Why Cloud Services Are Essential for Remote Teams

Cloud services have been around for a while, and many organizations have been gradually expanding the range of cloud services they utilize. But now, with remote work being a necessity, these flexible solutions have become essential.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 4.7 million people were already working remotely in the United States. Technology like cloud solutions, collaboration software, and instant messaging have made working remotely virtually seamless and, in many cases, just as effective as working in a physical office.

Cloud services provide many benefits to remote employees that can help them connect with their team and maximize productivity. Here are some of the reasons why utilizing these solutions is absolutely essential for remote workers:

Location Flexibility

As long as you have an internet connection, you can access the cloud. That means you can access data, files, programs or anything saved in the cloud from anywhere, at any time. You can do your work from home, a coffee shop, or at the park with no hassle.

For the times you need to go work offline, cloud-based servers allow you to update, download, and temporarily save files for offline use. Not only can you access information from anywhere, but you can also access it from any device, including your smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.

Security

As employees transition to home networks, they need increased cybersecurity measures. Cloud solutions can provide increased security. When you work with a reputable, professional cloud service provider, you’ll receive access to a private server that’s completely secure.

Additional security measures like single sign-on protocols, multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and implementing the latest firewalls can also decrease the chance of confidential files being mishandled or stolen.

Using cloud storage also eliminates the risk of physical data breaches, since everything is online. And should a breach ever occur, the cloud also makes it easier to trace breaches in cybersecurity.

Easy Collaboration

Collaboration is essential for creativity and productivity in a business setting, and cloud-based services streamline the collaboration process. Employees can work simultaneously instead of passing one file back and forth, increasing productivity and decreasing the amount of time it takes to complete tasks and projects.

In comparison to the instant access Cloud services offer, emailing a document back and forth just isn’t efficient. If everyone on the team uses the same cloud-based tools, multiple team members can view and edit documents at the same time.

The cloud can boost control over projects, allow the ability to work on projects from anywhere, coordinate and synchronize tasks, give real-time updates and better brainstorming, and facilitate communication between involved team members.

Disaster Recovery

In the event of a disaster like computer crashes, water damage to your laptop, or accidental deletion, cloud services can help retrieve the lost data. If your business deploys a cloud service filing system, connected computers can automatically back up files, documents, and emails, making recovery a cinch.

Businesses are growing increasingly aware of and concerned with cyber attacks, which are a threat that should be taken seriously. However, they may be forgetting that physical damages such as equipment being destroyed by fires, storms, being dropped, or other unfortunate events are still extremely common too.

Cloud backups ensure that valuable data isn’t lost when devices are damaged.

Scalability for Future Growth

The beautiful thing about cloud-based service is that everything is online. Small businesses and startups who do not yet have the capital to purchase and install new servers or have trouble creating space in the office for a server room don’t have to worry about physical space limitations when they use the cloud for storage.

No more tangling cables, air conditioning, and power supplies to maintain a server room in an office building. Data and applications are stored on the service provider’s cloud infrastructure, getting rid of the physical space that servers take up.

The cloud also never runs out of storage space. Let’s say your business is expanding and decides to add more members to the team. You would have to buy more software licenses and purchase more servers to support more data storage for these new team members. When you’re using cloud services, all you would need to do is expand the digital storage space you’re purchasing. As your company expands, you can also add access to house more activity on the network.

Ease of Access

Overall, it’s just easier and more cost-efficient to access and manage data in cloud storage. It’s convenient and space-saving in the office, and it’s essential for remote employees who need to collaborate and access shared data.

The current pandemic is shedding light on technology solutions that are currently essential, but they’re likely to stick around long after the current crisis is done.

One Harvard study found that over 40% of people would give up a portion of their salary if they were offered the opportunity to work from home. So even if your company fully recovers its ability to use a physical office, considering continued use of cloud and other remote services is a wise choice.