By: John Shepler
Suddenly, the typical workplace is no more. The usual routines of office life have vanished. Employees are no longer commuting to their desks. Cubicles and parking lots are deserted. Countless desktop computers and phones sit idle.
The New Normal: Where is Everyone?
A small team remains onsite, but the majority of employees are working from home. There’s been a massive effort to establish remote connections using personal computers, iPads, and smartphones, relying on cable and cellular broadband. Consequently, bandwidth usage has surged by 30% or more. Video conferencing has become indispensable, with platforms like Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, RingCentral, GoToMeeting, and Webex taking center stage, utilizing built-in microphones and cameras.
This is Not a Temporary Situation
It’s tempting to believe that this disruption to our work lives is temporary. That in a few short weeks, things will return to normal. This is likely wishful thinking. While the pandemic might be peaking or has peaked in areas hit early and hard, it’s far from over. The crisis will continue to unfold in other regions that were not initially affected and have only recently implemented lockdowns. It will be like a rolling disaster, moving from city to city, even reaching less populated regions. Just as we start to feel like it’s behind us, a resurgence of infections is predicted for the fall.
Effective treatments and vaccines are anticipated, but they are likely months, if not a year or more, away. While the situation may not remain a constant crisis, it’s safe to say that it won’t be business as usual for a while. We must adapt and discover how to maintain successful businesses without large groups of people in a single workspace or close contact between employees and clients.
Essential Tools for the Virtual Business
Mastering distributed processes, secure communications, and remote operations is critical. VPNs will be crucial for security, while private and public cloud services will host the software that drives businesses. Robust bandwidth will connect it all together. “Touchless” interactions will be the new standard, with technology replacing hands-on activities.
What kind of bandwidth will be necessary? Basic home broadband won’t suffice. Remote employees may not have access to the high-performance business-grade private lines often used in offices. They will, however, require dependable bandwidth for video conferencing with coworkers, management, and customers, ensuring that home computers function as seamlessly as their office counterparts. While cable broadband might be adequate in some instances, remote areas may require an SD-WAN solution that combines cable, T1, WISP, 4G and 5G cellular, and even satellite connectivity for a comprehensive solution.
Bandwidth-Intensive Industries
Medical facilities, labs, and hospitals demand high-performance bandwidth solutions such as Gigabit Ethernet, 10 GigE fiber, dark fiber, and MPLS networks. These connections are crucial for linking distant facilities or collaborating organizations. While readily available in densely populated areas, these solutions pose a greater challenge in rural locations.
IT Bandwidth Requirements: Re-evaluated
The need for IT department connectivity has changed. High-performance, dedicated bandwidth connections to public, private, and hybrid cloud services will be essential. These connections offer faster, more responsive, and stable experiences than standard internet connections, providing a “LAN-like” quality from any business location. Dedicated point-to-point fiber optic lines, Metro Ethernet services, and MPLS networks that span large geographical regions, including global coverage, can achieve this.
The Aftermath
While this crisis will eventually pass, things may never return to the way they were. Businesses may find themselves surprised by the productivity of their remote workforce, even with the presence of children and pets. The truth is that those cubicles often saw a lot of socializing, personal internet use, and non-work-related emails. Allowing a large portion of employees to work remotely eliminates their commute and, potentially, childcare costs. It also reduces the need for physical office space. As a result, performance management may shift from monitoring physical presence to focusing on goal-oriented outcomes.
We can expect a significant increase in remote work, with core teams potentially operating from smaller facilities or shared workspaces. Video conferencing may replace many business trips once considered essential. It’s possible to achieve the same, if not higher, levels of productivity at a reduced cost while increasing flexibility. Moreover, securing additional help could become faster and more cost-effective without the need for relocation.
What are Your Needs?
Has your business struggled to secure IT resources in recent times, especially bandwidth, secure communications, video conferencing, and hosted phone systems? We can help. Call toll-free 888-848-8749 or tell us what you need to support your business.
