As businesses around the world continue to grapple with the effects of the first wave of COVID-19, a second wave appears to be just around the corner. When the first wave struck, most of them were caught off guard and they did not have the requisite tools for effective collaboration. Companies that were forced to adopt a remote work model are taking stock of the situation and are making adjustments to their strategies.
Following the steps listed below will help you not just survive but thrive in the second Covid wave
1. Unified app
All your communication should in a single system. When you are in a group call, you cannot ask your teammates to switch to a different application for screen sharing. Installing multiple apps involves managing login IDs, passwords, data protection, security firewalls, subscription costs etc. This will add more burden to your IT support team. An integrated communication system will solve these issues.
2. Cloud application
The adoption of cloud-based collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Clariti among others, have surged in response to the pandemic. In late October, Microsoft Teams’ daily active user base reached 115 million. A new survey by Centrify revealed that 48% of enterprises accelerated cloud migration plans to support remote working. If you are still using an on-premise tool, this may be the best time to switch to the cloud.
3. Enhanced protection
Cybersecurity has been a major technology concern during the lockdown. Since each of your team members will be working from a remote location using a different network, there will be more chances of cyberattacks. This expanded digital footprint will require fresh assessment of your security processes, and you may need to train employees to deal with this new normal
4. Voice calling
The cloud-based phone calling became one of the vital lifelines of business communication during this pandemic. The unprecedented growth of video conferencing app Zoom is a classic example of this. Your communication system should have an integrated voice calling with added screen sharing facility to support the remote workforce.
5. Stable internet connection
Nearly 1 in 4 respondents (24%) reported unstable connectivity as a challenge to working remote. Though this is beyond the control of your business, many companies have provided special allowance for their employees to upgrade their internet connection.
Clariti has it all
Clariti combines multiple communications including email, chat, document sharing, voice calling, and social feeds into one single application. With Clariti, there is no need to search as Clariti automatically connects all related information (emails, chats, documents, and social feeds among others) in TopicFolders. This preserves context that is otherwise lost when the related conversations are stored in information silos of different communication apps and forms. It is a cloud-based app that comes with robust in-built security and uptime guarantee that is backed by Amazon Web Service. Clariti is easy to use and there is no training needed.
After the first round of lockdown, 87% of business owners now feel more prepared for the future. Companies should use the second lockdown as an opportunity to learn to collaborate effectively and future-proof their business.
