{"id":2184,"date":"2020-05-15T14:09:31","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T14:09:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oconnorcpafirm.com\/blog\/?p=2184"},"modified":"2020-05-21T14:35:25","modified_gmt":"2020-05-21T14:35:25","slug":"the-5-most-common-tech-challenges-in-the-new-remote-work-normal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oconnorcpafirm.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/the-5-most-common-tech-challenges-in-the-new-remote-work-normal\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Most Common Tech Challenges in the New Remote-Work Normal"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was written by Eli Nussbaum<\/p>\n

The abrupt shift to remote work has been a struggle for many. Having to master new technology and workflows to successfully work from home has meant plenty of frustration \u2014 and more than a few calls to tech support.<\/p>\n

A survey of the common topics raised in those calls during the first month of remote working offers valuable insight into the biggest tech roadblocks. It also highlights issues firms need to address, both as current stay-at-home orders continue and as their policies evolve in the new remote-work normal.<\/p>\n

1. Work-From-Home Setup<\/h2>\n

Many lawyers were probably used to taking their laptops home and doing some work, but most were unaccustomed to doing all<\/em> their work from home. Virtual private networks<\/a> have been a major issue for some users in the last month. Since plenty of work can be done without VPNs, some lawyers didn\u2019t even realize they were necessary.<\/p>\n

When you need to access all the tools required to do your full-time job, though \u2014 things like document management or billing systems \u2014 VPNs become crucial.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Many lawyers realized that they had never set up VPN access, or if they had, they didn\u2019t remember how to get into it.<\/p>\n

The same is true of remote access solutions like Citrix or VMWare. Many lawyers doing a small bit of work from home haven\u2019t needed them in the past, but they\u2019re now necessary if they want to access all the features of their firm\u2019s system. Remote workers have run into problems setting up remote access or installing their firm\u2019s remote access client due to out-of-date home computers.<\/p>\n

2. Home Printer Setup<\/h2>\n

Printers have caused office workers much grief over the years, and now they\u2019re giving us headaches at home, too. Countless remote workers have struggled with printing, whether it\u2019s connecting home printers to work laptops, getting personal laptops to print work materials or printing from within remote access tools. While past setups may have worked seamlessly for personal purposes, printing has been a giant hassle in the work-from-home world.<\/p>\n

Many firms limit users\u2019 ability to download third-party or nonapproved software, like printer drivers, on their work machines. While that may have made sense in the past, it\u2019s now necessary for extended remote work. Additionally, pass-through printing via remote access tools doesn\u2019t always work seamlessly on home computers. Help desk support has had to make several changes on the spot to walk users through unlocking or enabling tools to accommodate remote work needs.<\/p>\n

3. Two-Factor Authentication Setup or Reset<\/h2>\n

Most firms already had some sort of two-factor or multifactor authentication requirements. However, many users had never set them up, so help desks have been busy assisting with first-time setups. Many other users have needed a refresher because they either lack the current key or have been locked out for other reasons over time. Often users assume they can\u2019t log in because their passwords aren\u2019t working when in reality, it\u2019s the multifactor authentication that needs to be set up or reset.<\/p>\n

4. Remote Conferencing Tools<\/h2>\n

Anyone working remotely understands the sudden importance of videoconferencing tools like Zoom, Webex and Microsoft Teams. In many cases, users need to use more than one videoconferencing tool, depending on the meeting\u2019s originator. Each tool has its own quirks that frustrate users. These frustrations are compounded when users try to make the software function within remote access tools. Often, the videoconferencing tools need to be installed on the firm\u2019s equipment rather than personal equipment, even if users are accessing the tools virtually on personal equipment.<\/p>\n

The number of moving parts involved in video communication has created many headaches for users, who now find it impossible to conduct business without these tools.<\/p>\n

5. Endpoint Security Blocks<\/h2>\n

As we saw with printers, most firms rightfully prevent users from installing nonapproved software on firm equipment for security reasons. In these unusual times, though, lawyers now need tools like conferencing software, printer drivers and software for external hardware like dictation devices, even though they might not have been previously authorized to use them at home.<\/p>\n

While firms are making individual exceptions to the rules to accommodate current events, they\u2019re also trying to balance those needs against the crucial prerequisite of maintaining overall security. Taking shortcuts now can quickly undo a security posture that a firm has painstakingly built up over several years.<\/p>\n

Planning ahead for these kinds of scenarios ensures firms aren\u2019t accidentally opening the door to security risks during these unprecedented times.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ongoing Demands of the New Remote-Work Normal<\/h2>\n

While these issues dominated tech support calls at the outset of the new remote-work normal, they continue to arise as people settle in for extended work-from-home periods and gradually refresh their home office setups to accommodate the new demands.<\/p>\n

COVID-19\u2019s impacts on how we work have been unprecedented, but this virus won\u2019t be the last thing to disrupt business as usual. Learn from these times to create a playbook and implement processes to eliminate tech roadblocks when future remote work scenarios inevitably arise.<\/p>\n

Illustration \u00a9iStockPhoto.com<\/small><\/small><\/p>\n

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The post The 5 Most Common Tech Challenges in the New Remote-Work Normal<\/a> appeared first on Attorney at Work<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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