Remote workers are the future, telcos feel the work-from-home pinch and the gear you need to get the job done at home. Readings from around the world on business, leadership and coronavirus.

Businesses need remote control

Credit: WHO/PNG National Department of Health

Many businesses across our region are already asking their workers to work remotely, where practicable, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indeed, Zanie Theron of KPMG’s PNG office wrote to reassure clients this week that ‘we have a robust IT remote access infrastructure in place, enabling all of our people to work remotely, should that be required.’

Chris Herd, founder and CEO of US provisioning platform Firstbase, says that every company needs a remote work strategy.

‘The ability to continue operations despite large-scale unforeseen events will be seen as critical and not doing so would be an existential threat to the business,’ he notes.

‘Operating remotely is easy with the right tools, mindset, and approach,’ writes Herd. ‘As long as a company does not try to replicate synchronous working conditions remotely, handicap their workers by implementing it badly, or not giving them the tools and equipment they need to do great work.’

Coronavirus might catch out telcos

Credit: WHO/PNG Department of Health

Australia is finding a strain put on its National Broadband Network (NBN) from the surge of people working from home, according to InnovationAus.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has spoken to a round table of telcos and reported back that they were planning for major changes in data usage and network traffic patterns.

Fletcher said the NBN was bracing for large traffic increases during daytime working hours based on what has happened in Europe. Italy reported a 26 per cent increase in fixed-line peak hour network traffic as the country went into lockdown and more people worked from home.

The essential working-from-home gear

Credit: WHO/PNG Department of Health

Over at CNET, they have produce a definitive list of what you need to work effectively out of the office.

Looking at more that just the software essentials – Skype, Dropbox, Google Apps etc – the article looks at simple options to turn your home desk into a standing desk, keyboards to make your laptop easier to use on the desktop and kit to make at-home work meetings easier and with higher production values.

It’s time to talk to Datec, Daltron, Brian Bell, Digitec and other local providers to make sure you are ready for the home-work revolution.