a lady smiling and looking at her laptop
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

3 Remote Workforce Tool Investments for Post-Pandemic Startups

The COVID-19 pandemic left an indelible mark on the world. And it will lead to changes we can’t even begin to fathom yet.

But for startups, one of the changes it wrought is quite clear — that remote operations are now the future for businesses of all kinds.

And as new ventures begin to navigate the post-pandemic era, they’ll need to consider how that will affect them.

One of the ways it will — and already is — affecting startups is that it is allowing them to reach new levels of productivity and efficiency.

Needless to say, those are both objectives that startups prioritize because it helps them to preserve the capital needed to grow.

Join Our Small Business Community

Get the latest news, resources and tips to help you and your small business succeed.

But to maximize the benefits that come from all-remote operations, it’s critical for startups to invest early in some specific remote workforce tools. Here’s what they are.

Workforce Analytics

Startups — unlike long-established businesses — don’t have to worry about adapting existing processes to fit an all-remote workforce.

Instead, they can design their processes from the ground up to leverage every possible advantage.

One of the key ways they can do that is by deploying workforce analytics platforms early on so they can make data-driven decisions about their operations.

In a remote setting, workforce analytics solutions make it possible to measure the performance of employees who aren’t housed under a single roof.

They do so by providing the startup with employee time tracking software, task management, and remote work monitoring software, controlled from a single optimized dashboard.

In other words, they allow for true management of remote employees and total visibility into remote operations.

Cloud-Based Unified Communications

Established businesses with extensive physical office infrastructures often knit their facilities together using a variety of communications tools.

They include telephony and voice messaging solutions, videoconferencing capabilities, and instant messaging functionality.

But in many cases, they’ve built those systems over the course of years and they consist of a variety of individual technology solutions.

Startups can replicate all of those functions — and then some — at a fraction of the cost by investing in a cloud-based unified communications solution.

They offer multiple communications options that include the ones mentioned above but do so more efficiently by putting them together into a single, access-from-anywhere solution.

For a startup that’s planning to rely on an all-remote workforce, they’re the best way to keep information flowing and to equip every employee for success.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

One of the benefits of an all-remote operation is that physical infrastructure costs are minimal. That is a boon to startups because it decreases their up-front capital needs.

But, it doesn’t relieve them of the need to equip their workforce with reliable and modern computing hardware.

Not doing so can cripple their employees’ productivity in a variety of ways.

Some businesses choose to handle this by providing each remote worker with a company-issued PC and related equipment. But there’s a better — and ultimately cheaper — option available.

By instead investing in virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), startups can provide employees with the computing power they need today, without worrying about hardware obsolescence tomorrow.

VDI solutions leverage cloud computing to provision desktops to workers. That centralizes cybersecurity, software licensing, and data management into a single, business-controlled environment.

It goes a long way toward helping startups mitigate some of the risks that come with remote workers, and helps them to future-proof their technology stack.

With VDI, a startup can add new desktop capabilities for employees wherever they’re located, without having to talk them through upgrades or rely on a local technology contractor.

In effect, this makes the startup more nimble and more efficient at the same time.

The Bottom Line

In the wake of the pandemic, startups are now operating in a business environment where remote operations are the new normal. But unlike existing companies, they get the benefit of designing their operations from the ground up to take advantage of that.

In the end, that will help today’s startups to be more efficient and productive. The three remote workforce tools detailed here go a long way toward helping startups maximize their advantage.

And that, in turn, should propel them to stability and growth faster than would have been possible just a few short years ago.

___________________________________________________

Some other articles you might find of interest:

Make your business rock with these business plan writing skills:

Startup’s Guide to Write a Business Plan

Would you like to know how investors value a startup?

How Do Investors Value a Startup?

Join Our Small Business Community

Get the latest news, resources and tips to help you and your small business succeed.

RECENT POST