With COVID hospitalizations dropping in Georgia, people are going out and socializing again. However, things won’t ever be back to how they were pre-pandemic. For instance, more people now prefer watching movies on streaming platforms instead of going to movie theaters. Also, many office workers have grown to like working from home instead of going to the office.
As we recover fully from the pandemic, we’re witnessing a socioeconomic sea change. Businesses like yours should already be shifting along with it. Here are three IT resolutions we suggest you make to start 2022 right:
1. Perform an IT audit
If your company is like most, you rushed putting together IT solutions that enabled staff to work remotely. You likely migrated workloads and data storage to the cloud, subscribed to project management apps, and also implemented cybersecurity solutions if your budget allowed.
All of these changes were made in rapid succession if not simultaneously, so you may now have a hodgepodge of an IT environment. It may have helped you to reestablish productivity levels in the short term, but there’s bound to be inefficiencies that you could do away with. For example, you may have redundant Software-as-a-Service subscriptions when you can save money by just paying for one. You may also want to minimize your in-house IT investments if you’re letting your staff work remotely anyway.
In short, you need to tweak and streamline your IT so that you can cut needless costs and optimize your systems. To do all of this, you first need to accomplish an IT audit — or better yet, have a managed IT services provider like Athens Micro do it for you. With your business requirements in mind, our IT specialists can help you gear your IT infrastructure for growth.
2. Retire computers and other IT equipment that are past their prime
You may think that you’re saving money by not replacing your old computers. However, you’re probably losing a lot more in costly repairs, expensive operating system support, and lost productivity due to lags, crashes, and cybersecurity breaches.
Furthermore, forcing employees to use subpar equipment frustrates and demotivates them. The pandemic has made many workers reevaluate what they want out of life — and you don’t want to waste their time by making them wait for their machines to work properly.
3. Fully enable flexible working arrangements
Before the pandemic, most people thought that reporting to the office was just the way work was done. However, ever since office workers were allowed to work remotely, they have gotten to experience perks like avoiding long commutes and spending more time with their families. Because of these, many do not want to go back to working full time at the office.
People still like or even crave the social aspect of talking face-to-face with their colleagues, but many now prefer having flexible work arrangements. Your business must be able to allow employees to be productive anywhere they prefer while still keeping company data secure. Not only will enabling remote work setups make your staff enjoy working for you more, but it will also let you tap top talent from other places with lower salaries. You won’t have to limit your business to the talent pool of your local vicinity, and you may even save on labor costs, too.
To better adapt your business to the new normal, make Athens Micro your IT partner. We’re helping businesses in Georgia take advantage of new opportunities arising from the state’s steady recovery from COVID. To learn more, send us a message or call us toll-free at 1-866-262-4461.
