The Mobile Workforce

Submitted by Luke Bergeron

 

With the availability of smartphones, laptops, and netbooks these days, more and more employees are working remotely or from the road. While all these mobile tools create a great way for employees to work on the go, they also create new challenges, especially with communication and security.
Most smartphones, including RIM’s Blackberry, Google’s Droid, and Apple’s iPhone, give employees a way to access email right from their phones, whether integrating with a Blackberry BES server, Microsoft Exchange, or POP3/IMAP email accounts. Most smartphones also allow computer users to send text messages to phones via an email. For instance, phones on the AT&T network can be texted by sending an email to XXXXXXXXXX@txt.att.net, with the phone number in place of the X’s. This varies by carrier, but almost all carriers offer this service for free.
For laptops, many cellular carriers offer wireless internet cards for a monthly subscription, allowing internet access on a laptop anywhere users can get a cell phone signal. Some smartphones also allow a service called tethering, which allows a smartphone with a data connection to be used as a wireless internet connection for a laptop. Some tethering services are included as part of smartphone data plans and some are available for an additional monthly fee, so check your carrier for details. Although we don’t sell phone packages or smartphones, as part of our all in one shop philosophy, we’ll be happy to help you manage your mobile smart devices and their integration with your communication systems.
Aside from working on the road with smartphones and laptops, many employees are now also working from home via Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) or remote desktop technology. The main advantage of working remotely is the ability to seamlessly integrate data and workflows between multiple computers, including work machines, home machines, and laptops. Especially in extreme weather (like the storms that have been pounding Iowa recently), working remotely is a great way to maintain productivity even with a physically dispersed workforce. If you’re interested in setting up a remote desktop or VDI environment, we can help you create and manage the hardware and connections.
As technology gets smaller and more powerful, many companies are cutting expensive property costs by putting more of their workforce on the road or at home. Although remote working does have its disadvantages, many of these can be overcome by the right mix of technology and support. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can save money by setting up employees with the ability to work remotely, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be glad to sit down with you to discuss your needs.