If there is one thing that we have learned over the last six months, it is that knowledge workers need to be able to work from home without interruption. This means that they need access to all systems and records that they have when in the office. Many companies were not ready to deal with this fact. They set up everything to be in-house so that they could control the servers. Now, that control is limiting access. Sure, you can have remote control software and VPNs, but most were licensed and configured for a small fraction of the workforce.
What if there were a better way?
With cloud-based solutions, you don’t really give up control; you just shift the responsibilities a little. You still need IT and Admins to take care of it but you don’t have to worry about all of the physical servers and gear. And, when something forces you to support a more remote workforce, you don’t really have to change anything. Everyone can just work from home.
What does this have to do with process automation?
If you haven’t automated your business processes, it means that things will get left behind as you move to remote workers. Paper won’t be available, and you won’t be able to just run into someone’s office to ask a quick question or show them something.
Your team needs access to their information to do their jobs. You need processes to guide your team in doing their jobs. Having a cloud-based process automation solution provides you with both of these.
What you need to do next.
- Assess all of your business processes. Make sure that you speak to everyone involved, not just the managers.
- Determine the processes that still rely on paper and in-person reviews.
- Make it so that paper and in-person reviews are optional, not required.
- Give your teams the tools they need to be successful no matter where they are physically located.
Whether it is a pandemic, a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, or a blizzard, you can be ready for the next time you need remote access. You might even find that you can reduce your office space and allow employees more flexibility.