All you need to know about remote workforce management

Hellooooo people! It has been some time since we last met. Well, no worries, here we are now! So, how’s work and everything? I’ll tell you how’s mine. Ever since my team lead approved my request for remote work, typing up these blogs and attending the dreaded meetings have been a breeze. I can now curl up on my rickety old swing in the backyard and type away on my laptop. The light breeze tickling my toes and the scent of wet earth popping my writing blocks are a worthwhile upgrade from being cooped up in a cubicle trying to come up with the next blog title. The Teams caller tune does knot my stomach up with anxiety, but at least I’m in my jammies with the chance to pace out my nervousness over the meeting calls. So yes, remote work is, indeed, a Godsend!

The routine ‘what’ and ‘why’ of remote workforce management…

Now that we are already on the topic of remote workforce management, let us get the routine questions of ‘What is remote workforce management’ and ‘Why is remote workforce management important’ out of the way.

What is remote workforce management?

The term ‘remote workforce management’ is just that. Accordingly, it refers to the management of a team that works from any location other than the designated office space. So technically, any location, from their own homes to co-working spaces, is covered under the remote location clause. Remote workforce management involves developing strategies and tools to effectively communicate with and manage remote workers. It ensures that the employees have the necessary resources to do their jobs, track their work progress and productivity, and address any issues or challenges that may pop up.

Remote work necessitates remote workforce management…

Chaos is something that is born of a lack of discipline and management. And it is to prevent this very chaos in an enterprise environment that remote workforce management has become increasingly necessary, especially in an enterprise environment that is rapidly embracing the remote work culture!

So, why are enterprises turning to remote work?

Let us look at some more reasons that work in favor of remote work and thus boost the need for remote workforce management.

• Flexibility: Remote workforce management allows employees to work from anywhere in the world. This provides them with more flexibility, which can help improve their work-life balance. Remote workers have more control over their schedules, which allows them to better balance their work and personal lives. This, in turn, helps reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
• Increased productivity: Studies have shown that remote workers tend to be more productive than their office-based counterparts. Remote work also allows employees to work at their own pace and in an environment that suits them, which can lead to increased job satisfaction.
• Improved employee retention: By providing employees with more flexibility and better work-life balance, employers can improve employee retention rates. Employers can easily reduce turnover rates and retain top talent.
• Business continuity: Remote workforce management can help businesses to continue operating in the event of a natural disaster or other unforeseen circumstances that prevent employees from coming into the office. (Hello, Covid-19!)
• Access to a larger talent pool: Remote work allows employers to hire the best talent from across the globe, rather than being limited to a specific geographic area.
• Diversity and inclusion: Remote work can help to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace by removing geographic barriers and allowing people from different backgrounds and locations to work together.
• Cost savings: Employers can save money on office space, equipment, and other overhead costs by managing remote workers. This can also help to reduce the environmental impact of commuting.

So you see, by effectively managing remote workers, employers can create a positive remote work culture that benefits both employees and the business.

How to start with remote workforce management?

It’s not exactly defined science, but employers can easily ensure effective remote workforce management in a way that lends an equal hand to supporting employee productivity, well-being, and engagement and meeting business goals and objectives. Let’s quickly look at some pointers to achieve the same.

• Establish clear expectations: Employers should clearly communicate their expectations for remote work, including work hours, deadlines, communication channels, and performance metrics.
• Provide the right tools and resources: Remote workers need access to the right tools and resources to do their jobs effectively, such as communication tools, project management software, and access to company data and systems.
• Foster a positive remote work culture: Employers should work to create a positive remote work culture that supports employee well-being, collaboration, and communication.
• Provide training and support: Employers should provide training and support to help employees develop the skills they need to work effectively in a remote environment, including communication, time management, and self-motivation.
• Monitor progress and productivity: Employers should monitor remote workers’ progress and productivity, using tools such as time-tracking software and regular check-ins to ensure that employees are meeting their goals.
• Address issues and challenges proactively: Employers should be proactive in addressing issues and challenges that may arise in a remote work environment, such as communication breakdowns, social isolation, or technical difficulties.
• Employing Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solutions: UEM solutions are tasked with the responsibility of managing and securing the devices and applications that employees use to access company data and systems, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, from a centralized console.

See, it’s not that hard to ensure efficient remote workforce management. Especially, if you have a UEM solution like Hexnode to share the responsibilities of remote workforce management.

How does Hexnode hex away the troubles of remote workforce management?

Okay then, the cat’s out of the bag. I have a clear preference for Hexnode when it comes to employing a UEM for remote workforce management, and I’ll tell you all about it. As we’ve already seen, in the context of remote workforce management, endpoint management is an important tool for ensuring that remote workers have the right tools and resources to do their jobs effectively, while also protecting company data and systems from cyber threats. Hexnode is a comprehensive solution with an impressive set of features that help businesses effectively manage their remote workforce. Let’s skim through the different ways the IT guys in an organization can use Hexnode for remote workforce management…

• Provisioning and configuration: Hexnode can effectively provision and configure devices for remote workers, ensuring that they have access to the necessary applications, data, and resources to do their jobs.
• System updates: The IT guys can use Hexnode to ensure that devices are up to date with the latest software updates and the necessary security patches, reducing the risk of cyber threats. All of this is achieved remotely.
• Remote monitoring and troubleshooting: With Hexnode the IT team can remotely view, control and troubleshoot issues with devices. This reduces the need for on-site IT support and minimizes downtime.
• Security management: Admins can enforce security policies and controls, such as password requirements, data encryption, and remote wipe capabilities in case of lost or stolen devices using Hexnode.
• Compliance management: Ensuring compliance with industry regulations and company policies, such as data privacy and access controls, is now a breeze with Hexnode.
• Inventory management: Admins can easily employ Hexnode to track and manage device inventory, ensuring that devices are properly accounted for.

How Hexnode MDM can help your enterprise with remote work

Hexnode’s remote workforce management features…

Zzoooop! That’s the sound I always imagine when our IT guys remotely tinker with my laptop. Anyways, let’s move on to the different features offered by Hexnode to solidify any organization’s remote workforce management strategy.

Device Management:

Hexnode’s remote device management allows companies to manage employee devices, both company-owned and employee-owned, from a centralized console. This allows administrators to easily monitor device usage, enforce security policies, and manage apps and data remotely. And not just that, Hexnode allows for complete remote management of devices through each phase of their lifecycle. Hexnode provides easy and smooth options for each facet of remote device management. Chance a glance…

Enrollment:

Hexnode offers extensive enrollment options to remotely enroll the devices. Moreover, Hexnode supports most of the popular operating systems including iOS, Android, macOS, etc. While we are on the topic, Hexnode offers multiple no-touch enrollment methods for device onboarding. As such, with Hexnode, the admins can eliminate any need for end-users to be involved in the enrollment process. With Hexnode, organizations can leverage platform-specific enrollment methods such as Apple’s Automated Device Enrollment, Samsung’s Knox Mobile Enrollment, Android Zero-touch Enrollment, and Windows Autopilot, amongst others. This flexibility allows organizations to choose the best enrollment method for their specific device and platform requirements, ensuring a seamless and efficient onboarding process.

Management:

Hexnode’s dashboard gives an easy-to-understand view of all the devices, device groups, users, and user groups within Hexnode. Sitting in his den the IT admin can have an eye on any and every device enrolled in Hexnode.

Policies:

Hexnode’s console allows IT admins to devise fairly restrictive and air-tight policies for device usage. These policies differ depending on the OS that powers the device. Once the policy has been created, the admin can easily apply it to the targeted device remotely. The IT department can easily apply kiosk settings to the targeted devices without stepping out of their dens. To make things easier, the IT guys can remotely apply any policy to multiple devices all at once. All they have to do is create device groups. And then, while associating the policy, the IT guys can easily associate it to the specific device groups. No need to manually associate each device out of the bunch!

Apps and Content:

The IT admin can easily add apps and content to the respective inventories. These can then be deployed to the remote workers as and when required. And the best part is that when it comes to apps, the IT admin can remotely push the apps to the user’s devices silently. This means that when the IT admins push the apps to the endpoints, it doesn’t disturb the user in any way. No popups or disruptions in the workflow!

Hexnode also allows for the creation of a customized App Store and Play Store for Apple and Android users.They can also restrict access to certain apps or features, ensuring that employees only have access to the necessary apps.

Reports:

Gone are the days of running around trying to find reports on the status of all the managed devices. Hexnode allows for the scheduling and automation of report generation directly from the console. The concerned authorities will receive their reports periodically in their inbox without lifting their pinky. Automate and schedule a wide variety of reports using Hexnode.

Remote Access and Control:

What even is remote workforce management if the IT guys do not have permission for remote access and control? And so, Hexnode allows the IT admins to have remote access and control over the managed devices. The admins can perform several remote actions on the managed devices that include but are not limited to:

• Scan the device and its location
• Lock device
• Edit device attributes
• Wipe device
• Enable/Disable lost mode
• Install/Uninstall apps
• Broadcast message
• Update OS
• Restart, power off, and more

Yet another remote management feature under Hexnode’s hood is the ability to view device screens in real-time. This can be useful for assisting users, troubleshooting issues, or monitoring unattended devices. With Hexnode, administrators can start a remote view session. This session mirrors the on-screen content from supported Android and iOS devices directly to the Hexnode portal. To ensure privacy, users are notified of the session and can choose to start or stop broadcasting from their end.

Moving on, Hexnode’s remote control feature is another powerful tool. It enables administrators to take control of remote devices and provide real-time support to users. With remote control, administrators can troubleshoot issues, configure settings, and perform other tasks, as if they were sitting in front of the device. Technically, Hexnode’s remote control feature, with its cross-platform and multi-device support, secure connectivity, real-time screen sharing, and customizable settings, is one hundred percent the best of boons for remote workforce management.

Security:

Security is something that Hexnode takes very seriously. And so, Hexnode provides the IT team with tools to protect their devices and data, even when employees are working remotely.

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Password Policies:

Hexnode enables administrators to enforce password policies on employee devices, such as requiring complex passwords and setting password expiration dates. This helps ensure that devices are protected with strong passwords and that employees are regularly changing them.

Two-Factor Authentication:

Hexnode supports two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security. This requires employees to enter a code in addition to their password when logging in to their devices, providing an additional layer of authentication.

App Security:

Hexnode allows administrators to restrict access to certain apps or prevent employees from installing unauthorized apps on their devices. This helps prevent malware and other security threats from affecting the device or company data.

Remote Wipe:

Hexnode allows administrators to remotely wipe employee devices in case of loss, theft, or other security incidents. This ensures that sensitive company data is not compromised and helps prevent unauthorized access to confidential information.

Remote Lock:

In case a device is lost or stolen, Hexnode allows administrators to remotely lock the device. This prevents unauthorized access to the device and its data.

Network Security:

Hexnode’s network security features provide businesses with the tools they need to protect their network and data from cyber threats, even when employees are working remotely. The platform’s support for VPN management, firewall policies, network access control, mobile threat defense, and secure Wi-Fi configuration helps ensure that employee devices are secure, and that data transmitted over the network is protected. Additionally, Hexnode regularly updates its security features to ensure they are up-to-date and effective against the latest cyber threats.

Encryption:

Hexnode supports encryption for both device storage and communication, providing an additional layer of security for sensitive data. This helps prevent unauthorized access to company data in the event of a device theft or other security breach. Hexnode uses industry-standard encryption algorithms such as AES-256 and SSL/TLS to secure data in transit and at rest. The platform also supports certificate-based authentication, providing an additional layer of security for employee devices.

And so, Hexnode’s support for encryption, remote wipe, password policies, two-factor authentication, and app security help ensure that sensitive company data is protected and that devices are secure against unauthorized access.

Geofencing and Location tracking:

Hexnode provides geofencing policies and location-tracking capabilities that allow administrators to monitor and manage their remote workforce more effectively. Geofencing is a technology that allows administrators to create virtual boundaries or “fences” around specific geographic locations. With Hexnode, administrators can create geofencing policies that trigger certain actions when an employee’s device enters or exits a specific location. So, an administrator could easily set up a geofencing policy to automatically check in an employee when they arrive at the office or to restrict access to certain data or applications when an employee is outside of a designated area.

Location tracking is another important feature of Hexnode’s remote workforce management capabilities. Administrators can use Hexnode to track the location of employee devices in real time. This allows them to monitor employee activity and ensure that they are working where they are supposed to be. This can be especially useful for businesses with field employees or remote workers who need to travel frequently.

Bottom line…

Whew! That took some time. Well, what can I say, Hexnode does have an extensive array of features! Now that I have already listed out all you’d need to know about remote workforce management, I’ll take your leave.

Remember, times are changing. There is no such thing as a designated workspace. Don’t let the fear and chaos of remote workforce management keep you from reaching new heights of productivity and efficiency with remote work. Let Hexnode take care of that for you!