Now that it has become apparent that remote working will continue for a time to come how do you ensure that the team remains connected in the most efficient way possible.

The experience of remote working means that some staff are becoming isolated and some teams are becoming disjointed, so the importance of communication is more crucial than ever.

Many businesses already could improve upon their efficiency using software and services already in use but in the office environment. But how do you make maximum use of this to keep in touch?

If your organisation is using Office 365 then many additional features are already available to you in terms of video conferencing, sharing files, hosting documents in the cloud and team collaboration.

Our experience during this period has been that we see businesses who are comfortable with their email services in Office 365 but who are not utilising the additional services available with their subscriptions to enable team collaboration more easily

Transferring of files into a company SharePoint portal can make a big difference especially if the central file location is currently in a place where low broadband connectivity is present. Likewise, personal documents can be moved into OneDrive to allow access anywhere. Both things can be set up easily to mirror your current working processes but allow more flexibility between the office and remote working.

There are however additional considerations before moving to this model. Implementation of a cloud to cloud backup is important because although you have space to store and operate documents this does not protect against accidental deletion. In addition to this you need to ensure that any personnel working remotely on their own systems have adequate antivirus protection on their own systems.

Multifactor Authentication is another part of Office 365 which should be enabled to ensure security over company documents. This is becoming more important due to the increase in cyber threats. With trends now showing that 30% of malware attacks are Zero Day we need to consider robust Advanced Threat Protection products alongside end user training to avoid issues.

In short, take advantage of the services you are already paying for and make sure they are set up correctly to ensure security for your data but flexibility for your team for now and in the future when we may all return to our offices.