WORKING FROM HOME During the recent coronavirus crisis many people found that they had to work from home. Initially this may have been quite a shock to the system, but they companies have found some surprising efficiencies in this approach. These efficiencies not only applied to the business in general but also to the individual worker. Twitter has recently announced that post COVID19, home working will continue indefinitely. But don’t think this option applies only to large companies, small companies with even 2 or 3 employees can benefit greatly by investing in permanent teleworking. WELL RESEARCHED There have been many studies going back as far as 2000 about working from home and how it affects efficiency and individual welfare. It has become very clear that the benefits are substantial to both parties even before the coronavirus crisis. You might think that the phenomenon of working from home known as teleworking is a new one, but the research goes back nearly 20 years with studies being carried out all around the world. What the studies from 20 years ago can’t consider is modern software and hardware available today but the principles are extremely well established. They have been refined over the years and introduction of better internet we are now in the era of making all the studies a much more viable option. The research supports that there are significant benefits and of course some downsides which must be considered. However, overall, in most cases, when properly implemented, advantages implemented, advantages outweigh the disadvantages for both employers and employees and society, and the environment benefit as well. let’s look. FROM AN EMPLOYER’S PERSPECTIVE The big advantage for employers is that overall, people are more productive. A recent report published in Inc.com showed that staff worked 1.6 days more every month. But there are also hidden advantages. You need less office space so lower rent, less electricity and people don’t get caught in traffic on the way to work. Of course, there are some downsides, the biggest being the cost of setting it up. Staff need to be trained how to do it and there are costs in ensuring staff have good internet and the right equipment. There are also costs on the business side for ensuring security (VPNs, GDPR) and making sure backups are done centrally. You may even need to invest in a centralise Customer Relation Database (CRM) and a Virtual PBX phone system. GOVERNMENT GRANTS AVAILABLE The Valencian Government has already implemented a scheme where you could get a grant of up to 40% on your investment in setting up home working. They are available throughout Spain, but conditions may vary. As mentioned in the headline, you’ll need to make you initial submission by 26th May 2020.
FROM AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE    Studies have shown that on the whole employees find that working from home gives them a better work life balance. Often, they can integrate important family issues that occur during the day into their workday. Working from home gives them that flexibility. Additionally, many employees recognised that the commute to work no longer exists this is perceived as work time, so they view this as included in their workday. An unexpected advantage is that employees report less distractions and are better able to focus and concentrate on the tasks at hand which means they can get through their work quicker.    What they do miss however is the social interactions and this is why it’s important for employees to recognise the need to hold regular team meetings over the phone or by video conference and not just rely on messages and emails to communicate.    SOCIETY AS A WHOLE    Most people drive to work it’s why we have the rush hour. But if you can take a major percent of those cars off the road pollution is reduced significantly and we have recently seen the wonderful pictures of major cities without the polluted atmosphere above them. This is of course much better for the health of the population. Employees get to spend more family time and enjoy greater flexibility to balance work with life.    APPS YOU MIGHT NEED    WhatsApp video conferencing such as zoom on Skype and even Team collaboration software such as Microsoft Teams and even Google’s G-Suite are all great options and user friendly .It still gives me a kick when I’m editing a spreadsheet at the same time as a colleague is in the next town in real time.    HOW TELITEC CAN HELP YOU    Many businesses approached us during the crisis and have asked us for assistance in setting up home workers. In many cases all that was required was required was a better Internet connection. Throughout the crisis we have been installing fibre which is the perfect solution. some businesses suddenly needed more phones and SIM cards and of course we were able to respond immediately.    We also offer a service whereby your customers can still call your 96-office number, and the call is routed to our home workers. It’s called a ‘virtual PBX’. There’s no hardware involved but it does require setting up and maintenance.     Beyond that we have specialists who can help you with such things as VPNs servers and recommending and installing the right software systems. we can help you set up backup protocols to ensure your data is safe whilst complying with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations).   For many businesses there is value savings to be enjoyed in retaining a work from home strategy. The important thing is to do it properly and this is where Telitec comes in. If you would like more information and advice and help in moving to this model permanently please call us, we’re here to help and advise.     ASPECTS OF WORK FORM HOME WE CONSIDER   FIBRE Internet Use of VPNs between Main Offices and remote workspaces will increase security.  Use of dedicated firewalls, preferably restrictive (block everything and allow only what you need)  Clone the office workspace in the remote location. Use the same setup staff was used to (same computer, same number of screens, same internal communication system)  Use good internet connections at the head office in case of VPNs and at home or remote location. Don’t rely on home connections, use business connections with better SLA.  Use cloud services to backup your data or work only with data stored in cloud systems.  Try not to use Wi-Fi for devices you communicate with, radio waves are subject to interference – what you need in an important video conference is your connection to be at its best. Use cable connections where possible.  For higher internet availability, think at backing up or bonding your main connection with a secondary connection of different technology.  Implement remote productivity tools and apps like Slack, Teams, Mattermost and integrate them with communication solutions like Zoom, Skype for Business and Cisco Webex.  Virtual PBX Â
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