to make, you’ll need to invest in comprehensive technology solutions that can optimize communication and productivity:

• Voice over Internet Protocol: VoIP phone systems use your Internet connection rather than a traditional telephone line. Just imagine it as a normal telephone system without all of the complex wiring. VoIP systems are usually equipped (or have the potential for) plenty of standard phone system functions, such as call forwarding, conference calling, and transferring--and some even have video conferencing technology.
• Virtual Private Network: A VPN is capable of encrypting data that’s sent to and from your business’s network. They are crucial for keeping your sensitive data safe from hackers, and since data is most vulnerable while it’s in transit, the VPN shores up this weakness nicely. Hackers tend to lurk on public Wi-Fi connections, so it’s important that you have a VPN to keep your data safe.
• Cloud Computing: While your on-site network allows for access to applications and data, your remote workers won’t have this luxury. However, with a cloud computing solution, you can certainly make it easier for them to access your assets. Cloud computing lets your team access important data and applications in an online environment, which lets anyone with an Internet connection utilize it.
• Mobile Device Management: Your team may use their own devices to access your company’s sensitive information. If they do, make sure that they comply with your organization’s BYOD policy. A mobile device management solution can go a long way toward keeping devices and users in order, allowing you to remotely wipe devices and limit access to sensitive data

If your business is ready to take on a more flexible business model, Argentum IT can help. We can equip your business with technology solutions designed to maximize control while promoting flexibility. To learn more, reach out to us at (502) 473-6407.