How Cloud Computing Enables Remote Working for Small Businesses

The concept of remote working is new but not unknown to small companies. As per a report from Buffer, 99% of the people they asked were willing to work remotely at some point in their careers.

This new concept is gradually becoming a norm, especially for small businesses. But how is that even possible? If people will work remotely, how will the company grow? There are several other questions that you might come up with and find remote work policy a fad.

However, thanks to the benefits it offers, remote working is proving to be an effective policy for most businesses.

Why Do People Prefer Remote Working?

• People have realized the value of time and like to be flexible in managing it. They need better control over their personal and professional lives. They do not want to be stuck in traffic, wish to pick their children from school or go to the doctor. All they need is some flexibility with which they can manage their work hours better.
• Entrepreneurs feel the need to access their data from any location. They can be more productive and save a substantial amount of time if they do not have to come to the office.
• Employers, too, can benefit from introducing a remote work policy. Employees are more productive if they are allowed to work remotely. High employee satisfaction means better retention rates, and we all know that new joiners take some time to reach the desired levels.

Testing the Waters

The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the waters across the USA with everyone working from their homes. This is the perfect time for small companies and employees to discover ways to implement a better remote work policy.

It is also a great time for employees to know if remote working is meant for them or not, as some may feel that they are more productive when they are in the office. Hopefully, this too shall pass, and everything will be back to normal.

How Cloud Computing Empowers Remote Working

How do you think MNCs work with different teams across different parts of the globe? Gone are the days when employees had to stick to their systems in order to work and be productive. Cloud technology has enabled employees to access their data through their phones, attend video conferences from a coffee shop, and manage their ongoing projects from any part of the world.

Recommended Reading: Remote Working -Maybe You Are Looking For DaaS?

Small businesses often run on a tight budget and need to increase the productivity of their employees; cloud computing is becoming a valuable asset to achieve the same. Few business owners are aware of the cloud and its benefits, while some may look at its pros and cons before coming to any decision.

However, as the statistics by Gartner suggests, cloud hosting is becoming increasingly popular among businesses as they can reap the benefits of both cloud computing and their favorite applications while working remotely. Below are some of the benefits:

1. Enhanced Accessibility

Entrepreneurs have been working remotely for long. They spend more time with their clients than in the office. However, while working on local systems, they have to miss valuable working hours when out for a meeting or traveling.

With the introduction of the cloud, they have been gifted with precisely what they needed. They have the power to access their data from any corner of the world and keep track of their business process in real-time, even while attending a client meeting.

2. Save Space

Small businesses often do not have the funds to deploy physical servers, and those who do, face issues with finding space for a server room. Opting for cloud services from a provider means that the data and applications are stored on the provider’s remote cloud infrastructure.

Hence, this reduces the expenses of deploying on-premise servers, bulky cables, air conditioning, and power supplies required to manage entire server rooms.

3. Multiple Device Compatibility

Hosting the business applications and data on the cloud empowers the employees to work on any device (smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc.) and operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.) they like. This prevents the business process from being bound to a single piece of hardware and provides employees with unmatched flexibility.

4. Better Data Security

There are multiple instances where the local hardware crashes with important information in it? However, in the case of cloud hosting, as the data is stored at a remote data center and not on the on-premise hardware, the chances of data loss or theft are minimal.

Moreover, the service providers deploy safety measures like multi-factor authentication, data encryption, the latest firewalls, and have a dedicated cybersecurity team to monitor every suspicious movement. Cloud computing also eliminates the risk of physical data breaches.

5. Scalability

Startups and SMEs are always on the lookout for that one big project to boost the reputation of their company. Let’s keep the current situation in mind – what if the sales team is on the verge of closing the deal, and the whole country goes under a lockdown? Rather than growing, small companies will have to struggle for their survival as they don’t have the platform for the employees to work remotely.

With the cloud, companies can scale their operations and data storage with ease. This helps them not to worry about the market conditions, move all their data to the cloud, and keep growing.

Conclusion

Moving to the cloud is a great way to provide your employees with the flexibility to work from the comfort of their homes during the COVID-19. There are many companies that are working remotely for the first time and are skeptical about this step; the cloud can prove to be their best friend during this crisis.