Enhanced communication and collaboration have proven to increase overall creativity and productivity. As most businesses continue to operate remotely, various tools should be utilized to provide employees with the best methods to communicate effectively.

Dozens of options are available for optimizing remote collaboration. Finding what works best for your business can help achieve a more robust and efficient virtual working environment.

Here then are five recommendations to help improve productivity within your team.

1. Select the perfect platform. The rapid fire, back-and-forth nature of instant messaging speeds up communication and allows people to share ideas quickly. If you rely on email alone to communicate ideas among team members, it’s best to operate on a platform where messages can be sent and viewed much quicker. Microsoft Teams is one option that allows for both instant messaging and video calling. It ensures all options are covered. Those companies seeking collaboration system upgrades should take a look at this platform if they have not already.

2. Emphasize speed and connectivity. Remote work can come to a grinding halt if the proper speed and connectivity of your internet connection does not meet your needs. Each member of the team needs a fast, secure, and reliable connection. Workers who are constantly challenged by a slow and unresponsive system can lose confidence in the team’s ability to finish projects in a timely manner. Those experiencing a weak signal may just need a better router or extender. Others may need to contact their provider and make sure the system is capable of performing up to company standards.

3. Partner with an IT support team. Once the system is up and running to its fullest potential it must be maintained to continue operating at peak performance. Companies lacking a tech support staff should seek the assistance of a managed service provider. A tech savvy third party can keep an objective eye on a businesses’ entire system. They will be able to oversee and maintain your network so connectivity issues don’t become a problem or a drag on your company.

Any network issue can impede your business. Ongoing proactive maintenance can avoid those negative situations.

4. Enhance security. Your communications system must be kept secure to avoid security breaches and data theft. Rival businesses have been known to target companies, and their communication methods, in order to intercept sensitive information. At the start of the pandemic, the phenomenon of Zoom call bombing was making headlines and it highlighted the importance of secure calling when communicating virtually.

Some platforms are better than others when it comes to offering security and encryption. A check on your protective measures already in place will help decide which platform is right for you. Regardless, several precautions should be utilized to ensure logins and passwords are secure, such as using multi-factor authentication.

5. Provide for remote desktop access. This enables employees to retrieve data and files from their office computers, even when they’re at home. It’s a way of making it possible to be at the office desk, even when not physically possible because of company restrictions brought about by the pandemic. Remote desktop access is a tool no business should be without.

Setting up a remote desktop connection need not be difficult. Service providers can set it up for you, and from there your team will be free to access their vital files and documentation as needed. It makes completing projects and staying on track far easier. When set up correctly, it’s fully secure and reliable, so you won’t need to worry about any unforeseen issues arising.

Remote communication is vitally important and cannot be overlooked. It has become a long standing trend accelerated by the global pandemic and should be used to its fullest.

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