BrandQuantum

TOP TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR REMOTE WORKFORCE

01.04.2020 01:59 PM By BrandQuantum

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has businesses and employees gravely concerned. While companies want to keep the lights on and conduct business as usual, there is a need to implement responsible business solutions that allow for employees to keep themselves and their families’ safe while meeting their business obligations.


With this in mind, companies are preparing for the remote workforce.  With approximately only 44% of global companies embracing the notion of remote working[1], this is a big step for many companies and employees. At this time is important that companies give employees the tools they need to work from home while delivering consistent brand experiences that their customers have become accustomed to receiving.

                  

Employee communication is also key when employees are working remotely. According to CoSo Cloud[2], more than half of remote employees feel disconnected from those employees working in offices. During a time of uncertainty, it is even more important that companies keep communications channels open with employees to maintain trust and keep them connected, and motivated.


Putting your employee’s safety first while protecting your brand during a pandemic can be achieved by putting a few fundamentals in place:


1. Professional and consistent email branding: 

Email signatures and on-brand emails using the same font and colour across the company will help employees to deliver consistent experiences in every email to provide customers with the familiarity they seek at a time of uncertainty.


2. Pre-developed and approved content: 

Easily accessible pre-developed and approved content that employees can insert directly into emails to their customer’s, will equip employees with correct information, help to streamline responses and keep the brand integrity in every communication.


3. Branded documents and letterheads: 

Employees should have access to the latest company letterheads, templates, documents and presentations needed to communicate with clients. These need to be made available via an easy-to-access solution, without the need to physically be at the office whilst still providing all the necessary security.


4. Keep employees up-to-date and informed: 

When employees are separate from the company it is critical they are kept up to date on all important company news and information throughout the day to prevent them from becoming disconnected and uncoordinated.


5. Keep security measures in place: 

Having a remote workforce means that companies need to put stringent security measures in place that can protect their data at all times. Yet according to GetApp[3] workers working from remote locations often receive confidential business data but less than half of these employees have received proper internet security training.


6. Layered security measures: 

The Coronavirus has opened the door for increased security threats as hackers prey on the vulnerability of people. Companies can protect customers and employees by implementing layered security measures such as built-in email verification that allows recipients to confirm that emails are authentic.


7. Tamperproof emails signatures: 

By implementing centrally managed, tamperproof email signatures that incorporate non-Windows fonts, you are able to minimise the risk of fraudulent emails being sent on behalf of your company.


8. Segmentation of risk: By using a solution that has built-in segmentation of risk, you are better able to safeguard customer and company information at all times, particularly with a remote workforce.


9. Proactive use of data: Now is the time to put data analytics to use. The correct use of data analytics tools will help you stay on top of how you employees are tracking relative to the benchmarks you have set. More importantly they will give you the diagnostics you need to better support both your staff and clients during these testing times.


At times of uncertainty such as those presented by the current Coronavirus, employees and customers will be drawn to familiarity turning to the brands they trust to meet their needs and deliver consistent experiences. It is an exciting time for technology to come to the fore and be used to help keep customers and employees safe while delivering consistent brand experiences in every interaction.