How to minimize productivity loss and device downtime using Hexnode UEM

It’s no secret in the enterprise world about the occasional hustle bustle about minimizing productivity loss and device downtime. It is a common topic of discussion for both Fortune 500 companies as well as emerging start-ups. As part of task handling, enterprises issue multiple devices to their employees. These devices might be used by the employees in the office or at home.

Sometimes employees use their own devices to do office work. Enterprises need to tackle with a number of issues related to these work devices. For instance, the use of social media sites during office hours or browsing through irrelevant websites, watching movies on OTTs or playing online games. To go footloose into such unwanted tabs during office hours has become one of the major reasons for productivity loss.

Another unfortunate scenario is productivity loss due to device downtime. This might be due to various technical glitches or a network issue or even the lack of storage capacity. It has become one of the many headaches that an IT admin needs to fight to maintain a healthy working environment with in the organization. A solution to these unprofessional practices ought to be drawn to minimize productivity loss and device downtime as time is productivity and hence money.

Device downtime and its adverse effects on enterprises

Device downtime is the time period when a device remains dormant or is unavailable for use because of device breakdown, battery issues, faulty configuration, pending OS updates etc. The adverse effects on enterprises due to device downtime is quite obvious. It would negatively impact the productivity rate of the enterprise. When your device suddenly stops in the midst, as you toil day and night putting your all into finishing a task, all you are left with is backlogs, stress and an email explaining the unfortunate situation to be sent to your manager. Device downtime obstructs the timely completion of tasks dropping the overall performance of not just the concerned employee but the whole enterprise as well. Minimizing productivity loss and device downtime has therefore become a necessity.

Tips to reduce productivity loss

Let’s take a quick look at the possible steps generally taken by enterprises and employees to prevent productivity loss.

• Task management: Once you are notified about the tasks to be completed, you may properly manage them. You can segregate them based on priority and decide on how much time to be devoted to each of them. You can create a daily or weekly schedule, which would help you complete your tasks on time. If you are the manager, it is advisable that you have regular face to face check-ins with your team to understand the progress of tasks and provide them with proper guidance as and when required.
• Proper communication: “Communication is the key.” We hear it every other day and of course, it is true. If you face an issue or get a doubt while you work, do not hesitate to reach out to your teammates, or maybe someone from a different team for that matter. Clarify things on the go so that work doesn’t get piled up reducing your productivity rate. Proper communication would help you speed up your work as well as others who need to plan their tasks depending on the result you deliver.
• Take ample time off: Just as you prioritize your working time, it is equally important to plan out your break times as well. This will help you from zoning out and getting distracted. The principle of “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy” applies to your work environment as well. It is advisable to take a 5-minute break after every 45 minutes. This way, you will be able to give your 100% in those 45 minutes and then rest for 5 minutes doing whatever you like, maybe a quick chat with your friend or make yourself a cup of hot steaming coffee.
• Put your personal devices to rest: Another major reason for distraction is your personal devices. When you sit to work and hear that cute little notification tone from your phone, you get tempted to peek into your phone screen. This would then lead to replying to messages, browsing through social media sites and spending a considerate amount of time even before you realize how much time you have actually spent on the phone. You can either power off your personal devices or put them on silent mode while you work. You can also choose to keep the devices away from your work desk, and then finish off your tasks in peace.

Hexnode to the rescue

Hexnode UEM is a Device Manager’s trusted buddy. It is like that friend whom you can rely on, no matter what. Hexnode has certain special features designed to facilitate Remote Monitoring and Management, which would help you initiate device troubleshooting remotely and undertake regular device maintenance to minimize productivity loss and device downtime.

• • Kiosk lockdown mode — With Hexnode’s Kiosk lockdown mode, devices can be restricted to single or multi-apps. This way, device users can use only the prescribed apps or websites on their work device. This ensures that no irrelevant apps or websites are accessed on the work devices by the employees. This helps them focus on their tasks without any distractions, ensuring productivity.

• Web content filtering — Another method to minimize productivity loss and device downtime using Hexnode UEM is by enabling the web content filtering option. This feature helps in preventing users from accessing unwanted and inappropriate websites on the work devices. This serves two purposes — one, employees will not be able to view the content on these websites during worktime and secondly, malicious websites can be blacklisted whereby no external threats enter your company network harming the device as well as causing other privacy and ethical issues.
• Continuous monitoring and reporting — Hexnode UEM lets you remotely monitor and maintain your devices from a centralized console. Prevention is better than cure. Rather than fixing an issue after its occurrence, you can prevent it by continuously monitoring the device. Hexnode’s auditing and reporting mechanism provide an insight into the work devices’ health and status, and provide reports on the users’ network and systems. It also lets you schedule regular remote scans, whereby you can identify bugs if any that are present in your system and remove them beforehand. It would also equip you to secure your device and data against malicious attacks. All this together help minimize productivity loss and device downtime.
• Remote power off and device restart — A considerable number of times, device issues can be settled with a simple reboot. However, employees who are not that familiar with using gadgets might get panic and seek refuge at the hands of their device admin even at the slightest device-mishap. In such instances, Hexnode helps the admin to remotely power off or restart the device as required without having to disturb the panic-stricken employee.
• Remote view — With the latest version of Hexnode installed on the corporate owned devices, you yourself can remotely view, monitor and manage devices in real-time. You can see the device screen through the Hexnode UEM console, which would help you quickly diagnose and resolve the reported device issues. In simple words, you don’t require the device to be physically present in front of you to see what is wrong with it nor to implement a quick solution thereby minimizing productivity loss and device downtime.
• Remote control — Imagine that you got to know something has gone wrong with your enterprise device, which has made it faulty and inappropriate to work with. You know the exact solution to fix the bug, but the device is with an employee who has travelled to a different country, a few thousand miles away. The only solution available is your technician catching the next flight to reach the device and fix it, right? Well, not anymore with Hexnode’s Remote Control feature! This feature lets you take real-time control of your device and enable you to perform required actions, remotely.
• Software updates — Work force and work devices, both need to stay updated. Devices running outdated software can cause a number of technical issues resulting in device downtime and productivity loss. Updates enhance device performance, fix bugs etc, enabling smooth functioning of the device. Hexnode helps you schedule and enforce system updates on a timely basis helping to reduce the chances of device failure. If you are concerned that pushing the updates during office hours might disrupt functioning, you even have the option to schedule the update outside working hours.
• Execute custom scripts — Hexnode lets you run custom scripts on remote devices both as a part of troubleshooting and as a way to keep your devices up to date. If there is a scope for a certain kind of bug or issue to crop into your devices, you can create custom scripts that can be pushed to devices as and when required.

Conclusion

Devices are must haves for the smooth functioning and timely delivering of tasks. However, at times, because of their unprofessional use, they themselves become the reason for productivity loss. All enterprises must be equipped to face such challenges to tread towards progress. Hexnode UEM is an effective tool that would come handy for you to minimize productivity loss and device downtime.