Back in the Office? 7 Ways to Prepare for The “New Normal”

Over the last 15 months, businesses all over the world have been thrown into a different kind of work. Setting up – on the fly – makeshift policies, systems, and programs to support remote working has been a necessary task that virtually everyone in business has had to undertake.

But now, with the new confidence as a result of the vaccination program and the gradual easing of restrictions on daily life, many organizations are starting to plan a return to the office.

Whether it’s a full return or a hybrid model of operating, it’s important to make sure everything is set up for this change.

Here are 7 ways you can give your business a proverbial ‘fresh start.”

1. FRESHEN UP YOUR WEBSITE

It’s always a good idea to go through your website and make sure links are functioning properly and that the information listed is still accurate. Check if the content, mission statement, services/products, logo, and colors are still up-to-date and if anything has changed. If your website is outdated or not functioning properly, it can cost you tremendously. You may also want to consider freshening things up with new content and SEO updates to stay competitive.

2. REEVALUATE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS

When is the last time that you thought about your business goals and checked in to see if you are on track to meet them? Ideally, you should be revisiting and reevaluating your goals frequently, but if you haven’t been doing that, make it a priority now. This back-to-the-office transition period is a great time to consider your business goals because you still have time to make any necessary adjustments to get back on track before the end of the year.

3. REEXAMINE AND OPTIMIZE PROCESSES

We’ve all heard the expression “work smarter, not harder”. One of the best ways to determine if there are opportunities to optimize processes is to speak with your team. Ask them if help you identify any ways to streamline procedures and increase productivity. Maybe you can simplify how you pay bills or manage payroll. Or perhaps you can automate or digitize some of the most time-consuming manual processes in your business. Sometimes just a simple change can result in a major productivity improvement.

4. CLEAN UP YOUR EXPENSES

The main goal behind any business is to make money. Most business owners spend money on unnecessary software, programs, services, and other items they rarely or never use. Those expenditures probably increased in the past 16 months, so now is the perfect time to revisit expenses.

Go through your bank statements and credit card bills to see what you are being charged for each month. If there are items you no longer need, cancel them and put the extra money back into your business toward something that will bring growth. It’s also a good time of year to review your tax returns and the overall financials of your business. Carve out some time to meet with your financial professional; you might be amazed how much money they could help save your company.

5. CLEAR THE PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL CLUTTER

Does your business have any old files taking up space either physically or digitally? Free up space on your desk, in your office closet, and in the cloud by organizing files and folders. Consider deleting or throwing away anything that you no longer need. Having an organized workspace and computer will help you work more efficiently.

6. REVIEW YOUR CLIENTS

Without clients, a business would not survive. But are all the responsibilities of running a business distracting you from really nurturing and taking care of your clients as best you can? Many companies acquire clients and then cruise along on autopilot. Don’t fall into that trap.

This is also a great time to touch base with your clients, past, present, and potential. Check-in with your current clients to make sure everything is going well. Reach out to previous clients to see if they need your services again. Make a list of potential clients and try to secure some new business. You don’t need a specific reason to reach out to people; just stopping in to see how they’re doing can work really well.

7. REVIEW, UPDATE & SECURE YOUR TECHNOLOGY

Last but not least, this is the time to really dig in and take stock of your technology stack, systems and security. Ensuring that your team has access to all the technology they need when returning to the office is vital to maintaining productivity and business success. Net Activity has created a technology checklist that will help you to efficiently implement new procedures and ensure your team is not hindered in their work.

You can download the checklist PDF here. Check out the checklist below and reach out anytime if you need help on any of the points.

Hardware Management Checklist For SMBs

✓ Clean your computer components

Wipe down monitors with a clean, static-free, non-abrasive fabric such as computer component-specific microfiber cloth. You can use the same type of cloth to wipe down mice and other peripherals, but for those tight nooks and crannies such as your keyboard surfaces, a can of compressed air will do the job.

Regular wipedowns are good because dust buildup can block computer air vents and affect their performance. Also ensure that your workstations are getting adequate ventilation and don’t get direct exposure to sunlight and other heat sources.

✓ Manage your cables

If you’re not giving your computers’ cables the attention they deserve, now’s a good time to do so. Aside from wiping the thick coat of dust off of computer cables, consider using cable management solutions that unclutter and untangle messy wires. Cable organizers don’t just organize and secure your cables, they also help ensure your PCs run quieter and are less prone to overheating as a result of blocked air vents.

Planning to relocate or upgrade in the near future? Organizing your computers’ cables now will make future relocation and upgrading processes much easier.

✓ Review and update your inventory

Keeping stock of all your hardware helps you manage hardware life cycles and purchases, identify items that are near their end of life, and ensure you avoid duplicate purchases of items already in stock.

Your inventory list should include all owned and leased devices: PCs and laptops, printers and scanners, tablets and smartphones, and modems and other network hardware. Update all your assets’ serial numbers and keep track of their respective users and location.

✓ Maintain your printers

Clean the interiors and exteriors of your printers, including paper trays, which are sure to have accumulated dirt from years of use. You should also repair and/or replace parts and accessories such as print heads and cartridges that are no longer in good condition. Should you decide to do a complete printer maintenance, check for the latest software updates for your printers and install them immediately.

✓ Implement a hardware policy

This is also a good time to create a technology guideline that your employees can follow to ensure they work efficiently. These guidelines reduce the need to spend on unnecessary repairs, keeping the succeeding year’s checklist shorter. With clear instructions on the proper use, replacement, and storage of your hardware and devices, you’ll be better able to manage your hardware for years to come.

With a more organized IT hardware inventory, you have one less thing to worry about. Want to get more in-depth hardware management advice? Call the experts at Net Activity today.

How does the human cloud benefit SMBs?

If the prevalent image of a startup is a couple of guys in a garage (think Amazon, Apple, Microsoft), the emerging picture of the workforce of the future consists of skilled talents collaborating in the cloud. Thanks to the human cloud, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can now eliminate the barriers associated with traditional workspaces and enjoy cost-effective solutions.

WHAT IS THE HUMAN CLOUD?

The human cloud is a working platform where staff performs white-collar tasks from any location and on any device. Collaboration, file sharing, or discussions on projects are done in a flexible and productive manner, rewarding team members solely for their output.

BENEFITS OF HIRING ON THE HUMAN CLOUD

Companies looking to take advantage of the human cloud are entitled to the following benefits:

1. Low cost
   The human cloud helps save time and money spent on traditional employment processes. Hiring is fast and easy, and you pay for the skills you need on a transactional basis.
2. No overhead
   Hiring through the human cloud requires no overhead for office space, thereby enabling firms to stay lean and profit-focused. By becoming virtual, teams can work independently from anywhere. Remote collaboration via the human cloud is a game-changer that benefits companies, such as startups, that are inclined to spend fewer resources to build their business infrastructure.
3. Get skills on demand
   Employers can contract for micro-tasks, such as copying text from business cards, to larger tasks, like selling products for a fee, to even more complex projects such as software design and programming.
4. Global talent pool
   Even startups can be multinational today, so they are no longer limited by geography in finding key talent with specialized skills. Business can leverage overseas creative, administrative, engineering, and other high-level talent to build a well-rounded team. A good idea can come and be executed from just about anywhere.For instance, Foundr Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Nathan Chan started a passion project that enabled him to interview some of the most influential entrepreneurs around the world, which he shared through his monthly digital publication.
   For Chan, the launch of this successful project would not have been possible if it wasn’t for human cloud service and freelancing platform Elance. Elance allowed him to leverage overseas talent and build a solid team of graphic designers, audio/video editors, and writers. All tasks and projects for each issue of his magazine run through the platform, which also conveniently processes payments for his contractors.
5. Easy collaboration
   Using an online platform gives SMBs the ability to manage projects through virtual workrooms. Collaboration software can be extremely important and even mission-critical for remote teams to work efficiently.

As more startups and SMBs become familiar (and comfortable) with the advantages of the human cloud, the future of work means that location is not the most important factor in determining who will contribute to your business’s success. A worldwide network of online contractors is now ready to serve you with the qualifications, skill sets, and shared enthusiasm you seek to turn ideas into valuable products or services.

For more information on how to leverage cloud technologies or collaboration software, get in touch with any of our cloud specialists.