5 Things You Need to Successfully Support Your Mobile Workforce

Everyone knows that the mobile workforce is on the rise, but what does that really mean?

As highlighted in the New York Times, the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey points out that the typical telecommuter is a 49-year-old college graduate earning $58,000 a year and belonging to a company with more than 100 employees. The same survey notes that telecommuting has risen 79% from 2005 to 2012 and includes more than 3.2 million workers.

And these numbers just reflect the official telecommuters — think about the workers who continue their work long after they leave the office, responding to emails, participating in conference calls, and meeting deadlines on nights and weekends. With that in mind, it’s easy to understand why employers need to be cognizant of, and cater to, this growing group of tech-savvy workers.

The mobile workforce is clearly a powerful entity, and one that any business can support with the right tools and mindset. Here are five things you need to do to help your mobile workforce be successful:

• Change your vantage point. Remember, remote collaboration is just that — collaboration. The workflow is commutative and transparent. Making sure the infrastructure is there to support easy file sharing will help with open communication, fast decision-making, and productivity.
• Use the right programs. Excel is for presenting what you already know in-person; your remote workers need collaborative tools that allow them to make changes and share their work with one another in real-time on a variety of devices. Think videoconferencing, file-sharing capabilities, secure apps, and a communication system that supports a secure virtual private network (VPN).
• Simplify and educate. Mobile tools aren’t worthwhile if no one can access or use them. When possible, choose effective and easy-to-use technology that centralizes your files and allows anytime access on any device. Make sure the whole team knows how to use these tools by hosting demonstrations, podcasts, or how-to videos.
• Stay secure. Sure, you want to be open, but not that open. Keep your documents safe by using a file management system that has user roles and individual logins and restricts file activity to authorized individuals.
• Be adaptable. Be open to suggestions for new, helpful programs and innovative ways to use existing programs.

If you don’t know where to start — or your current collaboration tools aren’t making life any easier — Affinity SmartDrive may be the answer to your problems. This timesaving file management application gives mobile workers the simplicity and freedom they need, without compromising your security or control.

[cta]Want to learn more about how Affinity SmartDrive can help your mobile workers stay ahead? Contact Affinity Network Solutions by email or call us at (888) 682-8999.[/cta]