Technology has and will continue to play a major role in an organization’s ability to enable employees to work from home. Over half of the US population is now working from home due to the Coronavirus, and many businesses have announced that employees won’t be returning to offices until 2021.

While the commitment to remote work is met with enthusiasm for many employees, it presents several challenges for businesses. Key among these challenges are technology and collaboration.

At the start of quarantine, businesses acted quickly to make sure employees had the technology needed to safely work from home. As businesses continue to move to a work from home structure, they will need to continue to integrate new technology to remain successful.

Here are the top technology trends in remote work that your business needs to know.

  • Collaboration: One of the biggest challenges to remote work is enabling true collaboration among teams. Over the past few months, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of collaboration software such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Skype for Business. These tools allow remote teams to seamlessly communicate and collaborate on projects.
  • Cloud Computing: Cloud computing also aids in an employee’s ability to collaborate remotely. Remote workers need virtual access to everything. With cloud-based storage, employees have better access to files from wherever they are working. Multiple members of a team can simultaneously work on the same file with real-time updates.
  • Security: With remote work comes a bigger focus on cybersecurity. Since COVID-19, we have seen a massive increase in threats, and with 95% of all breaches being caused by human error, there is a focus on better protection measures. Organizations have been implementing better protocols by creating stronger password guidelines, offering cybersecurity training for all employees, and investing time and money in better cybersecurity network defenses.

COVID-19 has caused a massive disruption in our daily lives, but we are seeing workers and their employees rise to the challenge. The future of work is remote, and your organization will have to adapt.